The MTC Experience Draws To An End & the Regina Chapter Begins

THE MTC EXPERIENCE CONTINUES BUT WINDS DOWN

(We focused on family history work during the last couple of weeks while we were at the MTC exclusively)

 The lone window at the top is our room.  We have a great view from here to the south.

The Lorenzo Snow Mult-Purpose Bldg filled to capacity. This is a photo of an earlier time.  But, still the same.  All the devotionals and firesides were held here during our stay.

SOME MORE OF OUR FAVOURITE PICTURES IN THE WILFORD
WOODRUFF ADMINISTRATION BLDG

--The Dove (Matthew 3:16)--

--The Joy of Missionary Service--

--Statue of Samuel H. Smith, the First Missionary of This Dispensation--

FRONTRUNNER TRAIN PROVO TO SALT LAKE CITY

It was a very comfortable ride and takes about 50 minutes.  We intended to go to the Family History Library in Salt Lake today (Saturday, February 16, 2013) but decided to go the Church History Museum instead.  We spent the best part of the day in the Museum and very little time on family history.  The first painting below makes a visit to the Museum worth while all on its own.

THE CHURCH HISTORY MUSEUM IN SALT LAKE CITY

This is an amazing painting of Lehi's Vision of the Tree of Life.  The detail is very fine and the symbolism makes one stand in awe for some time and consider what the artist was thinking and how his work depicts the intended meaning of Lehi's vision as recorded in the Book of Mormon. 

This is a close up of the far left portion of the painting above.  Notice the detail.  This portion of the painting depicts the determination & struggle in holding onto the rod of iron and the joy that comes from partaking of the fruit of the tree of life.

 A further close up of those close to or at the tree of life and partaking of the fruit thereof.

 A further close up to show the detail of the tree of life and its fruit.

A close up of the family to the right of the tree of life and the joy that comes from partaking of its fruit.

A beautiful painting by a young Navajo man in a natural setting

Stories of Light from the theme "Arise and Shine Forth" (D&C 115: 4-6) is an art exhibit of original paintings by youth.  This was an International Art Competition sponsored by the Church History Museum.  "The art competition asked 13 to 18 year old youth to create original works of art that visually express their insights into the competition theme".  Over 400 youth participated from around the world.  82 works are displayed in the Church Museum.  Below are some of the ones that we particularly enjoyed.  Each of the five shown has the caption by the artist beside the painting.

 

 


 

 

 

The toil and sacrifice of the Saints in crossing the plains to the Salt Lake valley.

Moroni raising the title of liberty.

BACK AT THE MTC AGAIN AND SOME OF OUR GOODBYES

 





   

Mary, standing between Elder & Sister Leary, sat with us many times in the cafeteria.  She has cooked at the MTC for 35 years.  Mary was very interested in the work we were doing in family history and often had good advice for us.  We looked forward to seeing her every day.  This is a photo in the cafeteria the day before we left the MTC on Tuesday, February 19th, 2013.

Elder & Sister Rhodes from Calgary going to the New Delhi Mission in northern India along with the Leary's going to the Bangalore Mission in southern India.  We overlaped with the Rhodes at the MTC for the last three weeks or so.  Both couples were temporarily reassigned at the same time by the Missionary Department.  The Rhodes were reassigned to MLS in the Montreal Mission to labor in the Val-d'Or area.  The Leary's were reassigned to Records Preservation in Family History in the Winnipeg Mission to labor in Regina, Saskatchewan.  We both left the MTC on Wednesday, February 20th, 2013.

Sister Leary doing her best to point to Regina, Saskatechewan and Bangalore, India.

Well here we go again with our luggage.  It is scary.

This is our bus to the Salt Lake airport at 3:00am Wednesday, February 20th, 2013--our 90th day at the MTC.  The bus apparently has been used to transport prisoners in the past.  The bus driver confirmed this.  It was a comfortable ride.

Some 17 Elders and one Sister Missionary accompanied the lone senior couple--the Leary's to the airport on the bus and onto the Winnipeg Mission.

Hello Canada again and a warm greeting from Regina in the backgound.  Bishop Dilts met us at the airport.  He is in charge of the records preservation project in Regina. 

