Of Lessons and Languages – Life in the MTC

Fifteen Missionary Training Centers (MTC) around the world process thousands of new missionaries through weeks of gospel and language training. The MTC in Provo, Utah is a busy place this particular week.  There are several thousand missionaries being trained, and 400 new ones just arrived yesterday. The logistics alone are staggering – housing all these new missionaries and welcoming new ones every week; feeding several thousand hungry missionaries three times a day; 

organizing training for them in small group settings where they can practice their new skills and become comfortable talking to people; keeping track of immunizations needed for each one; arranging flight plans; providing language training; handling and arranging service opportunities such as cleaning, hosting, greeting new missionaries, and lawn care;  - it is mind boggling just to think about it.  Watching it in action one feels it is nothing short of miraculous.

In addition to residences, classrooms and the huge cafeteria, the beautifully landscaped MTC contains a gym, medical services, a barbershop, laundry facilities, a bookstore, a travel department, a mail room, a print and office room, and of course vending machines in multiple convenient places for snacks and drinks in between meals.

Our nametags!!!

Senior couples or single sisters stay anywhere from one to 2 weeks depending on their assignment. Here is the group of seniors for this week!

Missionaries are divided into groups called districts. Elder Coffey was chosen to be one of the District Leaders. We study gospel topics and practice role playing with each other and with volunteers from the community.

Elder Coffey and I planning the next teaching role play.

Senior missionaries in our district have been assigned to Chile, Japan, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Canada, England, Germany, Baltic, Spain,Vietnam, Belgium, and multiple places throughout the United States. Foreign language skills are usually not needed for senior missionaries, though many, like us, try to learn a little bit.

A husband and wife team taking a few minutes to plan their schedule.  They have been called to serve in Chile. This is their second mission.

Senior sisters also make up the worldwide missionary force.  We have five single sisters in our group this week.  They will be serving in the Family and Church History Headquarters Mission in Salt Lake City.

Younger missionaries stay from 3 – 9 weeks.  If they are learning a language they usually stay the full 9 weeks. Over 50 languages are taught in the MTC! 

Philippines-bound Elders having a prayer together before they begin their language (Tagalog) and gospel studies as a companionship. Missionaries are taught to rely heavily on the Lord for help every step of the way.

A Philippines-bound District of Elders, preparing to preach the 

Gospel in the Ilokano language.

But the greatest miracle is all of these young people who take so seriously their call to serve the Lord.  Their countenances beam as they scurry back and forth between classes, memorizing lessons and languages on the go, or studying quietly in personal study times. It is a delight to see. They are courteous, respectful, hard working and filled with faith.  The world, truly, is in good hands with these missionaries!

 Called to serve Him, heav'nly King of glory,

Chosen e'er to witness for his name,

Far and wide we tell the Father's story,

Far and wide his love proclaim.

Called to know the richness of his blessing--

Sons and daughters, children of a King--

Glad of heart, his holy name confessing,

Praises unto him we bring.

Onward, ever onward, as we glory in his name;

Onward, ever onward, as we glory in his name;

Forward, pressing forward, as a triumph song we sing.

God our strength will be; press forward ever,

Called to serve our King.

                                                                                Called To Serve, Hymn # 249

Our next post will be from Vietnam!

The Gift of Tongues, Senior Style

 좋은 아침! ¡Buenos días! Доброе утро! Chào buổi sáng! Good morning!

Morning is well under way at the Amanda Knight Hall in Provo, Utah. Senior missionaries and language tutors fill little classrooms lining the hall of the aged, but comfortable, building.  The Missionary Language Training immersion program for senior missionaries is in full swing.

This week it is Korean, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese being taught. Next week it might be Swedish or Japanese.  Whatever the need, senior missionaries going all over the world can receive language training for their respective mission, either here in person or via Skype with tutors and native speakers.

Elder Coffey and I struggle to sound out the phonetic difference between “tập” and “đọc”, when both sound like “dop” to untrained, Western ears. Young but completely fluent tutors, all returned missionaries, mentor us in pronunciation, grammar patterns, and scenarios. Patiently they answer a seemingly endless stream of questions. They are all absolutely excellent.

