We've been in classes!

         This last week we have been training in Salt Lake City (at the old Hotel Utah, which is now the Joseph Smith Building - old and gorgeous, built in 1913!). Our mission calling was to be specialists in the Perpetual Education Fund -but we had all of 2 ounces of knowledge about it...until now. It is different, but fun, being the "learner" instead of the "teacher." When the program was instigated in 2001, it was to help young people (ages 18-30 generally) in 3rd World Countries gain skills through education, with the goal of obtaining better paying jobs in their own countries. Once Pres. Hinckley announced the program, donations came pouring in, and the program has grown ever since. When a student qualifies for help, he/she goes to school, gets a job, then pays the low-interest money back to the fund, so the next person can go to school. The 50,000th person has just received the most recent loan! There are now approximately 70 couples like David and me serving around the world, helping enterprising young men and women of the church with school loans, which will help them learn marketable skills. The program has several steps, but the goal is to build self-reliance, responsibility, integrity, and then, in turn, help others. It has been so fun to hear the success stories from the last 10 years of these young people: some have gotten certificates in accounting and auditing, and some  have become marketing officers, data-entry operators, fire-fighters, tilers, plumbers, chefs, child-care specialists, security guards...and on and on. The idea is...those who have more, are to share with those who have less. Here's our chance to give back something to the world, and help in some way build peace through education.
        We leave on Monday for Africa and from all the reports - it's going to be awesome. My friend Connie, who has been training me, said the people of Accra will come to church 15 minutes early (Early? People do that?) because they like to sing. They sing loud...and long...every verse of every hymn. I asked if they needed a piano, and Connie said, "Why? They don't really need it, because everyone sings to full capacity and would drown out the piano anyway." I can't wait to hear this.
       Another impressive thing about the people of Accra is that when they pray, Connie said you almost want to open your eyes to check where you are, because you'd swear you're already in heaven. She said they are so sincere and humble...offering thanks for one more day to be alive and praise God.
       I met another couple today who will be our new best friends there: the Kleins. I liked her immediately because she said they brought games, too. They will get to Ghana a week after we do and we've already made arrangements to get together. I suspect we will learn together about cidi's (the money) and how to wash our vegetables in 2 tablespoons of Chlorox, and taking our malaria pills every night.
   
    Pictured below..me, Martha from Salt Lake (a missionary going with her husband to Mongolia - learning Mongolese) and Florence, our trainer. Florence has served with her husband in Mexico and Central America several times, and now she volunteers to teach people like me about PEF. She is from So.Calif. and has one more year to serve.

    2nd picture. John Woodward - our other trainer, retired lawyer from Utah - who has served with his wife in Ghana twice.

    3rd picture. David, and our trainer Mishael. He has his Master's in International Information Systems and a product himself of the PEF. He's a wizard - and so cute! Nothing rattles him. and he is so patient. He's also an extra in church movies -the latest one being about Christ in Jerusalem.
   Not shown: Davidson, another of our teachers on the computer. Davidson is from Brazil and an intern at the Church Offices, And - another recipient of the PEF. He's another computer wizard who can apparently do and fix anything.