For the first two weeks, we had all of our training in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building (formerly the Hotel Utah).
It is the most elegant, ornate building. Everything is gorgeous, even the restrooms.
Ceiling above the main floor.
Each day we start with a Devotional. On Monday, it is with the entire mission and the rest of the week just with our "class," which by the way is the largest "class" so far in the history of this mission. There are 64, with 10 being younger Elders and 54 being senior missionaries (couples and single sisters).
They usually start with a series of short video clips, ranging from inspirational to quite funny. They had a musical one where a bunch of cowboys sang about "Herding Cats" that was hilarious with great visual effects. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk7yqlTMvp8
My favorite so far was a family that sang about Family History. In it they kept showing a poor young boy dressed in a turn of the century "waif" outfit.
At the end of the song, they sang, "Family History is important to me." Then there was a shot of the boy also singing "Family History is important to ME." It really brought the point across and tears to my eyes.
One video showed different paintings of the Savior with children. One in particular touched me as He held a baby close with a look that showed so much love. Just how a parent would look holding their child.
Gift to Arnold from his trainer, Sister Nelda Potter. The note says:
"I'm just a little dishcloth, but each time you use me, Remember what you have learned to clean up your family tree."
On November 2, 2015, we entered the MTC. We were told it was the largest group of Seniors going to the Family and Church History Mission. There were around 120 seniors, with 48 (there were actually 54, but not all were at the MTC) going to our mission. There were couples and sisters.
3rd from left Elder and Sister Walker; middle sister Sister Tuguchi from Japan going to Family History; 4th from right Elder and Sister Collings; 2nd from right us.
3rd from the left Elder and Sister Bee; 4th from the right Elder and Sister Bennett; 5th from the right Elder and Sister Petersen; middle 3 sisters from right Sister Blalock, Sister Strange, Sister Grooms; 4th from right Brother and Sister Briggs, 1st from the right Brother and Sister Huffaker
1st from right Elder and Sister Eager; 3rd from the right Elder and Sister Roethe from Las Vegas;
3rd from left Elder and Sister Curtis; 5th from left Elder and Sister Crookston; 6th sister from the left Sister Harold, then Sister Zoebell; 4th from the right Elder and Sister Schurtz; 2nd from right Elder and Sister Morrison
5th from left Elder and Sister Beck; In the very middle Sister Knight and Sister Hunter. 1st on right Elder and Sister Enderle; 5th from right Elder and Sister Maier
Many of the seniors going to other missions were going to missions that were rather unique. Brother and Sister Morrison (part of our District) were called to Uzbekistan on a Humanitarian Mission. They would be the first missionaries in that country. Sister Knight and Sister Hunter (also in our District) were going to the Czech Republic to do Records Preservation.
We spent an amazing week being taught from Preach My Gospel (just like the younger missionaries). Our mission is a non-proselyting mission, so this seemed strange at first, but it turned out to be a truly spiritual experience (also a little intimidating). We had to do a lot of role playing, teaching each other and those in our District (8 missionaries - 2 instructors, Sister Patino and Elder Staheli).
Elder and Sister Morrison, Elder and Sister Miller, Sister Patino, Sister and Elder Collings, Sister Knight, Sister Hunter
Elder Staheli, Elder and Sister Collings, Elder and Sister Morrison, Elder and Sister Miller, Sister Knight, Sister Hunter
Two times we had to teach missionary lessons to volunteers from the Provo area who acted as investigators. Only sometimes they were real investigators and we never knew who was who. They told us of a sister in Provo who wanted to learn about the gospel, but only spoke Chinese. The young missionaries that were going to Chinese-speaking countries taught her as they were learning the lessons - this was the only way that she could be taught the Gospel in her own language. She was eventually baptized.
One of the most spiritual was when we had to visit with another couple, who were pretending to be less actives. We had to listen to their stories, get them to tell us about them and their reasons for inactivity. Then we had 30 minutes to prepare a lesson to give to them, tailored to their story. The Spirit was so strong - even though we knew it was just pretend. When we finished the couple we taught told us that the couple they were pretending to be were actually them in an earlier life. It was funny but JoAnn lay awake at night trying to find ways to help them, although obviously they already had been helped.
President Taylor was the MTC Mission President.
We lived in married student housing - Wyview Park..
The apartments were very comfortable. There was a bedroom, bath,
living room
and kitchen.
