MTC to Canada Trek

Week of August 13-27, 2018
We had a wonderful extra three days at the MTC receiving Institute training and being able to rub shoulders with some spiritual giants.  We felt quite inferior to some of these couple as they have had some marvelous experiences in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It's a good thing we have the Holy Ghost on our side to testify to the truths of the things that we will be sharing with the wonderful youth of the Ottawa Area. The Three days were filled with very enlightening instruction and we were blessed to be able to be a part of it.

CES couples heading off to serve the youth of the church

On Wednesday afternoon we checked out of the MTC and headed north.  After loading our (covered Wagon) with all the most important things we headed down the road.  I can't imagine the pioneers only being able to carry 17 LBS each of personal items.  My tool box weighs almost 3 times that.  We may be modern day pioneers but there are some distinct advantages to having 150 + Horsepower to transporting our belongings.

All packed and ready to go. Thanks to my niece Jennifer and her family and dad -Garret was out working when we left

The trip across country was not too bad. Things went well and the gas milage on the car was not too bad considering the load we were carrying.  We arrived at our son Daniel's house on Friday night in West Lafayette Indiana, and had a wonderful visit with them.  On Sunday he blessed our new grand daughter, Aria Lynn Hernandez Mikkelsen.  She is a sweet heart and we love her already.

Family is the best!

 Having a son that can exercise his priesthood to bless his family is so wonderful. Having the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives is also a blessing beyond compare.

Daniel. Sonia, and Aria

Grandma and Riley holding baby Aria

The proud Grandpa

 We traveled to Columbus and had a wonderful stay at Jonathan's house on Sunday night.  Our little grand daughter Rirly is such a sweet heart. Grand kids are one of the best blessing of a senior mission.  We got her on our last mission and little Aria on this mission and in October we will be blessed with a grandson. If for no other reason that is a great reason to serve as a senior missionary.
Monday we arrived in the Palmyra NY area and had a wonderful visit there.

Reconstructed home of Joseph Smith with the Sacred Grove behind the house

We spent some time at the visitors center and walked the Hill Cumorah Where Joseph Smith was lead to find the Golden plates that was translated into the Book of Mormon.

Sacred Grove 

Upper bedroom in the log house where Moroni appeared to the 14 year old Joseph Smith

Interior of Frame house where Joseph and his family lived durning translation of the Golden Plates
The rug is actually a painted linen canvas that was used as floor coving Emma Smith would sell these to earn money

Master bedroom in the frame house

We then traveled over to the little village of Palmyra and toured the Grandin Printing Shop where the first 5000 copies of the Book of Mormon were printed for a cost of $3000.00.

Grandin- book binding area of the building.  They printed on the top floor bound on the second floor and
sold on the first floor

If you account for inflation since then which the internet says is a little over 2609.26% that makes todays cost just under $82,000.00 in todays currency.  Quite an undertaking back in those days. It was quite the process that they went through to publish the book it took over 3 months to publish it and then 7 more months to bind all the copies.  The copies went on sale for $1.75 but the price was dropped to $1.25 which was almost two days wages at the time. Well worth the time and cost to have this inspired record in our hands today.
On Tuesday morning traveled to the David Whitmer farm where a majority of the Book of Mormon was translate.

David Whitmer home about 50 people crowed into this small log home on April 6, 1830
and raised their arms to the square to sustain the creation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Picture portraying the first baptisms on the day of organization

Oliver Cowdery Setting apart Joseph Smith as the first Elder of the church

Commemorative statue at the site, the plaque states that Spencer W Kimball dedicated this place
at the 1980 April conference his talk along with several others are sealed in the base to
be opening at the 200 anniversary of the church's restoration.

This is the bedroom where a majority of the translation took place

What a wonderful place. The spirit was so strong and we were blessed to have a wonderful Senior Sister give us our tour. We left about 12:30 and completed our travel to the mission field and arrived in Ottawa about 5:30 in the evening. We live on the 10th floor of a 25 floor apartment building.  Our windows look south towards Hog's Back Falls and Mooneys Bay which is on the Rideau River.  There are some really cool locks right by our apartment that allow boats to travel up and down stream.

