Thanksgiving at the MTC: Elder Cook underscores joy of missionary service

PROVO, Utah — In a Thanksgiving Day devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Quentin L. Cook underscored the joy and thanksgiving of missionary service available and enhanced through four areas of emphasis.

“You are embarking on an inspiring experience to be full-time representatives of the Savior’s church,” said Elder Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, speaking to more than 1,300 training missionaries at the Provo MTC on Thursday morning. The devotional was broadcast to the church’s 10 other MTCs worldwide.

“On this day of Thanksgiving, we truly can rejoice and be glad as we work alongside the Savior in this sacred cause,” said Elder Cook, who was accompanied by his wife, Sister Mary Cook, who also spoke.

His four topics of emphasis:

• “Focus on your Missionary Purpose;
• “Set goals, make plans and live the principle of accountability;
• “Effectively find people to teach;
• “Help friends attend sacrament meeting.”

In discussing each topic, Elder Cook — who chairs the church’s Missionary Executive Council — directed missionaries to resource material in “Preach My Gospel,” provided doctrinal and scriptural support, showed new videos exemplifying the best practices, and concluded with an invitation and promised blessings.

Emphasizing four topics and efforts key to missionary work during his address, Elder Cook first acknowledged the day’s holiday — quoting prophets, scriptures and Jesus Christ in his introductory message of thanksgiving.

Elder Cook added his own words of gratitude: “You are in a unique season of your lives when you are demonstrating your love and thanks to the Lord through your service to him and his children. Your mission can be one of the most joyful and thankful times of your life,” he taught. “Service such as this helps us gain new perspectives on the blessings and privileges we enjoy as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

After the devotional, missionaries were divided into three groups and sent in as many waves to the MTC cafeteria for their Thanksgiving Day meal – turkey and the traditional sides of mashed potatoes, yams, green beans, vegetables, fruits, rolls and pumpkin pie and other dessert offerings.

And in the afternoon, the MTC missionaries — joined by several hundred service missionaries from throughout Utah County — packaged meals donated to the Utah Food Bank in collaboration with Hunger Fight of Jacksonville, Florida.

Through devotionals, musical presentations and the service project — during which 1,500 missionaries packaged 500,000 individual meals for local food banks — the “missionaries gain a greater love and appreciation for all that God has given them and they then have a desire to serve and give back to their fellowman,” said Provo MTC President Kevin E. Calderwood. “Missionaries can then take love of God and neighbor to the world.”