First Days of the Mission

Dear Family and Friends,

 
OK, we survived the first 3 days of our mission. Yea for us---not sure our trainers feel the same way.  I'm sure they wonder---"whats wrong with these two!!!"

On the 10th we met the Directors of the Visitor Centers, Elder and Sister Watkins (Bob and Pam) who gave us a tour of the Temple Visitor Center and then sent us on our merry way to memorize about 100 pages of historical information.  We came home and started studying and then realized that we are old, old, old, or at least our brains are.  Pretty soon all the dates and stories were mushed together.

 

That night all the Senior couples met for a "Hi-Bye" party.  This is a tradition in the mission, that when a new couple comes or a couple goes home, they celebrate. It was a wonderful evening and as you can see from the pictures the "theme" was patriotic.  Everyone brought a picnic dinner and then gave it to another couple.  Each couple told a story of an ancestor who had influenced their lives.  It was a wonderful way to be welcomed into the mission.

The next morning we were thrown from the frying pan into the fire.  We were scheduled to work at the Brigham Young home and were to accompany another couple giving tours.  However, it became very busy and Bruce was told to take the 2nd tour of the day by himself.  He has no idea if what he told them was true or not.  My first tour with Sister Child was a couple from Pennsylvania.  He was a student of religion and no sooner had we started the tour then he bombarded us with questions.  He wanted to know where the Book of Mormon came from.  How Joseph Smith obtained the plates  Who told Lehi to leave Jerusalem and how we differed from the Catholic church.  He just kept asking question after question.  You know the song "Three Hour Tour", well our 20-30 min. tour turned into 1 1/2 hr.  (Now I know how Gilligan felt)  But at the end he took a Book of Mormon and was very complementary.  I returned to the little office where the missionaries wait, emotionally drained and sweating like---you know what.  I just prayed I gave him the correct info.  (Thank You Elder Zundel and Sister Yazzie at the MTC for making me leave my comfort zone.)  Our second day was also at the Brigham Young Home and we both felt a a lot better about the day.  We crammed our heads full of dates, stories, and facts about Brigham Young and his wives, family and friends who accompanied him on his trips to St. George.

Today we spent going to our new ward (Green Valley 1st) and then a shift at the Jacob Hamblin Home.  Totally different experience.  There is so much information at the Brigham Young Home, including stories how they built the home, his family, building the temple, etc., but the Jacob Hamblin Home is all about him and his remarkable life. The dates, facts and names of his wives and his travels is incredibly extensive.  I kept getting his wives mixed up.  First there was Lucinda Taylor,(according to Jacob's journals, Lucinda wasn't very nice), then Rachel Judd, Priscilla Leavitt and finally Louisa Benilly. (sp)  I'm sure I will dream about them tonight and their children.  (Greg Hamblin where are you?)

Great first few days.  They have flown by.  We barely have time to catch our breath, which is good because I'm sure if I had a lot of extra time, I would miss all of you too much.  We pray all is well.  

Our love and very best to family and friends,

Elder and Sister Borchert

Bruce and Dawna