Our apartment is just about the one that has the whirly gigs on the balcony 

We are on the 10th floor of this 25 floor apartment building
We park our car underneath it a great advantage for winter time.

We have all the stores in close proximity like Costco, Walmart, HomeDepot, even a Sears catalog store. Gas is only a $114.9 (OH NOT GOOD) that is a liter, which makes it almost $5.00 a gallon.
We had a wonderful training with our Institute Coordinator Brother Carpenter.  He is a new hire by the church, a 29 year old with three children. He is a great young man and we are looking forward to working and learning with him. He has some great trainers Elder and Sister Turner. Elder Turner is a retired CES Area Directors and coordinator. We received some wonderful direction.
Wednesday morning.  We bid the Gordons' farewell as they headed home. We are replacing them.  They were loved and will be missed in this area.

Farewell to the Gordon's

We have met with the Elders and Sisters in District Council meeting. We are very impressed with their dedication and sincerity to share the gospel.  We have a wonderful Ward Mission Leader his name is Brother Steve Smith.  He took us to the Chipotle Grill for our first correlation meeting.  He is an energetic young man and will be a blessing to work with.
We went on an early morning walk on Saturday and discovered how really beautiful this town is.  It won't be long till the leaves begin to change and then we will be in another world all together. There are trees everywhere.  You desert people back home can't imagine how green it is.  It almost makes your eyes hurt there is so much green to look at.

The canals with locks for local boats to move up and down stream
Notice the Domed Church in the back ground reminds us of Ukraine

Lock near our home

Up river lock system

Time lapse of falls

Hogs Back Falls we can see these off of our apartment deck

River below the falls

The first autumn leaves are starting to come out

We had our first Sunday here.  We went to the Family ward to see if our friend we met at the mall came to church. Brother Creig, he didn't make it but we were blessed by meeting the wonderful people there and listening to great talks on miracles.  We attended our YSA ward and had a wonderful experience as we got to meet some awesome young people.  They had us bear our testimonies in Sacrament Meeting. There was a young investigator from Russia there so I had the opportunity to bare my very small Russian testimony to her. We were blessed to have our stake President there President Nemath.  He is a spiritual giant he bore his witness of how daily study of The Book of Mormon would change your life.

Original copy of the First Edition of Book of Mormon (Stick of Joseph on left) 
next to the Bible (Stick of Judah) Ezekiel 37:15-17

He committed all of us to study everyday out of it.  It is going to be a wonderful blessing serving in this ward with these young people. Let the adventure begin!

MTC Training

August 6-11, 2018
Here we are at the MTC in Provo Utah. It has been a whirlwind week.  We arrived on Monday and had a wonderful week learning about our Savior Jesus Christ and ways that we can invite others unto him.

(Internet Photo) Provo MTC God's Missionary training ground

The MTC has started a new program since we were last here.  The second day we were assigned an "Other" couple. They were like our second companion.  During the week we had opportunities to get to know them, we ate in the cafeteria together and even traveled to the Provo City Center Temple and enjoyed a session with them. Twice during the week we taught each other lessons as if we were teaching in the field as part of our training.

Us and the Peterson's at Provo City Center Temple Visitors Center

We often wonder if the hand of the Lord is in our life or is it just coincidence that certain things happen.  I testify that it is the hand of the Lord.  As we got to know the Peterson's, our "Other" couple, we found out they were good friends with Delos and Julie Perkins. I worked with Delos for many years. The Peterson's are from Bancroft Idaho and knew the Perkins family very well. As we were talking we found out that their son and Jennifer Putnam Twiss dated for many years.  They knew our neighbors and good friends Jon and Maury Putnam.  Now you might think that is just a coincidence but today while we were doing laundry together I discovered that Elder Peterson also pins his socks together so that they don't get separated in the laundry. I have been doing that my entire married life. I also have used Mentholatum ChapStick since my first mission in 1976 and come to find out Elder Peterson has been using it since he was in High School. That is just too much of a coincidence. We definitely were meant to be "Other" companions.  Besides that, Elder Peterson is also a retired educator. (Imagine that)

What a blessing it has been to be here this past week at the MTC.  We have three more days next week and then it is off to the North to live in Ottawa Canada for almost two years.  For those of you that know me, this is the place I put in a plug for Senior Missionary Couples.  We had a large group over 50 couples.

