Dropping Off Sister Heim

It was a beautiful, 'hot, HOT day in July' (7/6/2012) to travel to even the hotter state of Utah, but, we made it thanks to air-conditioning. Our first stop in the state of Utah was the Bountiful Temple. It is beautiful in the evening sky. And, the only temple any of us had seen with underground parking! Loved the archways and the glassed in garden planted with, what I think are, Japanese Maples. Here I we saw the BIGGEST cockroach in the garden area any of us had seen. It must have been four inches long!!!

The following day we took a trip to Mount Timpanogos for the early morning session. The rest of the Saturday (7/7/2012) and Sunday (7/8/2012) we spent with Bro Mike, Chioma and Soleil. They had arrived in Provo at 3:30 am Saturday from New Mexico to wish me farewell. We went to an early and very Spanish ward meeting on Sunday. We weren't able to catch much of what was said, except Mike who is fluent. After Sacrament Meeting, Mike and his family left for the return home as they had to work the following day.

Monday (7/10/2012) was spent gathering the last minute items I needed in preparation for my big adventure and the Lord's work. To avoid going home to a hot house (my Utah apartment has no airconditioning), we went to the movies and spent five hours in the dollar theater before going home to sleep. It remained cooler outside than inside the house.

The Jordan River Temple was magnificent (7/10/2012) against the still hot Utah sky when we visited. It never seems to cool down in the evenings, unlike the beautiful Palouse. The thermometer continued to reach the high 90's-100's during the day and stayed in the mid-high 80's at night.

We have a little family tradition of attendin a 'live session' before starting missions, but the Salt Lake City temple was closed for cleaning. So, we headed South to the Manti temple  (7/10/2012). Manti is indeed a Mighty Fortress. Reminding me of a Castle – the Lord's Castle, protecting the Saints from the world outside. We traveled there with my high school friend, Adam George. I had seen Manti once before as a small child when we went to the Manti Pageant, but Adam, who is attending BYU - Utah this year after returning from his mission in Florida, had never been there. It was as beautiful on the inside as it was on the outside.

This is the new sign to take pictures of outside the MTC campus. We asked about the 'old' PROVO MISSIONARY TRAINING CENTER sign we had taken pictures of when my brothers entered the MTC several years back and found that for safety reasons they had removed it when re-landscaping the grounds. Although families loved that photo opportunity, it created too much congestion and small children were playing far too near, and in, the busy street. It was an accident waiting to happen. So, in the spirit of what we've always done outside the MTC we took a picture next to the only sign on display– a small little beacon of welcome to those about to enter the gates of spiritual development prior to service in the field.

Here I am on my "drive by" arrival. (7/11/2012) Two Elders were waiting at the curb, met me at my car, took my luggage and I was off. Mom and Dad in a daze somewhere between wanting a emotional goodbye filled with words of wisdom and a meaningful embrace, and the necessity to vacate the parking spot for another unsuspecting family to be torn from their missionary by two baggage thugs dressed like Elders.

Tip for current missionary drop-off: 1) say your goodbyes the day before or arrive in the parking area across the street for that last hug, because you have no time once on the the MTC grounds; 2) keep the car rolling at a steady, yet safe, 3.5 mph; 3) throw out the baggage first so your young missionary has something to break the fall while leaping from the side door. (It may be helpful to do some training prior to this event to avoid any injury.)

And, you're off!

You'd think this would be the last time my parents would see me for 18 months...you are wrong! The heat has already affected my brain, and I forgot my purse and wallet in the car in the hustle bustle. They found it when they went back to my hot house to load my remaining posessions into the van for the return trip home. They brought it to the office at the MTC and whom do you think they ran into while taking a tour of the MTC???.... ME!!! oh yeah, and my companion, Sist Lund! Sist Lund's uncle, Bill Smith, lives in Pullman and goes to the Terre View Ward with my family. Dad got his wish, he made it inside the gate!


Tip for seeing your missionary one last time before they lock them in: Forget something.