Alpine-German Speaking Mission

The Call

 

Members who have retired or are in a financial situation that allows them to go on missions are encouraged by the Church to go on missions. Sister Mason and I with probably follow the pattern by a few others in the Los Alamos Ward and go on a mission for 18 months, return home for 18 months to work on the house and most importantly visit the grandchildren, and then go back out on another mission.

A senior missionary first gets approval from the bishop to begin. The bishop turns a switch in the Church system that allows the senior missionary to begin filling out a form on the Church computer system. The form is very detail and especially asks a lot of medical/health questions. The church does not want us to go out in the world and have serious medical problems. Also included are dental and physical examinations and inoculations so the process is not an easy, fast or inexpensive process. After all of dental examinations, physical examinations, and paper work are completed you can press the button on the computer and the computer sends the completed forms to the Bishop. The Bishop then reviews the form and interviews you. When the Bishop is satisfied with the form he pushes a button and sends the form to the Stake President who also reviews the packaged. When he is satisfied with the package he presses the button in the computer system and - THEN – your application is sent to Church

For senior coupes the package that is received is reviewed by doctors who also have request for senior couples. Apparently, this process can take several weeks as they try to match the needs of the different Mission Presidents with the capabilities of the senior missionaries who have applied.

About 3 to 4 weeks after our applications were turned in and I got a call from Dr. Doty. He asked if Sister Mason would be willing to use her nursing skills on our mission. She was not home at the time so I accepted for her. He asked me how my German was and I told him we had gone to Germany a couple of years ago and I had done OK. And then he said after a little more discussion, well it looks like you are said “Well it looks like you are smart enough they can probably find some for you to do as well.” Clearly I was the low man the totem-pole. Note that after the package is completed by those in Salts Lake the package is package is sent to the missionary committee which is chaired by an apostle.

A few weeks later a large brown envelope came. We waited until Monday and went over to Jared’s home to open it up. I expected only one letter to come to both of us so when I opened up the package I only read the one letter. There were actually two, one addressed to each of us. The first letter read said Sister Mason (I read we) was called to the Alpine German speaking Mission and as the mission nurse specialist. However, Paul read the second letter which was addressed to me and I was called as the assistant to the mission nurse specialist. Over the weeks we have had a little fun over my calling but in all seriousness my call is veers appropriate and I am glad for it.

 

Members who have retired or are in a financial situation that allows them to go on missions are encouraged by the Church to go on missions. Sister Mason and I with probably follow the pattern by a few others in the Los Alamos Ward and go on a mission for 18 months, return home for 18 months to work on the house and most importantly visit the grandchildren, and then go back out on another mission.

A senior missionary first gets approval from the bishop to begin. The bishop turns a switch in the Church system that allows the senior missionary to begin filling out a form on the Church computer system. The form is very detail and especially asks a lot of medical/health questions. The church does not want us to go out in the world and have serious medical problems. Also included are dental and physical examinations and inoculations so the process is not an easy, fast or inexpensive process. After all of dental examinations, physical examinations, and paper work are completed you can press the button on the computer and the computer sends the completed forms to the Bishop. The Bishop then reviews the form and interviews you. When the Bishop is satisfied with the form he pushes a button and sends the form to the Stake President who also reviews the packaged. When he is satisfied with the package he presses the button in the computer system and - THEN – your application is sent to Church

For senior coupes the package that is received is reviewed by doctors who also have request for senior couples. Apparently, this process can take several weeks as they try to match the needs of the different Mission Presidents with the capabilities of the senior missionaries who have applied.

About 3 to 4 weeks after our applications were turned in and I got a call from Dr. Doty. He asked if Sister Mason would be willing to use her nursing skills on our mission. She was not home at the time so I accepted for her. He asked me how my German was and I told him we had gone to Germany a couple of years ago and I had done OK. And then he said after a little more discussion, well it looks like you are said “Well it looks like you are smart enough they can probably find some for you to do as well.” Clearly I was the low man the totem-pole. Note that after the package is completed by those in Salts Lake the package is package is sent to the missionary committee which is chaired by an apostle.

A few weeks later a large brown envelope came. We waited until Monday and went over to Jared’s home to open it up. I expected only one letter to come to both of us so when I opened up the package I only read the one letter. There were actually two, one addressed to each of us. The first letter read said Sister Mason (I read we) was called to the Alpine German speaking Mission and as the mission nurse specialist. However, Paul read the second letter which was addressed to me and I was called as the assistant to the mission nurse specialist. Over the weeks we have had a little fun over my calling but in all seriousness my call is very appropriate and I am glad for it.