We have completed our training and are ready to depart for London. We entered the Provo Missionary Training Center (MTC) around 2:00 on Monday afternoon, January 11th. We were shown to our room and did our check in (consisting of a photo shoot and getting our agenda and materials for the week). We didn't have anything else scheduled for Monday until dinner that evening. We had a very nice private dinner with 22 other Visitors' Center Directors and MTC Presidents and their wives. One couple didn't make dinner because their flight was delayed. We were joined for dinner by five General Authorities (church leaders with assignments throughout the world).

Tuesday morning we began our classes at 9:00 and had classes or speakers until 8:00 or so in the evening through Thursday. We were instructed by General Authorities and other church leaders throughout the week. Here is a list of the General Church Leaders that taught us: Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Elder David A. Bednar, Elder Neil L. Andersen, Elder Brent H. Nielsen, Elder Mervyn B. Arnold, Elder Gregory A. Schwitzer, Elder W. Craig Zwick, Elder Jorge F. Zeballos, Elder Per G. Malm, Elder Steven E. Snow, Bishop W. Christopher Waddell, and Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson. We also were taught by leaders and staff of the Church Missionary Department.

We received instruction on spiritual things, on operational issues, on teaching techniques, and on historical information. We also spent some time on Temple Square being taught by experienced sister missionaries there. Our training concluded with a very nice dinner in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City where all of the leaders who instructed us attended with their spouses (with the exception of Elder Snow).

The week has been very informative and spiritually uplifting. We also developed some great friendships with those who attended the training and are now reporting to assignments all over the world. Here is a list of countries that our classmates are going to: United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa, Ghana, Spain and, of course, England. It was an honor to associate with such great people.

Now our adventure begins in earnest as we fly to London. We'll give you an update from there as soon as we can.