 

Our schedule includes a variety of tutors, personal study time, and plenty of breaks when we need them.  And need them we do! Though the pace is slower than what the young missionaries get, it is plenty fast for us seniors.

The senior sister missionary next door pops her head in to introduce herself. She and her husband are preparing to serve a Spanish speaking temple mission in Bolivia.  This is their second mission. Another couple down the hall is studying Korean for a Military Relations Mission.  This is their third mission.  The first two were in Russia.

Come 5:00 pm our eyes glaze over, our heads spin, and it is time to end for the day. It is hard to teach old dogs new tricks.  But swelling up inside, a ray of optimism surfaces.  His voice whispers, “You got this. You can do this.  Open your mouths and they shall be filled.  This is not your work.  It is mine. You are on my errand.”

Flickr.com courtesy of  Harry and Rowena Kennedy

Of Light and Heat

I am intrigued by the words of Jesus Christ when He said, "I am the Light of the world." (John 8:12). The symbolism in Light is awe-inspiring. My mind is filled with wonder as I ponder the words that describe Christ as, 

...the light of truth;  Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made.

As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made;  As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand. 

And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes...                                                                              Doctrine and Covenants 88: 6-12

The light from the sun brings both radiant light and burning heat. Both are essential to our progression toward Him.

Of Light and Heat

The sky, they say, is black at night,

When in truth it's filled with light,

Enough to see the path to keep –

Enough to trust while others sleep.

Lord, here’s my hand. I cannot see  

Unless I put my trust in Thee.

Flickr.com - courtesy of George Thomas

The graying of the dawn awakes

The greater view which road to take.

The shadows bow and take their seat

As cool gives way to fervent heat.

      Lord, here’s my heart.  I cannot see

      Unless I put my trust in Thee.

Flickr.com - courtesy of Rania Hatzi

Unfettered day with rays unfurled

Brings burning heat upon the world.

Faint, seeking Balm to soothe the brow –

The dross is cleansed in me somehow.

Lord, here’s my will. I cannot see

Unless I put my trust in Thee.

Flickr.com - courtesy of Luca Castellazzi

The sunset warm begins to glow,

Another time and place to show.

The path now clear with radiant light,

I take my place within His sight.

Lord, I am thine, for now I see

Both light and heat bring us to Thee.

Flickr.com - courtesy of Magic Foundry

Deborah L. Coffey

2016

15 Days 'Till Mission Start Date

Our training at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah is fast approaching! Our official start date is August 29th, but we have opted to go a week early and do language training. Learning Vietnamese is not a required part of our mission,  but we are encouraged to learn what we can. 

Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah

The Church has wonderful language learning resources for seniors. Once a week we each enjoy an hour-long Skype session with our language tutor,  a Vietnamese speaking returned missionary.  He is excellent!  The Church has many on-line resources to help, including scenarios, dialogues, study tips, and recordings by native speakers.

The MTC also provides a native speaker to Skype with us once a week, as well as a language coach who helps us with goal setting and progress measurements. 

The language program is available before senior missionaries enter the country and for 6 months after they are in the country. 

This week we were given our Vietnamese names.  I am Ánh (like "Ann"), and Greg is Thế, (pronounced "Tay"). We will serve in the Tân Sơn Nhất Branch in Ho Chi Minh City.

We also have an apartment waiting for us in Ho Chi Minh City, thanks to President Hassell and others who helped find it for us.  It is about a 23 minute walk to the church building. There we will be working with members of the branch and the local branch builders, volunteering teaching English, and offering support and encouragement to branch leaders and members.

With our newly acquired language in mind,  I will share my first testimony in Vietnamese:

Tôi biết rằng Thượng Đế là Cha Thiên 
Thượng của chúng ta. Tôi biết rằng Đấng Ky Tô là Đấng Cữu Rỗi của chúng ta. Tôi làm chứng rằng Thượng Đế yêu thương chúng ta và biết chúng ta là ai.

