Jan. 31 - Our first official day as Missionaries!!!

After spending a couple of fun days with Mom & Dad Reese (Janet & Jonah too!) we arrived at the Mission Training Center in Provo, Utah. We were greeted with smiles by everyone and we were directed to the dorm building to unload our luggage into our room on the second floor. When we drove to the dorm we were greeted by the young missionaries who carried all our heavy luggage up to our room. Wow, such royal treatment! Next we went to the main center to check in. As we entered there were lots of other senior couple missionaries there, the question everyone asks is "Where are you going? and where are you from?" It was fun to hear all the places everyone was going. Check-in was very efficient and organized. We went to the bookstore to pick up a supply packet there for us. They have everything a missionary would need in there. Next we went to lunch. Wow, very large room as we had been told about, it would have been hard to see Peter in that room. There was a sea of young Elder and Sister Missionaries! The food was very good, with lots of variety. They have Salads, Wraps, and all the Fast Food type things, plus several main courses to choose from. It all looked very good. We were told that Senior Missionaries always get to go to the front of the line, but there were no lines. (We did notice them at dinner, but we never had to wait , we must have timed it right as we walked up each time and got our food. Everything we ate was very good.
Next we went to an orientation meeting, lots of information on how the week would go and a talk from the Mission Training President and his wife. Very inspiring. They also had a special musical number by a young missionary sister who played a violin solo, it was very good. Also everyone got to tell about themselves and about their mission calls. Very interesting, there are about 30 couples in our group and they are going all over the world doing all kinds of different missions. One couple was going to Nepal! (And he likes trekking! How lucky is that!) Another couple was going to a part of Turkey to open that area. They are sent there as the first missionaries in that area, interesting thing is they go there and just live, no suits! Just go and live as if they had moved there. We had the rest of the day free to unpack and get settled in, (plus our reading assignments for tomorrow-two chapters in "Preach My Gospel"! Glad we had studied that book before we left!) We have email but no Skype in our dorm room. So you can email any questions we didn't answer in our blog!
Here is our glamorous apartment for the next 2 weeks - we are living at the MTC dorms - some couples had to go to the Marriott Hotel. Even though the dorm is not as nice, we are only a few steps away from everything, it would be a pain to have to drive back and forth from the hotel.

Farewell at the Sacramento Airport

On Wed. the 26th of January we left Sacramento for Salt Lake City. We went a little early to the airport to meet up with Holts, Cambirdges, and Sheppards. Christy's kids made some great signs. We really appreciated all the love and support - you guys are great! Leaving is hard - especially leaving family - but we are so excited to begin this great adventure in serving the Lord!

Yes, feeding them is always a good idea - especially if it's donuts!!

Check out all the yummy donuts!

Here is the crew with signs - thanks Carrie for taking the picture!

This is looking back after ascending the stairs for the final wave and goodbye!

We have everything we own packed up in Jody's Dad's garage. Whew! It only took half a day for Dave to add our stuff from the condo to the already existing collection. We gave away so much and yet we still seem to have a lot - what does that tell you about the American lifestyle? Now we are really ready to go!!!

Mom and Dad Reese came for our setting apart - they are taking our suitcases back with them (to save us the cost of flying with them!) So here are our bags - packed and ready to go. This is everything we'll need for the next 18 months! We will not be leaving till the 26 of January!

1-10-2011 Tonight was the setting apart of Peter, David and Jody Reese as full time missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We met at the Church Stake Center at 8pm with family and friends. We also were able to include Tony & Connie in Arizona on skype (LOVE skype!!) President Williams (Our Stake President) offered counsel and advice to Peter and us on being great missionaries. He said to Love the Savior, Love the people where you serve, Love your companion (easy for Dave & Jody!). to work hard, be obedient, learn the gospel - wear out the Preach My Gospel book, bear your testimony often and be all you can for the Lord. Peter was set apart first, followed by David, then Jody. The blessings were beautiful - addressing concerns that only the Lord would know. The three new missionaries then bore their testimonies and we were able spent time visitng with everyone who was there.

Family and friends - thank you for coming!

President Williams getting ready to set Peter apart as a full time missionary.

Peter hugging those who stood in the circle to help set him apart.

This is Dave right after he was set apart.

We are getting more anxious now rather than excited. Time is going by sometimes both faster and slower at the same time. We have packed our bags now to see what will fit and how much they weigh. Mom and Dad Reese are coming in from Utah today and will be here for ours and Peters setting apart as missionaries. They are also going to attend Courtney's, (our granddaughter's) baptism. We will send the bags back with them to Utah which will save us the expense the airlines charge for baggage.
All the major things we were concerned with are done, we have sold the car and rented the condo which were the last big items we had left to get ready. We now just have a few little things left to do.
This week and last week we added working at the St Joseph's Shelter for women and children. It has been a good experience and it has helped fill the days making time go by faster. We work in the kitchen helping to prepare the food and then set-up and serve. We have been working with a great chef who is originally from the Ukraine and for a while worked on the cruise ships in the Black Sea. Very interesting to get the inside view of working on a cruise ship. Also interesting to hear his views on socialism and how he see us going in that direction and how, having lived under it, it is the way we don't want to go.

FYI - we are to report to the MTC in Provo, Utah on January 31. We will be there for 2 weeks and then flying to Armenia on Feb. 13. We will be in the MTC for 2 days with Peter before he goes to Tucson AZ (he has a blog at www.elderreese.blogspot.com ) It is going to be great to serve a mission at the same time Peter is!