OUR REGINA BEGINNINGS

The kitchen and a glimpse of our eating area in our apartment off Sherwood Drive in the northwest part of the city.  We are very comfortable here and more than we could hope for.  The hospitality of the Bishop, Sister Porter and Elder & Sister Eckhart, all who live in apartments in the same complex, was wonderful.  They were all most helpful to us to make sure we had everything we needed.  Also in the same apartment complex are two young Elder companionships--Elders Hatch & Barba and Elders Brisco and Quist.  All the missionaries are assigned to work in the Lewvan Ward--which comprises the west side of Regina; whereas Sister Porter and ourselves also work on records preservation.

A map of Regina was left on our apartment wall by previous missionaries with shopping malls, church buildings and the archive center noted.  It has come in very handy.  The heavy line down the middle is Albert Street which divides the city into two wards--Wascana Ward to the east and Lewvan Ward to the west.

The above three photos are a winter panorama from our apartment looking south. It is beautiful here in winter. Lots of sunshine but often cloudy and frosty in the mornings.

THE SASKATCHEWAN ARCHIVES BUILDING AND OUR OFFICE, STAFF AND DOCUMENTS WE ARE WORKING ON

and 

THE WORK THAT WE DO

Sister Leary with Sister Porter who works with us on records preservation.  They are standing at the entrance to the archives bldg.

The Saskatchewan Archives Bldg in the above two photos.  We have the office behind the tree in the above top photo.

Our office work area.  Sister Leary at her desk hard at work.  Bishop Dilts in the background.

From left to right, Sister Marlene Herman a member of the Lewvan Ward, Sister Porter from Utah on a family history mission and Sister Leary.  My desk is to Sister Leary's left by the window.  By the way, I was quite willing to give up the window desk but everyone insisted so what could I do!  We all reside in the Lewvan Ward, which is one of the two wards in Regina.

Bishop Dilts, who is bishop of the Lewvan Ward, keeps a close eye on us while he does the imaging. He makes sure we keep up with him in preparation of documents and that we do accurate work.  He is a wonderful supervisor.  While working we have many discussions on gospel topics and listen to gospel tapes at times.  We also discuss other topics of common interest.  All this makes the time pass very quickly.  We work from 9am to 3pm with a short break for bag lunch.  I felt this was a short day at first but quickly found out that the work requires focus and does become tiring.  We have an enjoyable time while at our posts doing the work.

The above five photos give you some idea of the kind and quality of documents we deal with.

These are the kind of box's the document files have been historically stored in which we continue to use for storage after preparation and imaging. 

We do records preservation from 9am to 3pm Monday thru Friday each week.  We now have 2 1/2 weeks into the project.  We work out of the Saskatchewan Archives Board offices in south Regina.  The work of records preservation is tedious and physically and mentally tiring but fulfilling at the same time.  It requires focus to make sure that what we are doing is accurate and in order.  We are working on homestead records from 1870 to 1930.  Each homestead has a file dealing with the period from its grant to time of either cancellation or issuing a patent that can span anywhere from 3 to 50 years or so.  According to Bishop Dilts, some 400 names are recorded in these documents on the average for every 2000 pages.  We prepare and image about 150,000 pages per quarter.  So all of this information, once indexed, will go into the Family Search file of the Church which is freely available to the public for family history research.  We haven't noticed any Leary's so far in the records.  I found it interesting that Saskatchewan seems to have opened up around 1870 for homesteads, probably  sometime later than the opening up for homesteads in Manitoba--where the Leary's first settled in the Nelsonville and Roseisle areas after first living in the Lake Huron region of Ontario.  We are part of a team of thousands of volunteers and paid workers doing records preservation around the world.  It is exciting work and vital to family history research.  We are grateful to be able to play a part in this work and to obtain the experience we are getting here in Regina.

BEAUTIFUL WINTER SCENES IN REGINA--IT IS A PHOTOGRAPHERS PARADISE FOR SUCH SCENES

Albert Street looking south on way to our office.

