Depression in the Mission Home

I entered the Mission Home on February 19th, 1962. The Mexican missionaries were informed that we would not be leaving for Mexico at the end of our week stay but heading to BYU to study Spanish. The Mexican government was making it difficult to obtain visas and some of the missionaries were having to wait several months to get into Mexico. The brethren decided to send them to BYU to study Spanish while they were waiting. This was the start of the Language Training Centers. I was there from February to May before my visa came through.

We were housed in the Roberts Hotel in downtown Provo and held our classes in the Alumni Center on campus. Ernest Wilkinson was our director.

On my first night in the mission home I remember being depressed and going to bed early to sleep it off, but I could never remember why. Then last night I was reading in my missionary journal and discovered the reason for my depression.

I quote from my journal:

"After today I am kind of disappointed with the Mexican missionaries I have met so far. They seem to be farm boys who are out to have fun instead of being a servant of the Lord. They are complaining about going to BYU because they want to get down to Mexico and have some fun.  They should be exercising their faith and trust in the general authorities.  I am praying that the Lord will bless either me or them with the knowledge needed to understand each other.  I am now just beginning to see and feel the greatness of the missionary work." 

After reading this I was excited that at such an early age I was trying my best to follow the brethren.