We are having a fabulous time at the MTC this week.  We have 4 days of training before we head out to Washington.  There are 126 new Mission Presidents attending the 2015 Seminar.  Every year 1/3 of the Mission Presidents change.  There are 418 Missions all over the world.  Imagine being in a room filled with amazing couples who did not volunteer for this–we were called by a prophet of God.  We did not pick the place where we are going–we were assigned.  And we do not know the people we will serve–yet.

All of us are leaving homes, work, family, children, grandchildren and loved ones to go do hard things for 3 years with amazing missionaries.  Some have sold their homes.  Some are leaving a large posterity.  All of us are just walking away from what is familiar and loved for the next 3 years.  We will likely miss many special events in our families and neighborhoods.  We will miss the warmth of children near.  We will give up hobbies and work we love to do other things we will learn to love even more.

It’s quite amazing to sit in a room full of wonderful couples who are consecrating their lives to help bring others to Christ.  It’s a thrilling sight, and an honor to be taught by our Apostles and Church leaders this week.  It’s hard to leave, but we are all excited to go!

Here are Some interesting facts about this year’s couples:

Where They Are From
85 couples were called from the United States.
8 were called from Brazil.
3 were called form each of the following countries:  Canada, Chile, and the Philippines.
2 were called from each of the following countries:  Australia, Cote d’Ivoire, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Ghana, Haiti, Hungary, Japan, Paraguay, and South Africa.

Of the 85 mission presidents and wives called from the United States:
46 were called from Utah.
8 were called form California.
6 were called from Idaho.
5 were called from Arizona.
5 were called from Nevada.
2 were called from each of the following states: Hawaii, New York, Texas and Washington.
1 was called from each: Alaska, Florida, Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Where They Will Serve
The 2015 mission presidents and wives were called to serve in 51 different countries.
33 couples were called to serve in the United States.
9 were called to serve in Brazil.
8 were called to serve in Mexico.
4 were called to serve in each: Argentina and Peru.
3 were called to serve in each: Australia, Canada, Colombia, England, Japan, the Philippines and Spain.
2 were called to serve in each: Chile, COsta Rica, Portugal, Russia, Ukraine, and Venezuela.
1 each in: Barbados, Belgium/Netherlands, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Central Eurasia, Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Korea, Liberia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, Normway, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Scotland/Ireland, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad, Vanuatu, and Zimbabwe.

Age
The youngest mission president is 38 years old.
The youngest wife is 36.
The oldest mission president is 67.
The oldest wife is 68.
The average mission president age is 56.
The average wife age is 54.

Converts
39 mission presidents are converts.
50 wives are converts.

Children
The mission presidents and wives have a combined total of 599 children.
The oldest child is 43 years old. The youngest is 1.

Previous Church Service
Mission Presidents:
10 have served as Area Seventies.
59 have served as stake or district presidents.
116 have served as bishops or branch presidents.
15 have served as stake mission presidents.
13 have served as temple workers.
4 are temple sealers.

Wives:
1 has served in the Primary general presidency.
2 have served as auxiliary general board members.
41 have served as ward or branch Relief Society presidents.
65 have served as ward or branch Young Women presidents.
56 have served as ward or branch Primary presidents.
11 have served as temple workers.

Previous Missionary Service
109 mission presidents served as full-time missionaries in their youth.
21 wives served as full-time missionaries in their youth.
24 mission presidents have served as a counselor in a mission presidency.
5 couples have served together as senior missionaries.

Lanugages
170 missionaries are native English speakers.
32 are native Spanish speakers.
19 are native Portuguese speakers.
6 are native Japanese speakers.
6 are native Tagalog speakers.

There are 2 native speakers of each: French, German, Haitian Creole, and Hungarian.
There is 1 native speaker of each: Guarani and Tsonga.

As you can see, this is a fascinating group of amazing couples!  We are having a great time making new friends and hearing about what has brought us together.

Here we are with a group of fabulous missionaries we taught yesterday and today: