Wednesday, May 17

When we came into our Technology/Office class all the women found a lovely flower at our desks. I'm not the only one in class--this was break time & I'm just getting extra help. I can use all the help I can get! The church world-wide computer program is called IMOS and that is what we have been working on and learning this week. It runs the rampart from financial to managing the missionary vehicles to management of apartments. Plus so much more. Very "heady" stuff! We are in class from 8 am - 4:30 pm with a break every hour and of course, lunch.

Let me say a few words about the food at the MTC--it is so good (delicious in fact) and so much of it! Wednesday & Sunday we have ice-cream brought in from the creamery at BYU--YUMMY. But, the food isn't the most important thing at lunch, it's the interaction with all the missionaries both senior and junior. Hundreds of missionaries all willing to share their stories. People from all over the world assigned to missions all over the world. I met a junior sister missionary today who is going to Mongolia--who goes to Mongolia? LOL! She will be at the MTC for 11 weeks because of the difficulty of the language to learn.

Tomorrow is my last day at the MTC and it is very hard to believe. Time has just flew by. My sweet granddaughter, Samantha, and her husband Dalton will be picking me up early Friday to take me to the SLC airport. My flight leaves at 2:30 pm Friday and I will arrive in Amsterdam at 9:55 am Saturday morning--then on to Edinburgh; arrival 10:55 am. The mission president and his wife as well as my new companion (from Utah)  and the current secretary are all fetching me from the airport. Hard to imagine that I will be attending church this Sunday in Scotland!

Love to all,
Sister Gifford
mom, grandma, ggma

NOTE:  Hey Jordan, work hard this summer and save your money so you can return to UT for college in the fall. I have such a strong feeling that this is where you need to be and that your life will be blessed for doing so. Your always in my prayers.

NOTE:  I remembered today what you said when I was visiting you in April. I asked you what you thought about me going on a mission and you said, "well I'll tell you what I think" and I said, "well, what do you think?" Then you said, " I wish I could go with you!" Well mom I'm taking you with me in my heart. I love you.