The [Virtual] Missionary Training Centre

Elder East officially started his virtual MTC on Thursday 11th June.  The downstairs living room has had a desk setup for him in the bay window, and there are Church related posters up around on the walls. (Seth was worried that he’d be distracted by all of the Star Wars stuff!)

The MTC instructors are based in New Zealand and teach missionaries from across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. Most of the missionaries currently in the MTC are Kiwis or Islanders. There’s only one other Aussie in the current group – an Elder Goodwin from Perth. (Trivia – his Dad  was a former Zimbabwean Test and One-Day International cricketer, whilst Elder Goodwin played for the WA 2nd XI.) Apparently the Goodwins and Elissa’s parents know each other. Seth’s MTC companion is Elder Lemoa from Samoa. Elder Lemoa was originally assigned to Papua New Guinea but because of the Covid-19 travel restrictions, he will be serving in Samoa until his mission reopens to foreign missionaries.

The standard teaching hours for the MTC are 10am-1pm and 2 pm-5pm on weekdays - New Zealand time. Because the MTC covers a number of timezones, it makes for some interesting timings. Seth’s standard MTC hours are 8-11am and Noon-3pm. Elder Goodwin starts at 6am in the morning whilst Elder Lemoa is starting at 11am in the morning.  Seth does an hour of companionship study with Elder Lemoa each weekday. They’re also meant to be studying together on the weekends, but we believe that Elder Lemoa, like some of the other Islanders, is getting his Internet access at the local chapel. Seth also does an hour of personal study each day and half an hour of exercise. He’s actually ended up with more free time than he expected during the MTC. We have had a couple of family games in the evenings.

We’ve also made some token attempts at giving him a New Zealand experience food-wise seeing as he’s missing out on actually getting to New Zealand. His first dinner in the MTC was “fush and chups” (New Zealand hoki to be exact). We supplemented this with New Zealand drinks and snacks. I’d been buying up cans and bottles of L&P from IGAs over the preceding weeks, as well as grabbing Kiwi snacks like Rashuns.

Elder East seems to be enjoying the classes and the instruction that is being provided, even if it is being done virtually.