Mission LIfe

    Our lives pretty much revolve around 6-week transfer schedules.  You'd think that was plenty of time to do almost anything, but actually, it requires every minute.

We begin with recommends of each missionary from Salt Lake.  We create four different files on each missionary; two from President & Sister Nicholas, and 

two for me [Sister Bryant].  We put the first page with their picture and home/ward/stake contact information in a large binder we call "the Face Book".  Then I

put together and send off a Welcome packet that includes a personal letter from the President, things to do before coming, description of our Mission, a Map of our Mission,etc.etc.etc.  Once that is done we order their debit card, insurance card, and name tags if needed, then start preparing apartments/furnishings/cell phones/cars/and most importantly-companions!  At the same time, if we need to open a new apartment or buy more furnishings, we drive around checking out places Elder Bryant has identified on the internet and shop at all our favorite 2nd hand or dollar stores and haul the stuff back to our storage unit.

    Arrivals also mean departures, so three months before our missionaries return home, I make sure I have all the necessary contact information and make the

travel arrangements for their flights home throughout the world.  Then I send out the letters to the Stake Presidents and parents so they will know the details of each missionary's return schedule.  These include special Release Certificates for each one.

    As Transfer Week approaches, I put together individual notebooks for each missionary that contain all kinds of important information they will need throughout their Mission.  It contains Mission contact information/their debit and Aetna cards/pin numbers/day planners/Mission Statement/financial-medical-cell phone-car information/Mission Guidelines/and two missionary manuals to get them started the first 12 weeks.  I started something new when I came by printing off our Mission Logo and putting it on the front of each notebook, along with some Canada stickers.  It takes me about a week to put together all the notebooks.

    Just before Arrivals I make up a list of the missionaries for Sister Nicholas so she can check off each one as they arrive at the airport.  I make another list for the
Fleet Manager showing whether or not we have received a copy of everyone's drivers license and motor vehicle record that allows them to drive in our Mission.

Then I make up another list and FAX it to Immigration asking for their help as the missionaries arrive at the airport and go through customs.  It has to have their

full legal name as it appears on their Passport/Citizenship/Date of Birth/Home town.  So far, I haven't created any International incidents with Immigration, which

I am grateful for.

    While we are preparing for Arrivals/Departures, Elder Bryant is paying all the bills relating to our Mission: Rent for over 120 units/Utilities/Cell Phones/Debit Cards/ Gas Cards/Medical/Traffic Tickets/Car Repairs/Furnishings/etc. etc.  It is a Very Big Job like running a small company with over 250 employees.  

At the same time, Sister Bryant is answering the Mission Office Phone; sorting & distributing all Mission mail; typing and submitting baptismal information to Salt Lake to create records in the Church of all new converts; updating Arrival/Departure information/the Mission phone-companionship-area lists; arranging meals/locations/accommodations for President  for Zone Conferences; and watering the plants in the Office.  Once a month we have a Mission-wide Leadership

Training Meeting here in Calgary that begins with a 7:30 am breakfast at the Mission Home.  Sister Nicholas makes egg casseroles and Elder Bryant and I man the pancake griddles for these breakfasts; it is one of our favorite jobs.

    Transfer week is a big deal.  We have to make sure every missionary/companion/car/cell phone/luggage etc. gets to the right place safely.  Just getting them here,through customs, and back to the Mission Home is a big undertaking.  Then we have orientation [we're all involved], dinner, take individual pictures and one with President/wife [ Elder Bryant does that], have a Fireside/Testimony Meeting, and they find out their first area and companion and leave for their apartment if they are assigned to the North part of our Mission

    Early the next morning, those going South meet at the Church for more orientation and then take off to meet up with their companions down in Lethbridge, Cardston, or British Columbia [5 hrs away], while missionaries here in Calgary wait for their companions transferring to the North to arrive about 4 pm.

While these transfers are taking place, all Departing missionaries have been gathered to the Mission Home for final interviews with the President, a seminar

with someone from the Employment Office, a nice dinner with the President, and a Farewell Fireside at the Church that evening.  People come from all over the Mission to say Good Bye to "their" missionaries; we usually fill the entire chapel.  It is our responsibility take pictures of the Departing missionaries and set up tables and provide the refreshments for that event.  The next morning the Departing missionaries attend the Temple with the President before going to the airport for their return flights home.

    The day after Transfers when we have caught our breath, Sister Bryant sends out 1st Arrival letters within the first 3-4 days after arrival to every parent that includes a picture of their son/daughter with the Mission President/wife, tells them their first area assignment, and the name and home town of their first companion/trainer.  Then she sends out congratulation letters to all new Zone/District/Sister Leaders and Trainers with cc's to their parents [there were 38 leadership changes our last transfer=almost 80 letters]; and waters the plants in the Office.  Elder Bryant answers phone calls from frantic missionaries saying their debit cards or cell phones don't work, they don't like their apartment, etc. etc. etc.... and the whole process starts over again.

    After six months, it looks like things may be slowing down slightly.  Our Mission has doubled to 250 missionaries and so for the next year our Arrivals/Departures should be smaller; more like 18-20 going and coming, rather than the 36 we've have these last six months. We are looking forward to that............