Missionary 411

Hello everyone!

This is Hermana Scarlett's madre, Audene Scarlett.  I'll be posting on Allison's blog so you can share in her adventures, experiences and spirit as she serves the Lord in Argentina.  Just wanted to make a few editorial comments for those of you who are not members of the LDS faith.

All missionaries who choose to engage in this service opportunity do it of their own choice and at their own (and their parent's) expense.  Most range in age from 18 to 25 although the bulk is in the younger range of that age spectrum.  Additionally, Senior Missionaries are folks retired with their kids grown and gone who choose to spend their retirement in missionary service.  We consider missionary service a blessing, yet a meager means of giving back to the Lord, in gratitude, for all He gives us.  Although, if you ask any missionary returned from their service, they will tell you they have probably come home in further debt to the Lord than when they left because of all the blessings, growth and increase in faith received from serving.

Now to some vocabulary common to missionaries and their service -

MTC:  Mission Training Center.  There are 19 throughout the world.  Our Hermana Scarlett is in the Provo MTC.  Missionaries serving a mission in their native language are in the MTC for two weeks to learn the lessons they will teach, learn about the culture of the people they will be serving, and learn best practices and skills for a missionary.  Missionaries learning a language are in the MTC for about 6.5 weeks and everything mentioned previously while learning a language, or more accurately, learning it in the language they will speak in their assigned field of labor.

Companions:  Each missionary is assigned a companion of the same gender with whom they stay 24/7.  Why? The reason is two fold.  First and most important, the Lord has declared by the mouth of two or more witnesses shall His word be declared.  Second, and still very important, companions serve as a protection and support for one another.  Once a missionary is assigned to their area, there is a Senior Companion and a Junior Companion.  The Senior Companion has typically been out longer and looks out for and trains the Junior Companion.  As a missionary progresses, they will have the opportunity to serve as a Senior Companion and be given other leadership responsibilities.

District:  A small group of companionships working in the same or nearby geographic areas.  One missionary in one of these companionships serves as the District Leader and is responsible for leading the group in word and deed.  The District meets together weekly to gauge the progress of their work, determine areas where they can improve, teach each other, discusses the needs and progress of the people they are working with.  While in the MTC, the District is a small group of companionships that arrived on the same date, leave on or near the same date, and are learning the same language.

Zone:  A zone is a group of Districts, anywhere from four to eight, working in the same geographic region.  One set these companionships serve as Zone Leaders and are responsible for working with the District Leaders.  A Zone meets once a month in a Zone Conference.  This usually includes the Mission President and his wife.  There are sessions of instruction and training for all the missionaries in the zone.  Small group session are conducted along with Personal Progress Interviews with the Mission President.  Zone Conferences are often time of great spiritual feasting and learning.  Missionaries come away rejuvenate, energized and refocused on their callings and work.  While in the MTC, the Zone is a small group of Districts that meet together weekly.  They will all be learning the same language but each District may be somewhere different in their timeline of progression through the MTC..

Mission:  A large geographic region whose boundaries are the boundaries in which a missionary is called to serve and work.  There are currently 405 missions throughout the world in just about every country.   Here at home, we are part of the Charlotte North Carolina Mission which encompasses primarily the western half of our state.  Hermana Scarlett will be serving in the Argentina, Buenos Aires North Mission which encompasses the northern third of that city and some distance west and slightly north into the country.

Mission President:  A Mission President and his wife are called to serve over a mission for three years, at their own expense.  Often these are older couples but at times they will have children at home that will travel with them into the mission field.  The Mission President and his wife are responsible for leading, teaching, guiding, loving, and caring for 200-250 missionaries. The President calls missionaries to serve as his assistants.  Together they prayerfully make plans and decisions for the entire mission (conferences, who will be companions, how long companions remain together, where in the mission each set of companions will live and work, etc.).  Hermana Scarlett will be serving under President and Sister Ayers during her missionary service.

I think that will be all for now but will post more info as I come across lingo that may be unfamiliar to some of your following Hermana Scarlett's Blog.