Planning Day

Every Friday morning across the Salt Lake City Mission, chapels are buzzing with activity. The missionaries are getting together for weekly planning. The morning starts out with some training by the zone leaders. Learning new teaching skills and exploring the scriptures, the missionaries study together. About noon, they break for lunch. One Friday in November, President Winn and I stopped by one chapel to see what was going on. It was lunch time.

Sister Long and Sister Stoner

Elder Ross helps himself to the brownies I brought.

President Winn and Elder Janis


Elder Doucette and Elder Riggers

Sister Anderson and Sister Morris

Elder Bills and Elder Shriver

Elder Taylor, Elder Riggers, Elder Bills and Elder Shriver

When lunch is over, the missionaries head into separate classrooms to do their planning. For the next three hours, they plan and prepare for all the people they are teaching. They decide what lessons need to be taught to each individual and prepare those lessons. They schedule baptisms and calendar the week's events. They evaluate the activities of the previous week and set goals for upcoming days. They make phone calls and coordinate with other missionary companionships. They evaluate their relationship as companions and determine ways that they can work better as a team. These young men and women, who have probably never spent more than five minutes planning ahead in their lives, are suddenly diligently planning for three hours, and hustling to get it done without running out of time! This will surprise parents around the world, as they say, "Who is that Elder, and what have you done with my son!?!?!?!""

Sister Stoner and Sister Long

Sister Morris and Sister Anderson

Elder Tui and Elder Wright

Elder Janis and Elder Fuentes

Elder Clerveau and Elder Judd