South Africa Johannesburg Mission: 12 September 2017 Interviews BD

12 September 2017 Interviews

Mission Home

Bedfordview Zone

BD North District:

Alexandra Area
Elder Stevenson
Elder Dionisiu

Bedfordview Area
Elder Reneer
Elder Burlaka

Orange Grove
Elder Tia-Pasia
Elder Randriandrasana

BD Central District:

Germinston Area
Elder Cowan
Elder Trammell

Katlehong Area
Elder Warnock
Elder Ratshikhopha

BD South District:

Eastfield Area
Elder Van Thiel Berghuijs
Elder Lopuliak

Vosloorus Area
Elder Jennings
Elder Eatough

While President Leavitt interviewed each missionary, Sister Leavitt, along with the help of the APs, Elder Adams and Elder Wikaira, and the Zone Leaders, did training on using time wisely and using goals to become a successful missionary. Each companionship filled out a time use evaluation worksheet listing how they used their time from the past week. They totaled up driving time and proselyting time (included quite a few activities). They could see from this exercise how they could improve their effectiveness in daily missionary work through better time management.

Each missionary also "went fishing" for the right investigators who would progress to baptism. They had to choose what fishing equipment and technique they would use to be successful. The blue and green fish represent new investigators, the red fish investigators with a baptismal date, the orange fish investigators who attend church, and the yellow fish investigators who attend church, keep commitments, repent and are baptized. More of the orange and yellow fish swim around the church building. They can easily attend church, participate and remain active. Those are the type of investigators to fish for--at the same time recognizing that some investigators will sacrifice much to be baptized and remain faithful members even though living some distance from the church. Those who caught yellow or orange fish received a piece of candy to share the sweetness of the spirit and blessings enjoyed by those represented investigators attending church and newly baptized members.

Then they read this paragraph from Preach My Gospel, page 152:

Discuss the following analogy with your companion. Evaluate how long your “line” is in the water each day.

“None of us should be like the fisherman who thinks he has been fishing all day when in reality he has spent most of his time getting to and from the water, eating lunch, and fussing with his equipment. Fishing success is related to how long you have your line in the water, not to how long you are away from the apartment. Some fishermen are away from home for twelve hours and have their line in the water for ten hours. Other fishermen are away from home for twelve hours and have their line in the water for only two hours. This last type may wonder why they do not have the same success as others.

“The same principle applies to missionaries, whom the Master called ‘fishers of men.’ A missionary’s line should drop into the fishing water the moment he or she leaves the apartment” (Dallin H. Oaks, seminar for new mission presidents, June 20, 2000).

They also read an article by M. Russell Ballard titled Create Success and quotes on using time wisely.

We did a wrap-up, talking about what they had learned.