Mission Leadership Council Notes

January 3, 2014

Missionaries are like a mission presidents investigators. Mission presidents ensure the conversion of the missionaries similarly to how missionaries ensure the conversion of their investigators. Part of the goal of President Sperrys workshops are to motivate and inspire missionaries to motivate and inspire to continue faithfully working hard. A role of Zone Leaders and District leaders is to oversee the actual training of the missionaries. In his opening remarks during conferences, President Sperry focuses on how to study the scriptures; the second part is focused on doctrine. The opening remarks of MLC are focused on principles of leadership, whereas the closing focuses on Preach my Gospel.

ABOUT CROWS by John Ciardi The old crow is getting slow; the young crow is not. Of what the young crow does not know, the old crow knows a lot. At knowing things, the old crow is still the young crows master. What does the old crow not know? How to go faster. The young crow flies above, below, and rings around the slow old crow. What does the fast young crow not know? WHERE TO GO.

President Sperrys opening remarks: President related an experience he had when he was a newly called Bishop in his ward. He assigned himself to be the full time Gospel Doctrine teacher as opposed to just a part time teacher. Later, he hosted the ward Christmas party nearly entirely on his own. Missionaries thoughts on the story: He did too much He worked hark Good intentions, bad actions He could have let others do those things so they could have the experience

President finished the story by saying that the Stake president personally told him to release himself. In later Christmas parties he assigned others to organize the Christmas party

MLC |2 With that story in mind, Compare and Contrast these two scriptures:

Exodus 15:18 Wear away - Unnecessary pressure involves only one person In Tagalog: Manghihina, meaning to faint, or become weakened or feeble

Doctrine and Covenants 123:13 Wear out lives Dedicate ourselves, involves a group In Tagalog: Ilaan, meaning to dedicate or devote

Define Delegate: Divide the task Give someone a stewardship To entrust someone else with a portion of ones responsibility

Why do we Delegate? You can accomplish more You allow others the opportunity to grow It lets others participate as well

Principles or requirements of Delegation: Chose wise, able, faithful, trustworthy people. Able people: o Fear god o Are men of truth Teach and show them by example, then walk with and work with them (D&C 107 99-100) Show the rules and regulations Let them act (D&C 107:99) o Allow them to do their job (trust them) Accountability, report and follow up (D&C 70:3-4) Set expectations

Measure yourselves . . .

Allow Help All diligent

Prevent Hinder Slothful

MLC |3 *There is also a fine line between Micromanagement and No Management If we try to take on too much, we will wear away, as was Moses case. We need to use the resources God has given us, and utilize Delegation, to best war out our lives in service to God. If you knew what I knew, you wouldnt want to rest either. -President Kimball Are you tired, Elder Hales? -President Kimball Give me this mountain. -President Kimball (Joshua 14:8-12)

What to do when you want to know something:

1st 2nd 3rd

Ask your companion Read the handbook Ask the Lord

Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders accountability Sister Nuez and Sister Mabini Sister using Preach My Gospel and hand books Focusing on time management Focus on living what they teach Planned and unplanned community service

San Rafael Zone Focus on Christ-like attributes Want to study with each companionship o Focus on study for investigators Its a zone of all Elders, so theyre looking forward to working with them Focus on obedience and working effectively

MLC |4 Camarin Zone Setting a lot of Zone Goals because most of the zone is training Obediance focus Trying to coordinate more effectively with stake and work with leaders

Meycauayan Zone Disappointed with the results of apartment checks Focus on Preach My Gospel Have a new ward mission plan Ward is doing great

Novaliches Zone Still using the Work of Salvation DVDs o Good results New focus on language study Plan to continue using DVD Better time management

Baliwag Zone Work slowed down at holidays Lots of new missionaries in zone Struggling with working with members Focus on becoming a stake and getting member involved Time management

Sister Oliphant and Sister Jones Working on companionships and being nice

Sister Mower and Pacino Working out companionship problems Focus on unity Lot of new missionaries

Valenzuela Zone Stake Baptism Working with Members Wards are excited for Sisters in the area

*Zone Leaders need to talk to their stake presidents about attending the quarterly meetings.

