More photos from the MTC

 This is my new Russian name tag.  "Quinn" is pronounced Kvin.
In Russian there is no "qu" sound 

All of my study books

These are my note cards.  Each ring holds 100 words and phrases.   

This is our class room.  We did the math and we figured out that we spent more time in here than we did in our beds.  Looping around the room from the left...Elder Christenson, Elder Young, Elder Gerlizk, Elder Smith , Elder Mickelson, Elder Lacroix, Elder Welvh, Elder Garcia, my chair and Elder Duncan 

"Comb over Monday" Elder Duncan and myself - ha ha

Elder Mizkelson and Elder Lacroix with "comb overs"  :)

I figured you would like this one mom.  (I think Chase thought I would like this photo, because I have told him hundreds of times at home to hang up his coat!)

The Elders of 3M-319 Elder Duncan, me, Elder Mickelson and Elder Lacroix

My "BYU Bros."  Elder Rucker, Elder Liljenquist, Elder Combs and me 

Picture in front of the Provo temple 

Elder Payne, me and Elder Collingsworth.  (Elder Collingsworth "started" on the BYU Basketball team as a "true freshman")

Elder Quinn has had a wonderful experience at the MTC. Through his letters you can feel his joy and his willingness to work hard. 

Kiev,(Kyiv) Ukraine

We received a phone call today from President Jorg Klebingat
 Chase's Mission President. He called to tell us that Elder Quinn 
arrived safely. Pres. Klebingat said that he welcomed 
the missionaries, feed them and then put them all to bed. 
 I am sure they were hungry and tired! Pres. Klebingat said 
Elder Quinn looks good. He also said, "Thanks for sending him."
 What a sweet man he must be.  

And he's off...

1 passport        - check
1 visa            - check
2 bags            - check
1 flight plan     - check
3 boarding passes - check




1 "2 year-old" vocabulary of Russian - check 
1 other missionary, his companion    - check
1 excited and nervous missionary     - check 


Ukraine here comes Elder Quinn!!         

The phone call!

Today  (9/13/2011)  Elder Quinn is leaving Salt Lake City, Utah for Kyiv Ukraine!  Missionaries can call their families from the airport!  I wondered do phone booths really still exist?  Yes they do and I'm glad. We set up a teleconference call so all the siblings across the country could visit with Chase at the same time. And of course little Mark was on the phone call too. :)  It was so fun visiting with him!  The first minute I had to wipe away tears of emotion since I hadn't spoken with him since he left for the MTC 12 weeks ago. He sounded great! We were able to talk with him for about 45 minutes.  He was relieved to be within the weight limit of 50 lbs. on both of his suitcases.  He is very happy to be on his way to Ukraine!

Chase told us that a couple of weeks ago he got an idea that it would be really cool to learn to sing "Called to Serve" in Russian.  "Called to Serve" is a great missionary song.  (words below) So, he and his district learned the words and then last night while saying good-bye to all of his teachers his district sang in Russian "Called to Serve".  Chase told us that their teachers had tears running down their faces.  It was a great "thank you" to the instructors.

Chase had a remarkable experience in the MTC. It was obvious in our conversation that he is quickly growing into his assignment as a full-time representative of Jesus Christ. He is very focused on his mission.  In fact, he gave each one of us a specific/personalized challenge related to missionary work and asked us to report back to him on our progress.  He is working hard and we are very proud of him.

Chase has about 21 hours to go until he is in Ukraine.  He has a layover in Atlanta, and then one in Amsterdam and then on to the Ukraine.  I told Chase to be sure to wave out the window in Amsterdam since we have many relatives who live in Holland.  Speaking of relatives, as Chase was visiting with us, Mark's brother Ted, who was on his way home to Boston,  walked by him in the SLC airport.  It was great.  Uncle Ted was able to talk with Chase and he took his picture with Chase and then emailed it to us!  What a coincidence. It was great getting the photo. Chase said we should be getting a lot of photos from him at the MTC in the next day or so.  Yea,  as a mom I love photos.  Chase is having a great experience and is learning a lot.  He is really happy!!

Uncle Ted and ELder Quinn

Please keep Chase in your prayers as he begins his service in Ukraine.




