We spent 10 days in the Provo Missionary Training Center (MTC) in preparation for our departure to Scotland. It was a wonderful 10 days. We appreciated the opportunity to learn more about preaching the doctrine of Christ and about how to study the holy scriptures in depth as well as breadth.
Before we entered the MTC, we were set apart by our Stake President, President Raines as full time missionaries and received inspired blessings at his hands.
The first week was "Preach My Gospel" training which included several opportunities to give 45 minute lessons to volunteers from the community who were posing as investigators. One of our "investigators" was Wilford Tolman. Elaine remembered him as the person who came out to Omaha in 1993 to assist with the Wilderness Youth Conference when Elaine was Stake Young Women's President. After we were done, Elaine told him who she was, and how much the Conference had meant to the youth of the Stake. He said thank you and gave her a nice hug.
Sister Bylund's great grandmother was a cousin to David O. McKay, who was the President of the Church from 1951 to 1970. He often related a true account that occurred while he was a missionary serving in Scotland. He was feeling homesick after being in the mission for just a short time and spent a few hours sightseeing at nearby Stirling Castle. When he and his companion returned from visiting the castle, they passed a building where the stone above the door had a carved inscription of a quotation usually attributed to Shakespeare, which read: What E’er Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part.
Recalling this experience in a talk given in 1957, President McKay explained: “I said to myself, or the Spirit within me, ‘You are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. More than that, you are here as a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. You accepted the responsibility as a representative of the Church.’ Then I thought [about] what we had done that forenoon. We had been sightseeing, we had gained historical instruction and information, it is true, and I was thrilled with it. … However, that was not missionary work. … I accepted the message given to me on that stone, and from that moment we tried to do our part as missionaries in Scotland.”This message—What E’er Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part—was so important and had such an impact on Elder McKay that he used it for inspiration for the rest of his life. He determined that whatever responsibility he had, he would do his very best.
When Elder David B. Haight was mission president in Scotland, he located the original stone inscription and had a replica made, which is today in the missionary training center in Provo, Utah. (see Elder Quentin L. Cook, CES Devotional for Young Adults, March 4, 2012).
Before we entered the MTC, we were set apart by our Stake President, President Raines as full time missionaries and received inspired blessings at his hands.
The first week was "Preach My Gospel" training which included several opportunities to give 45 minute lessons to volunteers from the community who were posing as investigators. One of our "investigators" was Wilford Tolman. Elaine remembered him as the person who came out to Omaha in 1993 to assist with the Wilderness Youth Conference when Elaine was Stake Young Women's President. After we were done, Elaine told him who she was, and how much the Conference had meant to the youth of the Stake. He said thank you and gave her a nice hug.
Each Wednesday the new young missionaries arrive at the MTC to start their missionary training. It used to be that about 300 missionaries would arrive each week. Now, there are 600-800 arriving most weeks. This is a result of the minimum missionary age having been recently lowered from 19 to 18 for young men and from 21 to 19 for young women. We took the opportunity to watch them arrive, say goodbye to their families and be escorted through the check-in process by a host missionary.
 |
| The excited arrival. |
 |
| The tearful goodbye. |
 |
| The required last picture. |
 |
| Off to check-in. |
Recalling this experience in a talk given in 1957, President McKay explained: “I said to myself, or the Spirit within me, ‘You are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. More than that, you are here as a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. You accepted the responsibility as a representative of the Church.’ Then I thought [about] what we had done that forenoon. We had been sightseeing, we had gained historical instruction and information, it is true, and I was thrilled with it. … However, that was not missionary work. … I accepted the message given to me on that stone, and from that moment we tried to do our part as missionaries in Scotland.”This message—What E’er Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part—was so important and had such an impact on Elder McKay that he used it for inspiration for the rest of his life. He determined that whatever responsibility he had, he would do his very best.
When Elder David B. Haight was mission president in Scotland, he located the original stone inscription and had a replica made, which is today in the missionary training center in Provo, Utah. (see Elder Quentin L. Cook, CES Devotional for Young Adults, March 4, 2012).
The design of the stone is a magic square. Each symbol represents a number.
5 10 3
4 6 8
9 2 7
The sum of the three numbers in any direction is 18. Note that if any of the symbols (or numbers) are changed or rearranged, the square will no longer be magic.The message for each of us is that whatever our position or calling, if we are conscientious in doing our part then the whole will function as intended. What e’er thou art, act well thy part.