We never used the kitchen, as they fed the missionaries in the MTC Cafeteria and the food was tasty and the quantities were huge - enough to feed young growing missionaries, but maybe too much for us seniors. They asked us in one class what was a goal for our stay at the MTC. JoAnn said "Not to gain more than 5 pounds." It got a laugh, but she wasn't kidding.
This is the traditional picture nearly every missionary took - pointing to where on the map that they would be serving. Of course, we were pointing to Salt Lake City - sort of.
These are the three couples in the MTC that were from Las Vegas, Nevada
Elder and Sister Miller, Sister and Brother Mackey, and Elder and Sister Roethe.
We all served in the Las Vegas Nevada Temple before coming on our mission.
Fulfill the prophetic vision of effectively utilizing missionaries to assist in the
growing needs of the Family History, Church History and Headquarters
Departments of the Church in achieving each of their purposes.
CORE OBJECTIVES
As missionaries in the Family and Church History Headquarters Mission,
accomplish the intent of the Mission Statement by
being active participants in each of the following Core Objectives:
ALIGN WORK
Learn the necessary skills to perform zone duties in
coordination and partnership with staff employees.
REDEEM THE DEAD
Strive to conduct weekly personal genealogical research resulting in
the submission of names to the temple and regularly performing
temple ordinance work on behalf of our ancestors.
TURN OUR HEARTS
Keep a faithful written record of the family histories of our ancestors,
write personal histories and keep a personal journal.
HONOR OUR HERITAGE
Develop a greater knowledge, understanding and appreciation of
Church history by becoming familiar with and making good use of
the Church History Library's valuable resources.
APPRECIATE OTHERS
Love, respect and appreciate patrons, staff and fellow missionaries.
BE WORTHY
Live worthy of the Spirit by keeping gospel covenants and
through our actions promote an atmosphere where
the blessings of the Spirit can be enjoyed.
BE CHRISTLIKE
Strive diligently to become more Christlike by
increasing our own personal sanctification.
Family and Church History Headquarters Mission
Warren G. and Suzanne J. Tate
Warren G. Tate, 70, and Suzanne Jeppson Tate, five children, Holladay 3rd Ward, Salt Lake Holladay Stake; Family and Church History Headquarters Mission. President Tate is a former Seventy, president of the Nevada Las Vegas Mission, counselor in the Utah Salt Lake City Mission, member of the General Church Music committee, counselor in a stake presidency, and missionary in Ireland. Owner-partner in Tate/Brubaker Real Estate Services. Born in Levan, Utah, to Gerald Edwin and Ruth Beagley Tate.
Sister Tate is a former member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, member of the General Church Music committee, stake choir director, stake cultural arts specialist, Relief Society teacher, Primary teacher, ward choir director, and young single adult adviser. Born in Salt Lake City to Edward Mayer and Elizabeth Whitaker Taylor Jeppson.
With more than 1,000 missionaries from all across the world serving in the Family and Church History Headquarters Mission, it could be considered the largest LDS mission in the world, one that few people have even heard of.
“Most people who have never heard very much about this [mission] are aghast at how big this is,” said President Warren G. Tate. “It’s a little city over here, and most people don’t know about this.”
The mission itself covers very little ground. “We are in basically four different buildings,” President Tate said. “We’re in the Family History Library, the Church History Library, the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, and the Church Office Building.”
Their responsibility, as outlined by the mission statement, is to “fulfill the prophetic vision of effectively utilizing missionaries to assist in the growing needs of the Family History, Church History, and Headquarters Departments of the Church in achieving each of their purposes.” From digital imaging processing of Church and family history records to translation and services for those who are deaf or have hearing impairments in the Family History Library, the missionaries help to keep Church headquarters running.
The missionaries who make up the mission include senior couples serving full-time, along with senior sisters, part-time Church-service missionaries who contribute about 16 hours a week, and around 90 young elders with health challenges who have been specifically called to the Family and Church History Headquarters Mission.
The elders, who have health challenges ranging from Asperger’s to cerebral palsy, serve just like in any other mission. “These young elders do not proselyte the way other elders do, but every Sunday evening they teach Preach My Gospel lessons to the senior couples,” said President Tate.
“These are not downtrodden, feel-sorry-for-them kids,” he said. “These are [young adults] that are wonderful. They’ve stolen my heart, that’s for sure.”
