Practice Teaching in the MTC

As I was preparing to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I spent some time in the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. Within the Training Center is an area with little rooms. These rooms are furnished as living room apartments. As I remember it, the room had one wall that was one way glass so that we could be watched and evaluated.

People from the community are brought in, and we had to practice teaching them. We were told that some of them were members of the church and some were not, so we should try our best, because we may make a difference in these peoples lives. Of course we didn't know. I don't know whether these people were volunteers or paid for their service-- but a bit of current research uncovers this pdf that shows that they were all temple-worthy volunteers, or at least are so now.

My companion and I were shown into a room. I don't remember if we knocked on the door first, or what. Probably. We sat down across from an older man, with a coffee table between us. We proceeded to teach the discussion. At that time, they were written word for word in little booklets we were supposed to memorize. The man started out by being difficult. Unfortunately, I don't remember specifics. neither I nor my companion were very outgoing individuals, and we were stunned to silence. Neither of us spoke. In fact she nudged my leg and said under her breathe, "talk". I didn't know what to say, I think by that time we were both in tears. I did finally say something, the man softened up considerably, and we finished the lesson.

After the lesson, we were supposed to pray with the man. It was expected. It was written in the booklet, even. This was a fake lesson, I couldn't very well pray that this man would feel the Spirit to be converted or want to be baptized. I didn't know this man, only his fake life. I had no idea how I could pretend to pray. I didn't know that we truly had anything in common to pray about, and how that would relate to this fake teaching experience. Was I supposed to fake-pray or real pray? Fake-praying went against everything in my heart. I could not do it. It was wrong. If I was supposed to real-pray, I didn't know what to pray for. I think I just said something non-descript, certainly without feeling, and got the heck out of there.

I hated that experience! I am not a fake person. I wanted to teach the gospel. I wanted to help people. I didn't want to pretend to teach people. I didn't want to fake anything, especially prayer to my Father in Heaven. It felt wrong. Very wrong. I got past it at the time, but I found it greatly disturbing. I felt the Gospel was true, but some of the practices of the church were very much wrong. This was one of them.