I know that God is our Heavenly Father.  I know that Christ is our Savior. I testify that God loves us and knows who we are. 

We anticipate leaving the MTC for Vietnam on September 5th.  If this mission is anything like our previous one to Hong Kong, it will be incredible and life-changing.  We are looking forward to the culture, the humidity, and the good food.  We are excited about helping people learn English and teaching sound principles which will lead to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.

We are extremely humbled by this opportunity and blessing to serve in Vietnam. We are grateful. We look forward to serving the Lord in whatever way He directs us. We expect hard work.  We expect sacrifice.  We expect miracles. 

Coffey Reunion 2016

The Coffey reunion was well under way as Bopi and Nana (Grandpa and Grandma) entered the reunion headquarters.  The outdoor humidity followed us through the door as we wondered how 36 people were going to manage for the next three days.  The challenges for our nine children and their families, who live all across the country, to get together on this rare occasion were only offset by the hope that somehow it would be well worth it. We missed one out of nine, but the rest converged together and the festivities began.

Water slide bounce house - Texan style! - It's huge!!

 Lake Travis fun.

Sharing Disney-inspired talents with charades.

Who am I?

Twins!

These lovable, funny and crazy children of ours have started something wonderful - grandchildren! There are 19 of them now - with two to arrive soon.

Our Nineteen grandchildren! The numbers are their birth order.

Water balloon fight.

Little cousins getting to know other little cousins. 

 Trampoline fun!

Beating the heat.

Bopi demonstrating his talent.

Siblings living across the country from each other eating Texan donuts, enjoying a movie night, and huddling in late night conversations. 

Little girl cousins feeling the movements of our daughter-in-law's soon-to-be-born baby - getting to know their new cousin!

Planting a family reunion tree …on canvas.. 

Bopi on baby duty, and loving it!

 Moms, Dads, Kids and Grandkids. We love our family and are so grateful for the sacrifice they all made to come to the reunion. They're an awesome bunch! As we wait for our next mission to begin, it has been a joy to see all our children and grandchildren!  Families are the best!

So You’re Thinking About Serving a Mission?

When we first started out to get ready for our first mission, we had so many questions!  Unanswered questions about little things became unsettling concerns until they were resolved.  For example: What kind of shoes should I bring? Can we buy things we are used to buying? Will they have hot water or will I be taking cold showers for two years? Do they have air conditioning? Will I ever see chocolate chips again?  Ha!

For us at least, these “little” questions felt pretty big.  Yes, even the chocolate chip question!

So we started this blog – a blog to help people who are thinking about serving an LDS senior mission – to take the journey with us as we discover the answers many are wanting to know. 

Here are some of the questions that burn in people's hearts...

Can we communicate home easily? Absolutely - modern communication methods are in vogue....

Flickr.com - Courtesy of Wonderlane

Flickr.com - Courtesy of Richard Vignola

Can I get my own medicine for my needs?   Yes, but “medicine” is relative…

Chinese Medicine Shop - Flickr.com - Courtesy of Charlyn Wee

Can I drink the water? Yes, if you seriously want to... 

Flickr.com -  Courtesy of Clive Reld

Can I eat “regular” food?  Yes, but “regular” is also relative…

Octopus Pizza - Hong Kong

Will my house be fine while I am gone? Wait - you have an actual house????

Emergency Housing in Nepal with 5 families living inside.

Can I get money out?  Yes!  Worldwide. They always want your money.

