Church News
Global impact
By Scott TaylorDeseret News
Published: Saturday, Jan. 24, 2009
The numbers for the Jan. 13-15, 2009, training seminar for new Missionary Training Center presidents and visitors center directors and their wives seemed staggering — nearly 40 different addresses and instructional sessions, crammed into 36 hours, spread over three days and two cities and involving two members of the Quorum of the Twelve, another half-dozen members of the Quorums of the Seventy and a host of participants from the Church's Missionary Department.
All that for 18 couples, just days before they were to begin their two-year assignments to lead at missionary training centers or visitors centers throughout the world.
But Elder Richard G. Hinckley of the Seventy, who serves as executive director of the Missionary Department, said the seminar's impact will exceed well beyond the 18 new presidents and directors and their wives.
"It's a great opportunity for impact when you look at the millions, literally, of visitors to these visitors centers and the tens of thousands of missionaries — young and old — who will come through the MTCs during the next two years," he said.
Highlights included instruction from and interaction with Elders L. Tom Perry and Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve who, along with Bishop Richard C. Edgley, first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, comprise the Missionary Executive Council.
Joining them were Elder Hinckley and four other members of the Seventy who serve as the department's assistant executive directors — Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Elder Daryl H. Garn, Elder Clate W. Mask Jr. and Elder Lynn G. Robbins. Elder Marlin K. Jensen of the Seventy also presented a luncheon address.
The annual seminars, Elder Hinckley said, achieve a number of purposes: To draw upon the combined energy and enthusiasm of the newly called leaders, to provide them an understanding for unified and consistent application of established policies and to provide interactions with members of the Quorum of the Twelve and other General Authorities.
And the participants were seeing those purposes fulfilled.
"It was not only educational but spiritual, and we've been able to establish a camaraderie with the other directors and MTC presidents," said President Michael H. Holmes, who doubles now as both director of the Temple Square Visitors Center and president of the Utah Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission.
Added Sister Marian Holmes: "We were taught that these (visitors) centers are teaching centers. They're designed to find people and bring them to Christ."
Elder Parley R. Baldwin and Sister Cathy Baldwin, called to serve at the Cove Fort Visitors Center, spoke of meeting Elder Holland after his address, with Sister Baldwin asking if they could shake his hand. "He stood up and he embraced us, he hugged us — he really hugged us," she said. "I started to cry, and he wiped away my tear with the back of his hand and said, 'Don't cry, Sister Baldwin, Cove Fort's not that far away — and I'll come visit you."
The application of instruction comes later on-site, with the new presidents and directors and their wives already having begun their new assignments.
"The hope is that we give them enough information that they can later reference it when they see the context," Elder Hinckley said, adding that while the seminar instructions are wonderful, uplifting and spiritual, they aren't fully understood until the new leaders are in place and begin serving at the MTCs and visitors centers. "Then they look back on these seminars and say, 'Oh, now I get it — that's what they meant.' "
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