Sunday, September 27, 2009

Transfers are this week; many changes will be made.

There are different leadership positions in the mission: Senior Companion, Trainer, District Leader, Zone Leader, Traveling Elder, and Assistant to the President.  The Traveling Elder is a new position and will be introduced this week.  The most experienced missionaries will go into an outlying area that usually doesn’t have missionaries, but does have a branch, for only 3 months.  The branch will be preparing people to be taught and receive the missionaries when they come.  However, training new missionaries is perhaps the most important calling in the mission As President Howell tells trainers, the new missionary is like a blank CD. The impression they leave will last the entire mission. Trainers are some of our most obedient missionaries.

All missionaries are leaders --- representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ and thereby examples of righteousness, obedience, skillful teachers and able to work well with people.  Missionaries love and encourage each other in their responsibilities.  They are loyal to the Lord, the Prophet and to their President. 

In regards to specific leadership callings, there are times to be called and times to be released.  They will not be in leadership positions their entire missions.  Most leaders will end their missions as regular missionaries, or whatever else the spirit dictates.  Zone leaders become trainers, etc.  There is a lot of shifting around.  Sometimes missionaries serve well and then desire to be free to concentrate on missionary work.  Please know that if your missionary is moved around or released from these positions it doesn’t mean anything is wrong.  The Lord is just doing HIS work; everything is right!  It is so much better to have fluid movement back and forth between callings, to give more missionaries opportunities. Sometimes, there are great missionaries who are not called into leadership positions. For example, our sisters are some of the most successful missionaries and never hold leadership positions.  As we are taught in the church, it is not where you serve, but how that is important.  We hope you will praise and encourage your missionary wherever they are, whatever they’re doing!  

1 comment:

  1. Thank you so much for explaining this. It's very inspiring to hear how the Lord works in the mission field. Hurrah for Israel!

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