Flickr.com - Courtesy of Jessica Paterson

Seriously though, the thing to remember is this.  Whether you serve a domestic or international mission, tens of thousands of seniors have gone on missions.  If they can do it, you probably can too. Everyone has had these same questions and resolved them in various ways. Here are some tips that may help as you prepare for a mission:

• The Church puts senior missionaries in safe, clean, modern housing.  All of the senior housing we visited in Asian countries were of very high standard and were comfortable for each couple.
• You will usually be replacing another couple who has already been there. They and your mission president are your #1 source for specific answers to your particular mission. Once you receive your call, you will be given contact information of who you can email to get detailed information.
• Other senior missionaries who have gone before you have already found all the stores, markets, shops, ATM's, and transportation tid-bits.  You probably won't have to re-invent the wheel. 
• There are phone numbers you can call about insurance, medical and mission-type questions. If you have questions about senior missions, you can call 1-800-453-3860 (ext.2-6741), or email: seniormissionaryservices@ldschurch.org.
• You are welcome to email us anytime too!  We'd love to hear from you and answer any mission-related questions that we can.  You can email us at: coffey58@gmail.com.
• If you have questions about different types of missions that are available, check out THIS LINK.  It has email links to senior missionaries whose mission it is to answer your questions. Operators are standing by!  

Ultimately, when we walk in the footsteps of the Savior, we put our trust and faith in Him. Serving a mission is a true act of faith. When we feel the call of the Savior moving us to serve a mission, may we have the courage and faith to, like Peter and Andrew, drop all and follow Him. The rest of the journey will be priceless.

Best wishes on your exciting mission.

Elder and Sister Coffey

The Lord's Timing is Always Right

We firmly believe that the Lord has His timing for everything.   And His timing is always right. There are no coincidences.

Last fall Greg and I were still in Hong Kong serving as Asia Area Welfare Specialists.  We anticipated coming home from that mission, being in the US for about 6 months, and then going out again on another mission.  In preparation for our new mission, we began the missionary application process, which included a medical physical.  The extremely thorough Chinese doctors found a couple of possible medical concerns, and recommended having a repeat test done 6 months later.  

Because of this recommendation, our missionary application was put on hold. We were so disappointed because we wanted to receive our call and assignment quickly so we could know where we would be going. But we had to be patient in the Lord's timing.

President Lewis and Sister Mary Hassell

It was shortly after that, on March 1st, 2016, that the Vietnam Mission was officially created. Elder Lewis Hassell, then serving with his wife as a senior missionary in Vietnam, was called to be the new mission president.  Greg and I had the opportunity of working with President Hassell on several humanitarian projects and other special events from our office in Hong Kong. We were thrilled to hear of the new mission creation.

Click HERE to read about the creation of the new Vietnam Hanoi Mission.

Before that time, the possibility of us serving in Vietnam as member leadership support (MLS) missionaries did not exist.  The position had not been created.  Now, with the inauguration of the new mission, and the newly announced official church recognition in Vietnam, the opportunity for us to serve there was opened up.

Had our mission application been sent in when we had originally planned last fall, we would not have been assigned to Vietnam. We believe the whole delay for the medical re-check (which showed perfect health) was part of a divine plan to enable us to serve in Vietnam.

One of our dear friends serving in the Asia Area Office with us sent us this email when she heard of our new assignment:

Hi Coffeys,

Everyone here is very excited for your new mission call.  It was announced in devotional  meeting today, and caused quite a stir.  You will be perfect.

Knowing how much you love Vietnam, I can’t help but see the hand of the Lord in the timing of your call.  Had you been able to submit your papers when you first tried, I don’t think the Vietnam couple MLS complement would have been in the system.  Who says calls don’t come from the Lord?!

Best wishes for the new assignment!

I love Elder Bednar's reminder to us that the Lord is in charge of the details of our lives:

“I testify that the tender mercies of the Lord are real and that they do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. ….Faithfulness, obedience and humility invite tender mercies into our lives, and it is often the Lord’s timing that enables us to recognize and treasure these important blessings…"
― David A. Bednar

I'm especially excited about this assignment since I lived in Vietnam when I was a little girl. I lived in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) from 1968-1972.  My dad worked for a civil engineering company.  Some of my greatest memories was of our school at the Phoenix Study Group.

Here is a picture of my school class photo taken in Saigon, Vietnam in 1970. I am third from the left. The woman next to me is our teacher.  There were only five of us in the class! I'd send more pictures of me in Vietnam when I was little, but they are packed away in our storage unit.  Maybe later this summer I can pull some out and post them before we leave for Vietnam.

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