Introductions

The dynamics around the apartment will undoubtedly be changing!

Making room for me!

I read this in the Deseret News today. I hope that means that they're making room for me so I have a place to stay! Wouldn't that be SO WEIRD if my MTC was right next to my school apartment?!

PROVO — On Tuesday, the LDS Church transferred 110 missionaries from its Missionary Training Center in Provo to converted student apartments a mile away, where they were joined Wednesday by the first 40 missionaries to report directly from home to the temporary facilities.
The temporary extension site is necessary to relieve pressure on the MTC as unprecedented numbers of young members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints enter the mission field. By fall, the church expects the number of missionaries serving worldwide will have jumped 47 percent in one year.
In recent years, the number of missionaries has been increasing about 6 percent annually.
"We estimate more than 85,000 full-time missionaries serving by Fall 2013," church spokeswoman Ruth Todd told the Deseret News on Wednesday.
The church had 58,000 missionaries last October, when church President Thomas S. Monson's announced the minimum age for full-time missionary service would be 18 for LDS young men and 19 for women.
The most missionaries the church has had at the end of any year, which is the number it reports annually, was 61,638 at the end of 2002. That record was surpassed sometime early this year.
On Wednesday, Todd said the church now has 68,700 full-time missionaries. More than 22,500 additional men and women have received their mission calls but are not yet in the MTC. Another 6,200 have begun the process to obtain mission calls.
The 110 transferred Tuesday from the original MTC to the temporary facilities moved into BYU's Wyview Park apartment complex, replacing the college students who lived there just a month ago.

You better watch out!

I can't believe it's almost time! My whole family will be coming down to see me. I'm so excited!

Memorial Day

One of the BILLIONS of reasons that I'm excited to be going to Korea is because my Grandpa was there during the war. He didn't really talk about it much, except for the time that Marilyn Monroe came to visit. I think it will be exciting to walk in some of the places Grandpa walked a long, long time ago.

He said that he hoped he could help bring peace to the country. I guess that's kind of what I'll be doing as a missionary, bringing the gospel of peace. I guess that I'll help make his wish will come true!

No worries

A gustatory sensation!

I did it!

I went to the Korean restaurant and tried some Korean food! Someone suggested I try something that's not too weird. They recommended fried rice. So that's what I had.

It came with a cute little orange at the end, which was not only yummy, it was cute!

But then came the thing I was most worried about. The side dish of kimchee! Here's what it looked like:

And here's what it tasted like:

The lady at the restaurant told me it was MILD. I'm still tasting it! WOW! But it was AWESOME!

She also told me that the more kimchee I eat, the better I'll be able to speak Korean. Maybe that's why they call it the gift of tongues!

Oh. My. Gosh!

So you know what I TOTALLY forgot about!?

I have to give a TALK before I leave for the MTC! I mean, I knew that, but I don't know that, you know? But I guess the Bishop knew because he reminded me. I'm supposed to talk about getting ready to serve a mission. So now I have to worry about writing a talk AND what to wear when I give it. Plus they need a picture and a scripture for my missionary plaque!

My family will be coming down, and when that happens it will be like the last days! The last days before my mission, anyway...

That kind of makes everything a bit more real. I guess on top of everything else, I need to start worrying about the family coming, too -- especially my siblings!

Well, at least things will get a little easier once I get into the mission field, right?

Sad news!

I'm so sad to hear that Sis. Monson died! You know how they say that man should not be alone? I think that goes double for the prophet!

Here's what it says on the Church website:

Sister Frances Beverly Johnson Monson, 85, wife of President Thomas S. Monson for more than 64 years, died early Friday morning, May 17, in a Salt Lake City hospital surrounded by family. She died of causes incident to age.

Sister Monson was often described as “quiet and unassuming.”

President Monson has said that his wife always supported him in his Church assignments.

“Never once has she complained,” he said. “Never once. Not in our entire married life has she done anything to keep me from any aspect of my service. I have never received anything but support and encouragement from Frances.”

Switching to recovery mode

OK, I had a bad reaction after seeing my missionary haircut. I hoped to get a better reaction from my roommates! I mean, roommates are supposed to be supportive, right?

Do I dare?

Everybody says that I should try Korean food before I go into the MTC. It's supposed to be spicy, and they have this cabbage thing called kimchee. People always smile when they mention kimchee, so it MUST be good. Or maybe that's what they say instead of "cheese" when they take pictures.

One of these days I'll be brave and try it. But probably not today!

The big reveal!

I look in the mirror and I don't know who I am!

My reaction

OK, so maybe I freaked out just a little.

Or a lot!

Snips

So I guess it's OK if my hair provides service while I'm on my mission, right?

In case you want to know, learn more about Locks of Love. Kathryn inspired me!

Hair apparent

Who knew getting a haircut could into such an ordeal?

Continuing my preparations

There's SO much that needs to be done to get ready. Thank goodness I have helpful roommates to remind me of what I need to do!

It's gonna be crowded!

PROVO — Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are meeting with neighbors and making plans for the expansion of the Missionary Training Center in Provo.
LDS Church leaders expect the number of missionaries housed in the Provo MTC to raise from 2,800 to 7,800 this summer. By 2016, they expect the number to dip back down to 6,000, but steadily rise between then and 2030 to 7,500. To house the upcoming wave of missionaries, the church has leased two Brigham Young University-approved apartment complexes, Raintree and Wyview Park, and missionaries called to serve in Latin American countries will train in the new Mexico City MTC. But for a long-term solution, church leaders are exploring two possibilities.

The first option would expand the MTC campus on 27 acres to the northeast, across the street from the MTC near the Provo Temple that are currently a large playing field and parking areas. The second would replace 12 acres of BYU service buildings to the south of the MTC. The university would have to relocate those facilities. Last November and this March, LDS Church representatives met with neighbors to review both choices. Their homes are very close — about a single car space or a footpath — to the land.

"Church representatives have met with area residents multiple times to describe the need for growth of the MTC campus and to get feedback from the community," said LDS Church spokesperson Scott Trotter. "While residents have varying opinions, significant adjustments have been made based on input from neighbors, Brigham Young University and Provo City. We are grateful for the time and energy invested by the community."

Neighbors who opposed the nine-story building on the MTC campus last year say Mormons have ostracized them. Though neighbors say straw polls do not favor one plan over the other, they said they are grateful to be part of the conversation and happy that church leaders are remembering promises made about MTC expansion in 1976.

"The northeastern plan respects the promises that were made to the legacy neighbors, so the legacy neighbors strongly support the northeastern plan," said Lorie Johnson, who represents the group Legacy Neighbors.
A city representative said they are anxious to see the church's plans and begin discussions with the planning commission and city council about possible zoning changes the plans would require.

"I know that things have gone through changes and different people going through different ideas," said Provo City Deputy Mayor Corey Norman. "We're really waiting to get something solid, something that meets the objectives of the MTC and also protects the integrity of the neighborhood."

Church leaders say they are "carefully evaluating long-term solutions" for the expansion. Currently, no timetable has been set for the expansion construction, though modification on both leased apartment complexes begins Wednesday to meet this summer's needs.

By the numbers
Missionaries currently serving: 64,373
Average number of missionaries called per week: 1,400 per week since 1 January 2013
Percentage of sisters being called: 36 percent since Jan. 1
Percentage of elders being called: 57 percent since Jan. 1
Percentage of seniors being called: 7 percent since Jan. 1