32. Dignifying the Apartment/Offices 

Problem or situation. By this time (January 1980) we had a greater number of Small Units in the mission meeting in rented offices than we had regular wards and branches (36 Small Units, 27 wards and branches). Many of the wards and branches were also meeting in rented office spaces rather than in regular chapels. The few Church-built chapels then in existence were beautiful buildings, but there were very few of them (only 7 in the mission boundaries). Thus, most of our membership were meeting in rented quarters which didn't look like or seem like churches. As a result, sometimes these rented spaces were not treated with the respect and reverence of chapels. 

Action taken. (1-80) MAKE/DISTRIBUTE PICTURES OF CHRIST, CHAPELS, TEMPLE FOR EACH UNIT. (Productivity label: Motivational.) 

We dignified the rented spaces by providing nicely framed pictures of chapels, the Tokyo temple--then under construction--and pictures of the Savior. We built wooden bases which we covered with a matting. We placed a picture in the center of the matting and covered the whole thing with a clear vinyl covering. The chapel pictures were labeled, "Our future chapel," and were an indication to the growing Small Units that in time they would become full-fledged branches and wards with their own buildings.           

Results of the action. This seems like a small matter, but because of the large number of rented office spaces, I felt it was important to do something to give them more of the appearance and feel of a chapel. The simple addition of appropriate pictures accomplished this and reminded everyone that those rented spaces were still chapels. The pictures of chapels also gave additional incentives and motivation to those meeting there to work toward becoming a full branch or ward and have a regular chapel of their own.

33. Working Out Church Attendance Criteria 

Problem or situation. This action is an example of something that at first seemed almost insignificant, but the resolving of it interacted with other items to greatly facilitate the work. One of the criteria for baptism was that the investigator must have attended church meetings prior to being baptized. This meant that if a set of missionaries had no investigators who had previously attended church, they had no possibilities of baptisms at least until the next Sunday. Often this church attendance criterion was the last to be met. Once it was met, the investigator could be interviewed for baptism. The Church attendance, the interview, and the baptism often took place on the same day, Sunday. Therefore, Sundays became important days for baptismal meetings.

The problem was that because of the distances people often had to travel, church meetings were typically held in the afternoon. With the responsibilities the missionaries had after church for the members in the Small Units, Sunday mornings were often the only time available for baptismal services. Those ready for baptism that day could not be interviewed and baptized because they had not yet attended church services which would not be held until the afternoon. 

Action taken. (2-80) WORK OUT CHURCH ATTENDANCE CRITERIA AND FOLLOW UP. (Productivity label: Break down barriers.)

I discussed this problem with my area supervisor, Elder Kikuchi. I explained the afternoon Church meeting schedules and the missionaries' responsibilities after the meetings for the members in the Small Units. -After considering the situation, Elder Kikuchi gave permission for baptismal services to be held in the morning prior to church services, allowing those not having attended prior church services to be interviewed and baptized then and attend Church meetings immediately afterwards. Since that was the investigators' intent, they could be baptized at the morning service and attend church meetings as members immediately after their baptism. 

Results of the action. Although it seemed like a small factor, it showed me how even seemingly small things could be very important. As the missionaries became more and more involved in finding, teaching, interviewing, baptizing, and carrying out their responsibilities for members in the small units, the organization and use of their time became critical. This period of time prior to the afternoon Church meetings was an ideal time for holding baptismal services. Other missionaries would be there to conduct the interviews, a few other members would be there to attend the services, and the time following the regular Church meetings could be used for fellowshipping and strengthening the members in the Small Groups. Thus the small change in scheduling became significant in the missionaries' work.        

33. Changing the Labels in Missionary Jargon

Problem or situation. Missionaries often develop a unique mission jargon to describe their mission, their activities, their feelings, and so forth. I never knew where or how they originated, but for years missionaries in Japan had been using terms which I felt were negative to describe progress through their missions. These terms were BUMP, HUMP, SLUMP, and DUMP. They referred to the passage of time on a mission as follows: one fourth of the way through a mission was called the BUMP. Half way through was the HUMP. Three-quarters through was the SLUMP. And the completion of a mission was referred to as the DUMP.

