Road Less Traveled

I've concluded that the simplest job description for a mission president is that he is a trainer and a driver. I am constantly training -- new missionaries, all the other missionaries, zone leaders, stake presidents, bishops, ward mission leaders. Training, training, training. And I'm a driver. From here to there and back again.

Take yesterday for instance:


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3:00PM Drive from the mission home to airport to pick up a terrific missionary who is returning to the mission after a three month illness.

4:00PM Drive this missionary from airport to Dover, Delaware where he'll be serving. Trained him while driving in the car.

5:30PM Drive from Dover back to Wilmington to give $60 to a missionary who needs to purchase medicine and had run out of money. Massive rain storm, difficult to see while driving.

7:30PM Drive from Wilmington to Rising Sun, Maryland to have a one-on-one coaching session with a missionary who is having a tough time in his life. This was an intense personal training situation. Lots of prayer required before, during and after. An even worse rain storm with very poor visibility.

9:45PM Drive from Rising Sun back to the Mission Home. Enroute spend 20 minutes on the cell phone discussing mission business with my Assistants and training them on various items.

10:45PM Arrive home.

Total drive time: Almost 8 hours. I'm a trainer and a driver.