Friday, June 5, 2009

Host Missionaries at the MTC: New Welcoming Technique

Elder Kevin Forsell describes a new missionary intake process that is being conducted at the MTC on his Special Delivery from Dallas blog:

Good morning! Yesterday was GREAT! We had that "mystery" thing to do with the new missionaries. Here's what it was. The MTC is no longer allowing family into the MTC to say goodbye to missionaries. (Aren't you glad I entered when I did?) Instead, this is how they're doing it: The families can drop off their missionary, take one picture, and two minutes to say goodbye. Then the missionary is taken in by a "host missionary" for 10-15 minutes who takes them to their room and shows them around the MTC. One of those host missionaries was me!! It was SO fun! I took under my wing about 6 missionaries. Not at the same time, obviously, but one after another. It was kinda sad to watch them say goodbye to their family, but they'll do fine.

I am glad to see that missionaries are now assigned as mentors to their fellow missionaries. It will help them to get situated.

2 comments:

Matt W. said...

I liked the brief meeting at welcome. This new ways sounds a bit too efficient with people for my taste. I mean are we serious about the 2 minutes to say good bye bit? That seems a bit over the top.

In The Doghouse said...

All things go in cycles. When my husband was taken to the "Mission Home" in Salt Lake that is exactly how his parents had to drop him off. Maybe this change born out of necessity will be more efficient? Less trauma in the "crying room". I have dropped off three of my own missionaries and although it was a spiritual experience, it might also have just prolonged the inevitable.