Amanda enters the MTC (Missionary Training Center)

Amanda Richards officially started her mission by entering the Missionary Training Center (MTC) on Wednesday, January 14th.

We (Dad, Amanda, Erin, William and Samuel) left Boise on Tuesday morning and arrived in Salt Lake City in time to have Amanda, Erin and William attend a session at the SLC temple. Sam and Dad hung out in the van in the interim outside the Utah Statehouse, taking a nap and playing with baby toys . Later we traveled down to Joel and Cathy's new house and they took all of us to a really nice Chinese restaurant somewhere in Salt Lake City. Sam impressed everyone at the restaurant with his stellar behavior. We spent the night at Linda and Frank's .

We made it down to Provo in time to buy Amanda some shoes that fit, have lunch at Subway. We arrived at the MTC about 10 minutes early. They really have a system for processing large groups in an orderly manner. First stop was for unloading luggage, missionaries and passengers, then the driver of the vehicle was directed by gentlemen to a specific spot in the parking lot. Missionaries went in one door and had to show immunization records and other documents. That is where this picture was taken. Families and friends went in another door and waited for the initial processing to take place. They then had a few minutes to take pictures and give preliminary good byes. We were then directed into a large room where the mission president, his wife and I believe one of the counselors welcomed the missionaries and their families to the MTC. The last speaker counseled us that goodbyes were like removing band aids, better done in one swift motion. After a short video the time came for the quick goodbyes. Large signs indicated that the missionaries were to exit one side of the room and families on the opposite side. On cue, hugs were given, tears were shed and she walked out the door marked missionaries and we walked out the door marked families.

Amanda's address is: Sister Amanda Marie Richards

MTC Mailbox #237

SC-COLU 0202

2005 N. 900 E.

Provo, Utah 84604-1793

We left and drove up to one of William's relatives near Ogden , changed out of our Sunday clothes and drove home.

Amanda's tentative date to leave is February 2nd. There is a website called w.w.w.dearelder.com. The site is free but pushes for donations and all sorts of stuff you can purchase and send to your missionary. If you sign up and write a letter by noon MST on weekdays, it will be printed, put in an individual envelope and delivered to the MTC that afternoon. You will need the address listed above. Supposedly the mail is picked up by their district leader and distributed just before dinner. She should have an official e-mail address later on in the week, but is allowed only 30 minutes a week (on p-day) and the mission rule is to email family only. We will post any appropriate emails on this blog.