MLC |5 Fairview Zone Focus on Preach My Gospel Stake president wants numbers for Lagro Mapayapa 3 is having a hard time, along with Lagro 3 Ward is doing amazing o Members are working and theres a lot of referrals

Caloocan Zone Still alive and kicking Lots of enthusiasm because of how many missionaries there are Met with stake leaders last Sunday and discussed MOPP program o Pushing the Work of Salvation Companionships are doing well, No problems Prothselyting in places of higher education Focus on getting referrals for whole zone

San Jose Del Monte Zone New stake leaders o Have a goal to split stake in two within three years o Focus on having more full tithe payers Lots and lots of baptisms 3 RCs retaught in November and 5 in December o Seeing RC/LA lessons go up Language study doing great o Accountability to language study Wants to help set expectations for district Leaders

Montalban Zone Seen a bit of a drop in the work, possibly due to the holiday season Going back to the basics with the new missionaries and focusing on Preach My gospel Havent been able to meet with leaders around Christmas time Had some Baptisms

Malolos Zone A lot of trainers Language study is going good Teaching new missionaries the rules Zone unity Focus on members and Work of Salvation

MLC |6 Trying to do better follow up Stake leaders want each companionship to have baptismal goals Stake meeting with focus on accountability

Question and Answer Q: Can Zone Leaders hold meetings with District Leaders to set expectations? A: Yes. Just coordinate with them. Q: Who can do baggage checks for missionaries? A: No one. You cannot go through missionaries personal items, but you may check the apartments. Q: Can missionaries ask Zone Leaders to buy Load? A: No. They need to ask the Assistants directly because they keep track who asks. Q: Are the going to the gym and listening to EFY okay? A: No. Its not going to happen. If anyone asks, you may tell them its because Elder Broadhead is mean. Q: Is a Mission Fast something we want to do A: Bakit naman hindi? This Fast Sunday will be a united fast as a mission Purpose: to improve coordination and cooperation with ward members to progress the work.

Reminders New District Leaders Responsibility of training new District leaders is going to be delegated to the Zone Leaders. They will oversee the training of district leaders after each transfer, so they can be better prepared and settle into their calling as a District Leader. The need to make themselves available and teach new district leaders to do things like: o Start and organize a district meeting o Do follow up Calls o Conduct companionship exchanges o Other responsibilities of District leaders Starting this transfer

MLC |7 Discussion Topics Books of Mormon Tagalog Triple Combinations will be given to Stakes through the Zone leaders. Coordinate with the Stakes to figure out how best to distribute them to the members

Ghost Program This concept needs to be taught again to newer missionaries. We are losing this focus. Zone Leaders are to focus on it this transfer. Make sure missionaries are aware of the program. Help them to plan to do each aspect of the program. Goals for Baptisms Harness the power of the members Open you mouths Seek among the middle class Teach the Less Actives

Contacting Referrals Missionaries need to start contacting referrals as soon as they get the Referral They need to see referrals as a higher priority Solutions to the problem Make sure the information in the referral is complete before counting it as received Missionaries need to understand how to count a contacted referral, even if they werent able to contact the person. See Preach My Gospel

Why Referrals may not be getting contacted Dont want to take the time Priority of referrals Miscounting or incorrectly reporting referrals

Our missions number for referrals contacted says one of two things. First: missionaries are not contacting referrals as they should. Second: Missionaries are not reporting referrals they contact or were unable to contact.

Zone Maps Everyone will get an ward map, and the Zone Leaders will get an zone map Area divisions within an area are decided by the missionaries and ward and approved by the Assistants. If a redefinition of areas within a ward is required, get it approved by them.

MLC |8 Mission Maps Mission maps will be distributed to Zone Leaders. Maps will include o Stake Centers o Landmarks o Transfer points o SM North with bus routes and instructions o Directions to key places o A legend

Transfer Day For future transfer days, Zone Leaders are responsible for creating a list of directions for how to get from their zone to every other zone. Included in these directions will be appropriate and economic sakayans which missionaries need to take to get to their new zone. Missionaries do not get to choose their sakayan. They need to have a copy of the instructions in their area book and give a copy to the Assistants to the President as soon as possible. Transferring missionaries need to be provided the number of their current Zone Leaders as well as the number of the Zone Leader in their new Zone while they transfer. Sisters cannot take a taxi on their own. In other situations they are highly encouraged to have a companion for travel. Plans need to be made by the Zone Leaders before transfer day about who will be traveling with who. Zone leaders make the plans, not the missionaries. Do not change the plans after making them. Zones should have permanent transfer points so everyone know where they are going. Transfer point should be included in the instructions mentioned above.