Elder and Sister Bundy from St. George are the second couple from the left

We are in this picture with the Peterson's are right next to us and The Bunkers
are 5 couples to the right from us.

 It has been very exciting to get to know each of them.  The first Day we found Lowell Bunker and his wife (Rosely Bunkers son and nephew to Roger Bunker). They are heading to Germany to work with the military people there and his wife is a nurse and will serve as the mission nurse.  We met the Cousin of Cliven Bundy.  Elder Willian and Sister Jill Bundy are going to Guam to serve on a little island.  We have two couples going to Nauvoo Illinois to serve as teamsters, two couple going to Hawaii, others serving all over the USA in different capacities.  The opportunities to serve in the church are limitless.  You can even serve from your own home.  The true blessing is just being here with these wonderful people and feeling of their spirit as they go out to make a difference in the world.  We are divided into districts and work the entire week with this group.  They are truly wonderful servants of god.

Our District with our two teachers Brother Echohawk
and Sister Krebs. Sister Krebs (Anderson) was in the MTC with Hailey Bunker!

This has been a blessed week and we are looking forward to next week as we receive additional training as Seminary and Institute teachers.
The real miracle however is seeing this sea of missionaries as they are preparing to go out and serve all over the world.

(Internet Photo) MTC Devotional

(Mormon Newsroom image from internet) showing elders studying in the new training center.

(Internet Photo)They feed almost 3000 people three times a day in less than two
hours.

 Elder Bingham and Abbott are doing well. We have had the opportunity to visit with them on several occasions.

Elder Abbott from Bunkerville 2nd Ward

Elder Bingham from Bunkerville 2 Ward

We have met missionaries that are heading back to our last mission, the Kyiv Ukraine mission.  Even their teacher, Sister McDermott (Fisher) served with us in our last area two years ago.

Russian speaking missionaries preparing to serve

 We are so blessed to be here. We would encourage each of you to begin to prepare today to serve as a senior couple. It is a glorious blessing.
We will try and make this a weekly endeavor so that we can share with you our weekly experiences and if nothing more at least a few fun photos to look at.
Have a blessed week
Elder and Sister Mikkelsen

Gems:
This last week we watched the video of Elder Bednar called "Character of Christ".  He explained to us that the Character of Christ is to always turn out to others.  He gave several examples: in the garden after suffering, as He is being arrested, he had just finished sweating great drops of blood, Peter cuts off the ear of a guard. In His depleted state the Savior restores that ear by serving that guard. He turned out to others on the cross "forgive them for they know not what they do", "Behold they mother", as he invites his disciple to care for her.  I our stress we often forgot others and turn inward but as we gain the Character of Christ we will be able to serve others even when it is difficult or inconvenient.

President Russell M. Nelsen talking about serving the Lord said in his talk Face the Future with Faith: "Your rewards come not only hereafter, many blessings will be yours in this life, among

your children and grandchildren. You faithful Saints do not have to fight life's battles alone. Think of that! The Lord declared. "I will contend with him that contenders with thee, and I will save thy children." Later came this promise to His faithful people. "I, the Lord, would fight their battles, and their children's battles, and their children's children's battles...to the third and fourth generations."

Those who have read [the Book of Mormon] prayerfully, be they rich or poor, learned or unlearned, have grown under its power. ....Without reservation I promise you that if your will prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, regardless of how many times you previously have read it, there will come into your hearts.... the Spirit of the Lord.  There will come a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to his commandments, and there will come a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God. President Hinkley