5-26-14 President's Weekly Letter

Dear Elders and Sisters,

Lately I have been pondering the subject of companionship unity. There is a bullet-point on page one in the booklet for training companionships, The First Twelve Weeks, that reads, “Love, serve, and listen to your companion.” Although this is a short and simple statement it contains great wisdom and power. Can you imagine what would happen if every missionary in our mission actually did this? There would be a lot of mental and emotional synergy that could elevate our ability to accomplish our missionary purpose. The most important companion you could have in this lifetime is the companionship of the Holy Ghost. If we could increase harmony and eliminate contention between companions, there would be much more sensitivity to the Holy Ghost. We would find greater success, individually and collectively, in doing this great and sacred work. Please, please, please love, serve, and listen to your companion.

I know that I have mentioned this before, but each new move call is a chance to start fresh, whether or not you moved or received a new companion. I suggest that sometime before today is over, you sit down with your companion and establish some expectations and goals for this move call.  Working together, you can decide what you want to accomplish and how you will do it. Ask each other how you can help with any personal needs your companion may have. Establish priorities and then write them down. Keep them in a place where you will see them every day. Pray together daily with your companion about the goals that you have set. Express appreciation for your companion in your prayers and ask Heavenly Father to bless him or her in specific ways that he or she may need help.

I also suggest that sometime before today is over, you evaluate your own ability to be a Christlike companion. Approach your Heavenly Father in humility and ask him how you might be more long-suffering, gentle, meek, kind, and demonstrate love unfeigned by asking Him to reveal to you your weaknesses and shortcomings that He might greatly enlarge your soul without hypocrisy and without guile, and enable you to turn your weaknesses into strengths (D&C 121:41, Ether 12:6).

Let’s work together to make the Taiwan Taichung Mission a place where each missionary can be loved, served and listened to by their companion. A mission should be an emotionally safe and rewarding experience for every missionary. Although we cannot control everything that happens when we are on the streets or in other people’s homes, we can and should create an atmosphere of love and learning in each of our apartments. “See that ye love one another…learn to impart to one another as the gospel requires. Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated. And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is a bond of perfectness and peace” (D&C 88: 123-125).

President Blickenstaff

Mentor of Champions