Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Mission Memories: MLC July 2016

Mission Leadership Councils

What exactly is a council? The definition could be: a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, share perspective, discuss and make decisions. They often provide advice or guidance. In our church councils we seek revelation and we make and set goals.

"A revelatory experience!" (Elder Bednar)

Like other organizations of the church, a leadership council is used to assist in governing missions. Prior to April 2013, this was often called a zone leader council, consisting of the mission president, assistants to the mission president and zone leaders. In April 2013 the zone leader council was replaced by the mission leadership council which we call the MLC, which adds the mission president's wife and sister training leaders, a new position consisting of sister missionaries called to give leadership to other sister missionaries. I might add the sisters give a wonderful perspective and are an important part of the council.

Here in the Pennsylvania Pittsburgh mission our council consists of 14 zone leaders, 8 sister training leaders, 2 assistants to the President, the mission president and his companion.

We meet each month to discuss the progress of the mission (zone leaders report), share stories of individuals- stories of hearts being changed and faith strengthened, discuss concerns - these elders and sisters are out in the "trenches". They know firsthand the challenges and difficulties that the missionaries face on a daily basis. They are an excellent resource for knowing the needs of the missionaries and the people that they are teaching and serving. We also have training to be taken to the zones as well.

Councils are about love. They motivate growth and progress! They are about individuals and their individual needs, about service, they are the vehicle by which we can organize our efforts to meet people's needs and more effectively carry the gospel to those ready to hear it.