Foot Bridge to Pine Island in Wascana Lake southeast of the Regina Legislative Building.  Wascana Lake, a man-made lake, is part of the drainage of Wascana Creek that lazily meanders southeasterly across the south central portion of Regina.  Green areas are present all along Wascana Creek.  A more extensive green area is centered around the Legislative Bldg, other government buildings, Regina University and various colleges that are situated along the magins of Wascana Creek and Wascana Lake in the southern portion of the city.

Foot Bridge to Pine Island and Legislative Building in background. 

Legislative Building

Elk trees arch over many of the streets in Regina

ONE FINAL NOTE FOR THIS POSTING

We found this plaque displayed in the Church History Museum in Salt Lake that sums up our mission experience so far.   

Continuing MTC Experience





Very sorry that we have not kept this blog up to date.  We keep thinking that we will be on our way from the MTC and be able to show some pictures of our area of service in India.  It is now 81 days since we entered the MTC and we continue to wait on our visa's.  Currently the Church is considering reassigning us temporarily so we may not be here much longer.  We continue to look forward to serving in India.

While here at the MTC we have made the best of our time and have truly enjoyed every day.  Since the first week here in late November, 2012 when we were trained in Preach My Gospel, which is standard training for all missionaries,  we have immersed ourselves in as much additional training as available week after week.  Since the first week in December, 2012, we have taken training in CES (Institute and Seminary), Office Support, Visitor Centers, Welfare/Humanitarian, Family History and just recently completed training for Perpetual Eduational Fund (PEF)/Employment.  All of this additional training was available through the MTC training program except for Family History, which was a week long intensive course offered by the South Utah Family History Training Center in Orem.  MTC training has been a combination of training in Salt Lake and at the MTC.  When attending training in Salt Lake we have either travelled from the MTC daily by bus with a large group of by train if in a smaller group.  Shuttles at the MTC will take you anywhere in Provo so that is a great help. 

While not in training, we have spent most of our time on our personal family history research and have enjoyed much success.  We both have been blessed with the Spirit of Elijah and miraculously have found hundreds of our deceased ancestors, some of which date back to the early 1500's or 1600's, and their descendants.  Many of you may know of our Irish backgrounds (I am fifth generation and Sister Leary is first generation in Canada) and this has posed a lot of difficuly for us for many years in finding our ancestors.  So to have the success we have enjoyed here is truly miraculous but what is most amazing is when we recognize the specific times when help comes from heaven.  We have gained testimonies of this important work and the blessing of linking our lives to our ancestors and their descendants.  We know they want us to find them so that makes it all the more meaningful in regards their acceptance of the gospel.  We both feel the urgency to move our research forward for them.  We truly have come to know them better and the conditions of their lives in ways that connect us to them.  To come to some understanding of  the history of movement of ones forebearers in settling this promised land, such as in the case of the Leary's, and the conditions of their lives is a real blessing.  To see their courage, faith, sacrifice and hard work and devotion to church and community along the way has been most rewarding.  Through these experiences, we have come to know that help comes from our ancestors and the Lord in finding their names and in preparing their information for temple ordinances.  We are truly excited about this work and spend most of our free days looking and searching for them.  We do most of this work from our room at the MTC but have also spent considerable time at the BYU, Orem and Salt Lake Family History Centers.  The staff at these centers have been very helpful.  In Orem, Sister Leary received valuable help from a sister with an Irish background that directed  her to online sites where she was able to find many of her ancestors.  Sister Leary considers this a blessing from heaven and an answer to prayer.

We have nevertheless been busy doing other things as well.  In the evening twice a week we attend firesides or devotionals and enjoy great talks by General Authorities and Priesthood leaders that oversee the MTC and others involved with the Missionary Department.  Elder Jeffrey R. Holland came and spoke once and what a treat that was to sit so close to an Apostle of the Lord and feel of his love and counsel for missionaries.  We have felt the presence of the Lord on occassion at these events.  Sometimes on Saturdays or Sundays we visit with "our missionaries" and their families (Elder  Smith lives in Pleasant Grove and  Elder Cook lives in Salt Lake City; our third missionary lives near London, England with his family).  We have also been blessed to see our daughter Joanna and her family a number of times while here and were able to spend Christmas with them.  And, we keep in touch with family primarily by skype.

