Dear Elder Brent James Thomas,

Congratulations on your call to serve!  We are excited about your arrival at the Provo Missionary Training Center next week and are grateful for your decision to serve the Lord.  We would like to share some important information about your stay at the MTC.

You should arrive for your training at the main MTC campus (2005 N 900 E).

This will be your MTC mailing address:

Elder Brent James Thomas
JUL26  SC-COLU
2005 N 900 E Unit 236
Provo UT 84602

Please share this address with those who may want to write or send packages to you while you are in the MTC.

Also, please pay close attention to the following instructions:

  1. Your service begins the day you check into the MTC.  Remind your family that complete separation from loved ones is part of the sacrifice that families and missionaries contribute to the work.  For this reason, you should ask your family and friends not to attempt to see or visit with you while you are at the MTC, not even during your temple walks or at other places near the MTC.
  2. All missionary mail must come through the US Mail or commercial delivery services.  These services should not be used to send pizzas, fast foods, ice-cream, or any items that will spoil if they are not refrigerated within 24 hours.  Missionaries are not called out of class to receive packages, nor do they have access to a refrigerator.  For security reasons, we cannot accept any items delivered by hand.
  3. Communication with family can be done through your missionary email account on your weekly Preparation Day. We cannot accept telephone calls for missionaries.
  4. Families and friends should not visit missionaries as they depart to their field of labor, whether at the MTC or at the airport.

Please do not reply to this email.  If you need to communicate with the MTC, please call 801-422-2602.

Sincerely,

Provo MTC Presidency

Brent's farewell

The Welch side!

The Thomas side!

We were so grateful to have the support of friends and family!

What a great group of young men!

Michael, Brian Bertolio, Brent, Nick Spaulding and Kaden.

Temple Endowment

June 4, 2016 5:30 pm session

Brent wanted just a very small group.

This is the temple my mom was sealed to her family on July 17, 1961. I love being here and thinking that they walked these very halls too.

After the session, we did a few sealing for Joe Frei and his parents. It meant a lot to Grandma and Grandpa Thomas. Joe was a friendly, Italian bachelor that lived down the street. He lived to be 100 and became family since all of Joe's family was still in Italy.

The best part is walking into the session and seeing Brent there. The next best part was having him join us in the celestial room. Every parent dreams of having their children there with them. Now Brent's job is to help his sisters follow in his footsteps. 

We had a nice dinner at Dickey's to celebrate and enjoy some Southern BBQ!

Seminary Graduation

After 4 years of work and study, these kids are seminary graduates.

Preston Page, Brent, Brianna Hansen, Alanta Boehme.

Seminary is a wonderful opportunity to learn the gospel and prepare for missionary service.

Grateful Grandma and Grandpa Thomas were able to come.

I think he's tired of pictures!

Melchizedek Priesthood

April 10th Brent was ordained an elder. Grateful for these wonderful men and their examples.

Grandpa Welch asked him to be his first blessing. It was very humbling for Brent.

Even the grandmas are wonderful and excited.

One step closer to being ready to go!

Called to Serve

After almost 4 weeks of waiting, it arrived!!! We had been told to expect the big white envelope on Thursday or Friday. But I went to the mail on Monday and there it sat. I couldn't believe it was actually here and on Aaron's birthday!

The first person I told was Brent in a text. He said that now he couldn't think about anything else for the rest of school. He even had to go to work after school milking cows. He hurried and got done quickly. It was hard to see that envelope sitting there and not rip it open!

We invited his friends to be with us. We took some last minute guesses.

 We had been working on getting Facetime and Skype set up for all of our out of town family. Isn't technology wonderful!

Bishop Hansen reminded Brent that he should be in a suit. So he quickly changed. We could only get him to wait until 7:35. Most of the party was not physically there. 

Called to Serve in South Carolina Columbia mission. Entering the MTC July 6, 2016.

I had made lots of cookies waiting for the big day. He was glad he finally got to eat them. We were glad that Nick Spaulding and Stephen Ahlemann made it.

Brent and Bishop Hansen