Language Recourses Not discussed

Emergency Plan Updated copy of Emergency Plan was Distributed to Zone Leaders All missionaries go to their Stake Center in case of emergency. There will be one alternative meeting place Baliwag and Malolos need to find places which missionaries can get to within 20 minutes in case of tidal waves.

MLC |9 Statistical Report Long story short: Contact referrals!

1400

There are significantly less referrals contacted than referrals received. Members dont like giving referrals if no one is going to contact them. There is a direct correlation between referrals contacted and new investigators.

1200 1000 800 600 400 200 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Referrals Received Refferals Contacted New Investigators

Mail Run Zone Leaders were given a new form that looks like this: This is for you to separate commonly ordered items by district. If there are a lot of orders, send only the numbers in the boxes like you would for key indicators at the end of the week.
Orders Working Space: Apartment Orders:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

BOM Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3 Chastity Wisdom Tithing Pass Along Progress Teaching Pot. Inv. N&R District _______ Others: District _______Others:

This space is to do any figuring you need to do before sending the orders

Orders to be sent to the Apartment Elders

Other items not included in the list to the left. They should still be separated by District

This is for them to organize their orders. Orders for working materials are to be sent to the Mission Secretary, and orders for apartment supplies need to be sent to the Apartment Elders. A list of orderable items was also distributed which specifies which items may be ordered from who if there are

M L C | 10 any questions. Orders to the Mission Secretary need to be separated by district, whereas orders to the Apartment Elders need to be separated by area. Elder Bown has requested that orders for apartments be sent by Wednesday so they have time to buy any items not currently on hand. This is the number he wants orders to be sent to: 09989871805

Referrals Sister Bown is now in charge of referrals. Referrals need to be sent to her from now on. Starting immediately, a new referral system will be implemented which automatically sends texts of the referrals to the assigned areas. Sister Bown will be coordinating with Zone leaders to ensure that every referral is contacted. Add referrals to accountability and encourage district leaders to follow up with the contacting during follow up calls.

Elder Barker Checks to Land Lords were distributed to Zone leaders during MLC. They are responsible to ensure the missionaries in their zone forward them to the Land Lords and return the necessary papers to Elder Barker in the next mail run. Make missionaries accountable for returning the papers to Zone Leaders as soon as possible.

Sister Sperrys Remarks

The beginning of a new year is a great opportunity to set goals. Goals reflect the desires of our heart. Goal Setting and action are acts of faith.
I am so thoroughtly convinced that if we dont set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reach but a small part of our full potential. When one learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life.
-ELDER M. RUSSELL BALLARD

M L C | 11 Set smarter goals. What elements of goal setting should entail

S Specific M
- Measurable

A - Achievable R - Realistic T Time Bound E - Evaluate R Redo

If we give it our best effort, Heavenly Father will help us reach our goals

President Sperrys Closing Remarks

First Inheritence
Mosiah 10:13

Zeniff
Mosiah 9: 8, 9, 17, 18

Nephi
2 Nephi 5:5-8

Noah
Mosaih 11: 2, 14, 15

Zerahemla
Omni 1:12

Mosiah
Omni 1:12, 13, 18

Limhi
Mosiah 21:31-36

Benjamin
W of M 1:17

Mosiah
Mosiah 29:40 Alma 1:1

M L C | 12 What are some things you noticed about these three Kings? They had a great influence over the people Limhi had the courage to go against his father Noah was the weak link in the chain

It is when an entire mission isunited by the strength of every missionarys integrity, every missionarys personal covenant keeping, that we move mountains. When there is such unity and power, an endowment from heaven, coming to every individual in the mission, nothing can stop the work from progressing. It is in this way that the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent. We have that confidence when there is no weak link in the chain, when there is no vulnerable chink in the armor. The war against evil and error is the way every gospel victory is achieved one covenant at a time, one individual at a time, one missionary at a time. (Excerpt from: A message to future missionaries)

To you I say with all of the energy of which I am capable, do not become a weak link in the chain of your generations. You come to the world with a marvelous inheritance. You come of great men and women . . . Never let them down. Never do anything which would weaken the chain of which you are a fundamental part. -President Gordon B. Hinckley

Never forget that you were chosen and brought to earth as a child of God for something of importance in his grand design. He expects marvelous things of you. He expects you to keep your lives clean from the sins of the world. You are the line through which will pass the qualities of your forebears to the posterity who will come after you. Did you ever see a chain with a weak link? Dont you become that weak link. -President Gordon B. Hinckley

Miracles occur when Missions are united. We didnt come here to be weak links, but strong ones.