Called to Serve

1. Called to serve Him, heav’nly King of glory,
Chosen e’er to witness for his name,
Far and wide we tell the Father’s story,
Far and wide his love proclaim.

[Chorus]
Onward, ever onward, as we glory in his name;
Onward, ever onward, as we glory in his name;
Forward, pressing forward, as a triumph song we sing.
God our strength will be; press forward ever,
Called to serve our King.

2. Called to know the richness of his blessing—
Sons and daughters, children of a King—
Glad of heart, his holy name confessing,
Praises unto him we bring.

Text: Grace Gordon, alt.
Music: Adam Geibel, 1855–1933

"It looks like I am the only Elder Quinn"! :)

So now for the coolest experience of my life. So remember how I told you President Brown sat at our table and ended up knowing like half of our family and used to be the Mission President in Chicago. Well every fast Sunday he speaks to us durring what would normally be lunch. And before he begins he calls up two missionaries to bear their testimonies. My whole district was poking me saying "It's going to be you." I said "No way, what are the odds it's me?" But guess what.... it was me. I was so nervous I honestly thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest. When I got up my legs were shaking but my district said I didn't look nervous at all so that was good.  So I started out by saying "Well looks like I'm the only Elder Quinn." That got a pretty good laugh out of the audience and it helped to calm me down. Then I went on to bear my testimony about missionary work and about the Savior. I think I did good because afterwards a bunch of people said I had a really nice testimony. But ya it was honestly the coolest experience of my life. I think I bore my testimony in front of over 3000 people. It was awesome.

Also, wherever I go people always stop my companion and ask if we can "Contact" them. It's pretty funny because so many people are interested in what Russian sounds like.

Talk to you from the airport

Elder Quinn

Apostle Jeffery R. Holland gives devotional at MTC

Chase wrote (8/31/11)... Last night we had Apostle Holland come and speak to us at our weekly devotional.  It was amazing! 

Our Church has13 basic statements about what we believe called the "Articles of Faith" (Go to Mormon.org to view all 13 statements.)  The following is #6. 
"We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth."
-Article of Faith #6

Apostle Jeffery R. Holland
- one of the twelve apostles
(also known as Elder Holland)

...Ok, I will now tell you about Apostle Holland's talk. So we went to dinner and President Brown, the MTC President sat next to us. It ends up he used to be the Chicago Mission President and he remembers meeting Dad and also knew Bishop Black and President Peterson. It was cool to hear about how much he loves Naperville. So we kept talking and he ended up knowing our intire family that lives in Conneticut and Boston. It was really cool. He promised to call President Peterson and say hi for me. But anyways  So while we were talking he asked us what time we were going to the devotional, and we said as early as we could because we want to get good seats. Then he winked at us and said "If I was you I'd get there early too." So after that we pretty much ran to the devotional got amazing seats and were all throwing around guesses as to who it would be. Then Elder Holland walked in. I honestly wish I could tell you in words about the Spirit that entered the room when he walked through the doors. I think it almost knocked me over. He talked about us about how our missions need to change our lives. This was my favorite quote "Nothing bounces me off walls, off ceilings, off the lights, destroying property as I go than a young man or women who comes home and doesn't know what he's been doing for the past 2 or 1.5 years." He got really emotional about his mission and how it meant everything to him. Then he had five questions that President Brown got from missionaries to ask him. It was so cool. And don't worry I took like 4 pages of notes and I had to transcribe them into my journal because I don't think my pen left the page. It was incredible. I can't wait to show you guys when I get back.

My favorite part of his talk was when he answered the question Why does God love us. He said "I'm not perfect but the place I come the closest is my love for my children. There is nothing they could ask for that I would do." Then he talked about Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane and how he cried out for Abba. I always thought Abba meant "all powerful" or "great father" but he said that the closest word in the English language is "Daddy." That hit me so hard. Because we always use the most formal words while praying but Christ who obviously had a different relationship with our father in heaven called out for daddy. It was so cool, I hope my writing it gives you a little bit of a sense of the way I felt.

Just for Laughs

I sent this to Elder Quinn to give him a good laugh!!