79: SILENCING OPPOSTION

The first rule in real estate is LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.
Perhaps, the first rule in the LDS Church is SUSTAIN, SUSTAIN, SUSTAIN.

Last year the LDS Church announced plans to construct a state-of-the-art facility at the MTC, located near Brigham Young University. The new building is to replace the Melvin J. Ballard Building, which houses the MTC bookstore, mailroom, meeting rooms and resource center. It was also reported back then that it will be several floors taller than the two-story Ballard building. According to a news release from the Salt Lake City-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the new building will include some classrooms with the latest technological resources.  http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/52447828-78/building-provo-mtc-ballard.html.csp

If the existing MTC building that will now be demolished is only 2 floors and the Church announced in 2011 that it would be only be several floors taller then why is the building now going to be NINE stories tall?  Sounds like a big building, especially when you consider that the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Downtown SLC is 10 floors.

If the number of full-time missionaries is increasing, I could understand the need for the expansion. Back in 2002, before the we "raised the bar", there were almost 62,000 missionaries serving world wide. Now the number of missionaries is in the mid 50,000.   There has been a decrease from years past. Furthermore, less and less of the US foreign bound missionaries are going to the Provo MTC. Many are now being sent directly to the Missionary Training Center in the country they will be serving in. Many do not realize that there are currently 17 Missionary Training Centers throughout the world. The most recent addition was the Ghana MTC.

It was reported in the news that many of the Provo residents that live close to the Provo MTC have been concerned about this new construction of large high rise building being constructed.
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=20447638

Due to local residents opposition,  a letter of “invitation” from Church Headquarters was read to them over the pulpit last week asked them to “support the decision of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles”.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54456872-78/church-evans-leaders-mtc.html.csp

We are taught to sustain, and to never oppose. We are taught that it is best to be silent, instead of voicing concern. We are assured we will never be led astray.

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SIDENOTE:

I am reminded about President Boyd K Packer’s quote in conference for us to “use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without”.

Yes, Maybe the old 2 story MTC building has been "used up", and "worn out", we can't "make it do" anymore?...so we need to build a 9 story building to replace it so we "don't go without"..

Can't wait to see this new "state of the art" mailroom, bookstore, and meeting room at the MTC…. ALL NINE STORIES of it.