Hidden Objects: Unusual MTC Missionary Tradition

Unbeknownest to most Mormon missionaries attending the MTC are the hidden objects in their rooms many times hidden in the ceiling of their room or behind the dressers or cabinets.

One missionary Elder Justin Lee Larson of the South Carolina Columbia Mission turned me on to this little known MTC tradition that I never knew about when I served or any of my children told me about when they served the past three years. Elder Larson's blog says:

There is a tradition in the MTC where missionaries tag different objects in their dorm so that a piece of them lives on in the MTC forever. The missionaries hide the items, and somehow every new set of missionaries finds the items and then are inspired to leave their own marks. Justin’s room was all about the lost books.

<a href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-US&playlist=videoByUuids:uuids:2a50718d-9966-43d0-bd1a-5191095f2f6d&showPlaylist=true" target="_new" title="Lost Books">Video: Lost Books</a>

I wonder what is hidden in the rooms. I hope other missionaries keep the tradition going. It is very interesting to see what creative pursuits missionaries come up with. I bet the current batch hide their swine noses or pig snouts. It is another example of Mormon folk culture. Now we all know what to look for! So missionaries need to be even sneakier.