When you arrive at the MTC, you will quickly notice that almost everyone there to greet you is around your age, and are they're serving missions just like you. You will also notice how nice everyone is. It is a whirlwind. It's like going up a rollercoaster ride, upon arriving at the top you think "wow it's pretty cool up here." Then it drops and you try to catch your breath. This is what it's like.When you're greeted by the missionaries, they will try to help you with your luggage and usually they grab all of it. Seriously, you are treated like a king. You are guided to building 1M. Here you will receive your missionary name tag, appropriate keys you'll need and on the envelope, it will have the name of your companion which builds up the anticipation of meeting them. Then it's off to another room, where you will receive all your manuals, MTC experience book, and a Preach My Gospel if you don't have one. You can take it even if you do have one; just remember that suitcase space is a premium. Once these items have been received, you are then escorted to your dorm where you'll drop off your luggage and then head to some orientations. Depending on what time you arrive, the times of these activities may vary.Now that luggage is dropped off, name tag secured, it's time to go to a devotional to meet the MTC presidency. Every missionary in this room is like you. They all have arrived today. It's cool to be in a room filled with new arrivals. One thing you'll notice is how strong the spirit is and how much love you feel. The MTC presidency will speak and announce where everyone is from and they have the groups from those areas stand. As aforementioned in this post, you will experience a crazy amount of emotion--from excitement to sadness and from anxiety to homesickness. This is all normal. It's ok to feel these things. It's part of the experience. The important thing is to stay close with the spirit and not let these hard emotions get you down, or cause you to quit.Once the devotional has ended, you will typically head to dinner at the MTC cafeteria with your companion. This is a land of magical deliciousness and future stomach indigestion. It might help to have some tums on hand. The food is great, but it deserves a blog all of it's own. After dinner, you will head to some training type meetings, where they simulate investigators. You'll learn about their backgrounds and how to teach and help them based on their lives. This is done as a group; you won't get singled out, unless of course you raise your hand. So no worries... yet! Upon the conclusion of these instructional courses, you will head back to your dorm with your companion. This is a good time to get to know each other a bit better, unpack and settle in before lights out.As you go through your first day, pay attention to your emotions, the attitudes of others, and your days activities. It's so important to write in your journal throughout your stay at the MTC and mission, but most important, write in your journal the first night you're at the MTC. I promise you will see a huge difference from the day you enter to the day you leave.After you accomplish these things, it's time to get some rest. Your time at the MTC has just begun...
