MTC gets the best of the best!

Typical example of how the MTC builds strong testimonies and strengthens missionaries. This is from one of Katie's first letters home:

This past week it seems like the theme at the MTC was Joseph Smith. On Sunday, the MTC fireside speaker was Ted Gibbons, who is a CES employee. We started the meeting by singing “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief.” All of us were excited to hear him speak, and we were even more excited when he got up in clothing from the 1800s and began a dialogue “as” Willard Richards. He seriously used no notes or prompts, and became Willard.  He started from the first time he heard of Joseph Smith and told of his experiences meeting him. He told every story between that and the night after Joseph Smith is killed and the guard comes in to let Willard go. It was phenomenal. By the end, everyone was crying. I had never doubted Joseph Smith, but I feel like I had never given him much thought. At the end of the monologue, my heart was so full of gratitude and love for Joseph Smith and his sacrifice. We closed the fireside by singing “Praise to the Man.” Words cannot express how neat it was. Within seconds of starting the song, every Elder and Sister was on their feet, (& let me tell ya, there are A LOT of us) singing with so much sincerity and love and confidence. I will never look at that song the same. I don’t think there are a lot of better things in the MTC than singing with a couple thousand missionaries. You can’t help but feel overwhelmed with the Spirit. It was wonderful.