Hope you enjoy some of the pictures we have taken while at the MTC and in Salt Lake City as follows.

SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE PICTURES DEPICTING THE LIFE OF THE SAVIOR THAT ADORN THE MTC MAIN HALLWAY WALLS

--Perhaps pause and consider each one-- 

THE MTC DINING HALL IS A HUGE L-SHAPED AREA.  THIS IS WHAT YOU SEE AFTER A MEAL.  THE CHAIRS ARE PUT UP SO THE ROOM CAN BE VACUUMED AFTER EVERY MEAL.  THE MEALS ARE EXCELLENT.  IN 81 DAYS WE HAVE NOT HEARD ONE COMPLAINT.  TWO LONE MISSIONARIES ARE STILL ENJOYING A MEAL.  CURRENTLY SOME 3800 MISSIONARIES, THAT'S 2000 MORE THAN WHEN WE FIRST ENTERED THE MTC IN NOV/12, ARE AT THE MTC.  AT THE FIRESIDE LAST NIGHT THE SPEAKER--ELDER MARK J. LUSVARDI, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROGRAMS FOR THE MISSIONARY DEPARTMENT, ASKED ALL 18 YEAR OLD ELDERS AND 19-20 YEAR OLD SISTERS TO STAND.  ABOUT HALF IN ATTENDANCE STOOD.  IT WAS AN AMAZING SIGHT.  SO MANY, INCLUDING PRIESTHOOD LEADERS AND TRAINERS AND  MISSIONARIES AS WELL, SPEAK OF THE BLESSING OF BEING ABLE TO SERVE AT THIS EXCITING TIME IN THE GROWTH OF THE CHURCH.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS DECORATING THE MTC GROUNDS.  THE COVERED WALKWAY IS WELL TRAVELLED EVERY DAY.  IT SEPARATES THE MAIN WILFORD WOODRUFF BUILDING FROM THE RESIDENCE FOR BOTH SENIOR AND YOUNGER MISSIONARIES. 

WINTER COMES TO PROVO AS WELL

This is a view looking north from the Wilkinson Center at BYU.  We often go here to do research on family history.

Looking out from our room at the MTC.  The room is very comfortable and equivalent to that of a very good hotel. 

AND THEN THERE ARE SCENES LIKE THIS FROM OUR MTC ROOM--IT DOESN'T GET MUCH BETTER

THIS IS WHAT FAMILY HISTORY IS ALL ABOUT.  REAL PEOPLE WHO CAME TO CANADA IN THE LATE 1850'S AND REMAINED AS GOOD CITIZENS.  BELOW IS A PICTURE OF MY SECOND GREAT GRANDPARENTS--JOHN LEARY AND HIS WIFE MARIA SNEYD WHO TOGETHER LEFT IRELAND FOR JAMAICA IN ABOUT 1852 WITH 8 CHILDREN FOLLOWING THE POTATO FAMINE IN IRELAND.   HE WORKED AS HEAD POSTMAN FOR JAMAICA, LEAVING A JOB BEHIND IN IRELAND IN THE ROYAL IRISH CONSTABULARY.   THEY ULTIMATELY TRAVELLED TO CANADA, PROBABLY UP THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, IN ABOUT 1858 VIA NEW ORLEANS AND SETTLED AS HOMESTEADERS ON THE EAST SIDE OF LAKE HURON.  FROM THERE THEY AND THEIR DESCENDANTS PROGRESSIVELY MOVED WESTWARD FOLLOWING THE FRONTIER, FIST TO THE WINNIPEG AREA AND THEN TO ALBERTA, WHERE GEORGE'S FATHER WILLIAM HENRY LEARY HOMESTEADED, AND FINALLY TO THE LOWER MAINLAND AREA OF BRITISH COLUMBIA.  SISTER DARLA SMIGEL ORIGINALLY FOUND THIS FAMILY FOR ME  BEFORE WE LEFT CALGARY LAST FALL AND SINCE THEN, WHILE AT THE MTC, INFORMATION HAS MIRACULOUSLY COME TO ME ON NEARLY 1000 OF THEIR  DESCENTANTS.  SISTER LEARY AND I WILL BE ATTENDING THE PROVO TEMPLE TOMORROW TO DO THE ORDINANCE WORK FOR THIS GRAND COUPLE.  WHAT A GREAT BLESSING THIS IS TO US AND I KNOW IT SHALL BE FOR THEM AS WELL.

