The development of the Language Training Mission (LTM)

Lets not forget the myriad of motels along University Ave. such as the fabulous 'Imperial 400" that was the home for many of us as the main housing facilities were overflowing with missionaries answering the call. It was where I first got used to taking a cold shower everyday. Great story, brought back a lot of fond memories.

September to November 1973. Lived at the Imperial 400 and took the bus back and forth to Knight Magnum hall every day. I loved it and I felt well-prepared spiritually and linguistically when I arrived in Paris.

Knight-Mangum Hall. The ultimate luxury. I recall it well.

The LTM in Hawaii was opened in February, 1969, using the second floor of one of the men's student dormitories at what was then Church College of Hawaii (now BYU-H), including several classrooms. We ate in the student cafeteria. I was in the first class. My original mission call to the Japan Mission was for 30 months and I would have left in January and gone directly to Japan, to learn the language from my companion and books and practicing on the street. I received an updated mission call, leaving in February for two months at the new LTM, and then 22 months in Japan.

The first LTM class included all new missionaries going to Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong, Tonga and Samoa. A picture of the class is in the book The Church Encounters Asia by Professor Spencer Palmer, who was a mission president in Korea. The Hawaii LTM continued at least for the 2 years of my mission. The skills of each succeeding class improved. One of the elders was Mike Young, former University of Utah President, whose legal career as a Japanese law specialist started at the LTM.

I stayed in Amanda Knight Hall in the fall of 1972. After being there a few weeks our class room was moved to the laundry room because the place was getting full. Great times!