I never heard missionaries saying things such as "Last week my companion crossed the six-month point of his mission" or "I’ll be at the half-way point in my mission next week" or "I’m in the last quarter of my mission" or "Sister so-and-so finishes her mission next month." Instead, I heard such phrases as: 

            "My companion just BUMPED last week."

            "I HUMP next week."

            “I’m starting into my SLUMP."

            "Sister so-and-so DUMPS next month." 

I had never liked the terms. They seemed demeaning to the noble work these missionaries were doing. But it had never occurred to me to do anything about them.

Then one day I heard two of my finest missionaries using the missionary jargon and talking about their own SLUMPING and DUMPING. I thought the progress through their missions had been wonderful, reaching, growing, uplifting experiences. Their impending completions would be triumphant. I could hardly believe they were referring to them as SLUMPING and DUMPING. I decided to try to change these labels.

              Action taken. (3-80) RE-LABEL THE NEGATIVE TERMS USED BY MISSIONARIES TO DESCRIBE PROGRESS THROUGH THEIR MISSIONS. (Productivity label: Motivational.) 

There were two things I wanted to change here. One was the negative terms. The other was the use of time as a marker of progress through a mission. I wanted positive terms, and I wanted the measures of progress to be performance rather than time. Having a linguistics background, I realized how difficult it was to eradicate undesirable words. So I decided to use the same words, but to redefine them, augment-them, and even encourage their use in a new context.

At the next series of zone conferences I presented my case. I explained that progress on a mission should be measured in terms of personal growth and achievement rather than just the passage of time or the call to mission leadership positions. I explained how negative labels, even without bad intent, often cause negative associations. Then I presented my new definitions to their terms, along with some new terms I had created.

I used positive words to represent positive progress. My terms representing desirable progress through a mission were START, BUMP, HUMP, PUMP, JUMP, and

TRIUMPH. I retained BUMP and HUMP with new definitions, and added the terms START, PUMP, and TRIUMPH.

I used negative words to represent undesirable progress or activities. For these I retained SLUMP and DUMP--with new definitions--and added two more negative words to have STUMP, SLUMP, THUMP, and DUMP.

My new definitions were not time-referenced. Rather, each missionary had to decide how fast to move. My definitions of the words describing positive, desirable progress through a mission were:

                        START:  START with the goal to achieve all that you can, and work from the START to accomplish it. 

                        BUMP: Get over the first BUMP by acquiring the basic skills needed to actively participate in all proselyting.

                        HUMP: Get over a major HUMP by qualifying for and receiving the responsibility of senior companion.

            PUMP: Maintain a constant PUMP through consistent, effective proselyting and living the missionary standards and rules.

            JUMP: Break away from "average" by taking a big JUMP. Become an ensign and do what's not been done before.

            TRIUMPH: Obtain the final TRIUMPH by completing an honorable mission in  every way.

The terms representing the undesirable negative sidetrack to be avoided were: 

                        STUMP:  Don't let the "obvious realities" and barriers STUMP you and keep you from accomplishing your personal mission.

                        SLUMP:  Don't allow yourself to give up or go into a SLUMP.

                        THUMP:  If you do feel yourself stumped or in a slump, ask your companion or the mission president for a THUMP to help you out of it.  

DUMP:  Value your mission; don't ever consider giving up and DUMPING all you have hoped and worked for.

I presented the new definitions and terms first to the mission leaders (my assistants and Zone Leaders), then to all the missionaries at zone conferences. I also did a follow-up article on the terms in the next mission newsletter. (See Figure 17.) 

Results of the action. It worked. The new terms were fun, the change was exciting, and new descriptions were more in tune with what the missionaries felt. Since I had retained the" old words with new definitions, missionaries could not continue to use them in the old ways. For example, if a missionary continued to use the word SLUMP in its old definition to mean three-quarters through his mission, someone would quickly remind him that if he was in a SLUMP, he should go get a THUMP. I believe the old usages of these terms died out.

Finally, with personal growth and achievement the measure of progress rather than the passage of time, the missionaries were more in control: they could BUMP or HUMP or PUMP or JUMP anytime they wanted to put in the effort to do so.

Return to previous page