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Our feet hurt and my bunions are growing, but a plus from our miles and miles of walking is the fact that we're losing weight (yea) from all that is required at the Missionary Training Center! Slowly, we are catching on to the hundreds of details required to work in the International Office and to effectively take care of the myriad of requirements and details with each of our international missionaries. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are particularly challenging as these are the days they arrive from the four corners of the world, tired, hungry, anxious and overwhelmed with this new country and setting. Sixty-two different countries were represented this week!

Just as Heavenly Father cares about each of us individually and is involved in the details of our lives, so it is at the MTC. Each of our international missionaries is individually escorted to complete the seemingly non-ending assessments and regulations upon their arrival on Tuesday or Wednesday. That's where we come in. We are their escorts. Many do not speak nor understand English, so lots of hand signals and guiding is required the few days. Of each missionary is required a TB test and follow-up 2 days later, English language assessment (for placement in correct branch and district), chest Xrays--taken off campus at the BYU Health Center-transported by us (not all must have this-depends on their home country), dental checkup appointment, additional appointment at the Health Clinic to take 2 sequential days of parasite pills (again, depends on their home country), immunizations, medical records read and verified, analysis of clothing requirements and distribution (when applicable), trek to MTC Bookstore to pick up all reading materials (in English and foreign language, if necessary), notebooks and scriptures in English and foreign language (when applicable), room assignments and move-in (some of their suitcases are bigger than they are, e.g. Filipinos), more verbal instructions and rules, meet new companion and Branch President and fellow district missionaries, mass meeting with the MTC President Boone and wife and orientation, and finally dinner in the massive cafeteria. Additionally, each missionary is assessed to guarantee he/she has been set apart as a full-time missionary and endowed in the temple. If these steps have not been completed, both are completed with two days. So many details and so much concern is extended to our missionaries (besides lots of love, encouragement, warm handshakes and hugs).

Although we felt physically worn out escorting each of our assigned missionaries to these various stations, I can't imagine how exhausted they feel, many having traveled for two days (in the case of our Tongan elder) whose eyes were so bloodshot I thought he had pink eye!! Despite their fatigue, their youth and vitality are irrepressible! Within 10 minutes, one of the 5 Samoans I was escorting to the Medical Center, placed her lei around my neck and a Samoan elder gave me his unoppened box of Hawaiian chocolate-covered macadamian nuts purchased in Hawaii the day before! So generous and so loving they are! They reminded me that in the Samoan tradition, they are to give away "all that they have" to others! Wow! What a tradition. I'm learning so much about Heavenly Father's children whom He loves so much.
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Wednesday was a special day as our oldest granddaughter Brittany Ogletree, daughter of Mark and Janie Ogletree from McKinney, TX, entered the MTC assigned to Spain Barcelona Mission. Promptly at 10:00 a.m., President Richard Boone ushered our family, e.g. Brittany, Mark and Janie, Jennifer and five children, Christy, Sam and Jacob and Steve and me into a conference room for Brittany's blessing. Because she left home 5 days earlier, it was necessary to receive her missionary setting apart at the MTC. Instead of a 5 minute blessing, he extended our time to 35 minutes as he became better acquainted with our family and her cousins and aunts and uncles. After President Boone asked Brittany some specific questions concerning her missionary call and role, he asked each present to give Brittany one piece of advice. Tears and laughter combined to make this a most memorable day!

A special perk we will have here at the MTC is we'll have many opportunities to interface with her quite by accident!! She has already spotted us twice, introduced us to her companions (in a threesome) and is simply glowing with excitement!