Reconfiguring the Transfer Board - Like a 1000 Piece Puzzle
It’s the Saturday night before transfer week and all our missionaries are anxiously watching their email inbox waiting for the “transfer docs” to come through. These documents show the newly reconfigured transfer board. The updated board will answer many of their questions for the following six week cycle such as: Will I receive a new area assignment to live in? Will I get a new companion? Will I stay in my area one more transfer? Will I have the same leaders? What does my new zone look like? Yes, drum roll ……“DING” the transfer docs have come through! No more guessing, wishing, or praying. Here is the new board! A board that has been prayerfully updated!
The transfer docs come through to each missionary's email. It consists of pictures of each zone on the transfer board.
Starting on Tuesday morning of this past week President Quinn and I have been in meetings all week with our AP’s (Assistants to the President) Elders Wiley and Lee reconfiguring the transfer board.
Elder Wiley and President Quinn moving photos around on the transfer board.
The transfer board
The transfer board is a large ten foot by five foot white board. It is divided into eight sections for our eight zones and then sub divided into districts and areas. We have magnetic photos of each missionary that we put on the board in the area they are currently serving in. Next to their photo is a photo of their companion. All missionaries have a companion who they share an apartment with and are expected to stay with at all times. In a few cases, for various reasons, we have a trio of missionaries. Also next to their photo are colored strips with the name of the area of California they are assigned. There are other color-coded magnets that help us to remember important information like what language they speak, how long they have been in an area and what their leadership assignment may be etc. Our office secretary, Sister Nate, makes up transfer books with information about each missionary’s past areas and companions. In addition these booklets have information about the incoming missionaries. This book is a great tool as we make informed and inspired decisions. Note: There is an electronic version of the transfer board that some mission presidents use on a big screen TV. For us, we like the “hands on” version and the AP’s update the electronic board afterwords.
Sister and President Quinn holding the transfer books for this upcoming transfer.
Reconfiguring the transfer board is kind of like putting together a 1000-piece puzzle. We do this every six weeks as we lose missionaries who are going home after their service time has been completed and we welcome new missionaries. Next Wednesday we will have three of our missionaries return home. Later in the day we will be welcoming 18 new missionaries!
As you can imagine this causes a big change in our board. As we move missionaries off the board and open up new areas for new missionaries it has a domino effect and the board “blows up” and starts looking like scrambled eggs. As we move a photo we temporally put it on an angle so we can remember what is a new change. We also slide around other magnetic tags that give us area names etc. In addition, there are many variables we have to take into consideration. Such as:
Variables
What areas are losing missionaries who are returning home?
Who will be the next leaders?
How long has a missionary served in an area? They usually serve in an area for three to four transfers. Although sometimes it may be a shorter or a longer time period.
What areas have they previously served in? If we can we try to give them new areas and different companions.
What areas will we need to open to accommodate new missionaries?
Who would they best be suited with for a companion?
Do they have a driver’s licensed and are permitted to drive? Unfortunately some missionaries lose their driving privileges due to a poor driving record. Each companionship needs a driver. (Unless of course they are on bikes.)
Are they able to ride a bike? We have six bike areas. Currently only our elders are on bikes although the sisters claim to really want to be on bikes too. I don’t blame them I would love to ride a bike!
Do they speak Spanish – ¼ of our missionaries have been assigned to speak Spanish and they will need to serve in an area with a Spanish speaking congregation. Our mission here only has two languages spoken (English and Spanish) compared to the San Francisco mission just south of us where there are nine languages spoken.
How well are they getting along with their current companion?
Can we “whitewash” an area with two new missionaries? We try not to have an area where both missionaries are new. Sometimes it just has to happen.
Do they have a crush on any missionary in their zone that is causing distractions?
Do they need to be in a certain area to see a doctor who may be working with them at the present time.
What needs does this missionary have for personal and spiritual growth?
Most importantly where is the spirit directing us to place them.
Elder Lee and Elder Wiley by the transfer board in the mission office.
We say prayers before each meeting and keep a prayer in our hearts that where we assign a missionary for the new transfer is where the Lord would have them serve. There have been many times when we have a missionary we want to place in a special way and we just do not know what to do! There doesn’t seem to be the right answer. As we keep looking and praying we are given an idea for them that is perfect! It is then like playing checkers as we move some of the missionaries around to where they each fit in with this new idea. We go over and over the board until we feel good about each individual missionary. Our AP’s have inspired ideas that really help us. This can be a week long process. Sometimes we even change up a companionship or two after we interview the incoming missionaries on Wednesday of next week.
We see miracles in the lives of our missionaries as they obediently follow our plan and serve the Lord where He would have them serve the people who live in their assigned area of California. God is in the details!
On Thursday during our new missionary orientation we will announce to the trainers who their new companions are. It is always exciting to see the new missionaries meet their first companion! We love our missionaries and do our best to give each one of them the best possible situation for them as they sacrifice and serve the Lord.
Updated and cleaned up transfer board!
Thanks for reading my weekly letter. Have a nice Labor Day!
