What is "Mission Leadership Council" training? Find out here!

            Those of you who have visited the page entitled “Mission Terms and Definitions” know that it was designed to give families and friends a better understanding of what life is like in the Alabama Birmingham Mission.

            In this posting, we’ll give both a little more of what actually goes on as well as some photography (which, let’s face it, is the REAL reason you come to the blog, right?).

            Instituted last April in all of the 405 missions of The Church, our Mission Leadership Council is exactly that – a council – in which some training is provided from the Mission Leadership on a variety of topics, but it’s also conducted to counsel together.  That is, to receive as well as to dispense information needful for the ABM to function at its highest possible level. 

Conducted monthly, the MLC is presided over by President Hanks, and usually conducted by one of his Assistants; Sister Hanks, as well as Senior Couples working in the Mission Office who also make presentations across several areas as needed.  Often in attendance are President Hanks’ counselors. 

            The largest population in attendance are the Zone Leaders from across the Mission as well as the Sister Training Leaders.  Both groups are responsible for absorbing the training, as well as administrative, safety and health briefings, and then providing that same information to their own zones – usually later in the same week.  There is also training in their own responsibilities as leaders. 

            In terms of what the attendees contribute to the MLC, it’s truly significant.  In this mission, goals and standards are developed more on a “bottom up” than “top down” basis.  Zone Leaders, for example, obtain realistic information, goals, projections and standards from District Leaders who have previously counseled with missionaries in their Districts.