Letter received Sept 25, 2009

And now, a brief introduction to Mission Geography, Government, & Genealogy:

A mission (led by the Mission President and two elders acting as Assistants) is divided into Zones (led by a companionship know as Zone Leaders) which are split into Districts (led by a District Leader) which are made up of 3 or so companionships (Senior Companion and Junior Companion) who each cover an Area.

When you enter the mission you are “born” and your first companion is known as your “father” (or “mother” in the case of sister missionaries.) Most new missionaries stay with their trainer at least 2 transfers (a transfer is a six-week period at the end of which you or your companion may or may not be moved to another area) before moving on to their second companion who is lovingly deemed their “polisher.” However, in cases the new missionary or his (or her) trainer is transferred after only six weeks in which case the second companion becomes the stepfather (or stepmother.) Sister missionaries claim their first District Leader as their father; but, owing to the shortage of sisters, not every elder has a mother; most hold that only elders born into a district with sisters can claim the senior companion as his mother, but some traditions state that an elder may claim the senior sister is his zone, if there be any sisters in his zone.

I tell you all this to set the stage for my news: S. Moreno is being transferred to Reno and my new companion, my “polisher,” my “stepmother,” is also…my daughter – that’s right, I’m training! With 7 sisters continuing in the mission & 5 new sisters coming in this transfer, Pres McCracken has opened 2 new sister areas and has babies training babies. Well, that’s the bombshell, go ahead and brag, my mission mother is. I can’t think of much else to say and it’s almost time for dinner so…I’ll let you know how it goes. ☺

Much love,
Sister Cloward

P.S. It’s later and my new missionary is unpacking. Her name is Sister Chapman, she’s from VA & she’s actually older than me! She’s 27 years old and very talkative, so we should get along well together. Well, it’s about bedtime so goodnight! Wish me luck!!

XOXO

Be sure to check out the continuation of "The First Epistle of
the Elders to the Dead Letter Writers" below!!!