John Leary 1804-1881

Maria Leary nee Sneyd 1808-1901

JOSEPH SMITH MEMORIAL BUILDING WHERE WE RECIEVED TRAINING ON HUMANITARIAN WORK INCLUDING DISASTER RELIEF; HOWEVER,  MOST OF THE HUMANITARIAN TRAINING WAS DONE AT THE MTC. 

This statue of Joseph Smith, above and below, is said to be about the height of Goliath according to the Old Testament

 From the 8th floor of the Joseph Smith Bldg with the Church Office Building on the left.  Wasatch Mtns in the background.

Joseph Smith Memorial Building--a beautiful building in every respect.

WELFARE SQUARE IN SALT LAKE CITY

 Map of employment centers around the world

 Grain Storage Silos

 Desert Bakery

Some of our group at a display presenting the Church's dairy operations

 Fruit, jams, peanut butter, honey and other products produced by the Church.  The Church produces 70% of all commodities it provides to help those in need.

 A glimpse of the storage capacity of the facility we visited with some 20,000 square feet.  The Church's main storage facility in Salt Lake is at a different location and is much larger with some 600,000 square feet of storage for commodities.

 Cheese production

Pasturizing equipment above and below

 The story of cheese production at this facility

The mission statement of the Welfare Plan as stated by J. Reuben Clarke Jr.

ENSIGN PEAK--A HISTORIC LANDMARK FOR THE CHURCH

 The two upper views are looking north along State Street.  Ensign Peak is just to the left of the end of the street, an indiscriminate peak to the left of the Utah State Capitol Building, about due north of the Salt Lake Temple.  Its location seems significant to me in terms of the analogy with the North Star and its value to navigation.  Here Brigham Young found the landmark he had previously seen in vision and knew this was the valley that would provide a home to the Saints.

 Ensign Peak up close looking to the north from the edge of the city.  The peak is a small subsidiary peak to the main Wasatch Mtns and is not distinctive from a distance.  It only takes on a somewhat unique appearance close up.  It has distinctive features that would have allowed Brigham Young to recognize it immediately when he saw it for the first time subsequent to an earlier vision of the peak.

Utah State Capital Building at the head of State Street

Salt Lake Temple



MANY FRIENDS HAVE BEEN MADE AT THE MTC

Elder and Sister Livingston, on the left and below, from Seattle going to Barcelona, Spain for MLS.  They have previously lived in Calgary.

Sister Smalley going to Spain as well.

MT. TIMPANOGOS TEMPLE.  A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT AT NIGHT WITH A FOGGY MIST ENVELOPING THE SPIRE.  WE DID A SESSION WITH ELDER SMITH AND FAMILY AND HIS DAUGHTER CARRIE, WHO TOOK OUT HER ENDOWMENTS TONIGHT.  SHE IS  ON THE LEFT BELOW AND THEN CENTER RIGHT IN THE NEXT PHOTO.  SHE IS GOING ON A MISSION IN LATE MARCH THIS YEAR TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

 

I have a habit of taking weird pictures.



TWO WONDERFUL GRANDDAUGHTERS IN SALT LAKE CITY DOING CHEERLEADING COMPETITIONS.   THEY LIVE IN ST. GEORGE, UTAH.

Brookelyn  

 Kiara

 A few hundred were involved in these competitions.



PERPETUAL EDUCATION FUND (PEF) TRAINING IN SALT LAKE CITY

 Church Office Building in background where the training was given on the second floor.  The building has a great cafeteria in the first level below ground.  Meals were provided for us while there. 

 

The First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve and other General Authorities have offices in the building in the center foreground above and as shown on the right front of the Church Office Building. 

 Salt Lake City Temple--A beautiful site and setting.