Missionary Transfers... How Often is Normal?

[JK4Woods]

Sooo... my son is serving a mission in Columbia and has a native Mission President.

He is still in the exact same area where he started. He had an Argentine companion as his trainer, then they stayed together for two more months until the Argentine completed his two years and went home. My son stayed in the area and got a new companion from Peru. My son figured he'd stay in the area for one "transfer cycle" of six weeks so the new guy learned the territory and families they have been teaching.

Just today I learned my son spoke to the Mission President and was told since there are only 3 missionaries leaving and only 5 new ones coming in, there will be no change to my son's area.

Has anyone heard of such a thing? (Back when I served my mission, we had transfers once a month, and we generally didn't stay in an area longer than three months - ever).

Here my son is working the same area for over six months and with no changes in sight.

Have mission presidents been instructed to keep missionaries in one spot longer? Or is this a matter of convenience to just move a few people around to accommodate those leaving, and those coming in?

Only 30% of the missionaries in his mission are "Norteanos" from the USA. The South American missionaries ride the gringos pretty hard and kinda rub their noses in it when they have a chance. So being transferred every couple of transfer cycles would be a good thing to be able to get away from bad companions.

Anyone know if the lack of transfers is in accordance with Church policy?
Thanks!

[brianj]

I met missionaries and was baptized in 1987. One of the Sisters who taught me spent ten or eleven months in that ward. She was able to do a lot of good work with other people, but after I was baptized she also did a great deal to help me stay active and strengthen my testimony to the point where I could stand on my own. On my mission I was in an area or two for more than four months, and I was transferred out of other areas two months after arriving.

A good mission president will counsel with assistants, and maybe counselors, to determine transfers. Trust that the Lord is directing the mission and where your son serves.

[EmmaLee]

Totally depends on the mission, mission president, what's going on where - lots of factors. Our sons' transfers varied from 6 weeks to 9 months, with the average stay in one place being around 3-4 months. This was in foreign and state-side missions, and all within the last 6 years. We have two sets of missionaries serving in our local ward, and they usually seem to stay here around the same 3-4 month length of time, although some have stayed here much longer.

[Original_Intent]

Back in the early 80s, I served an 18 month mission and served in 4 areas. I was in one area 6 months, which was pretty much the long side of things, but 4-6 months wasn't unusual.

I think it depends on the philosophy of the Mission President and the needs of the mission, as well as any promptings/spiritual guidance he might receive.
It might also depend on the geo - i.e. if it takes time to build up trust with the natives, it wouldn't make sense to bounce people around just when you might be starting to be effective. I certainly wouldn't lose any sleep over it, even if he served his entire mission in only one area. That could be a real blessing if he let it be.

[butterfly]

I was transferred once during my entire mission. I loved it. I spent all but 6 weeks in the same place and became great friends with the members there.

However, if someone is really struggling in their area, then staying in the same spot for the whole time could be tough. If it's causing problems, then your son could talk with his mission president.

What exactly are the issues your son is having with his companions? You say the S. American missionaries ride the gringos pretty hard - what do you mean by this?

[diligently seeking]

To foster an "us against them" attitude is dangerous stuff. Sure, injustices in life are real, and they are no bueno. However, this life is a time for us to be renewed and changed through the atoning blood of Christ / faith in Christ.. As we have faith in Christ-- the way he walked talked and Interacted with life's dilemmas we also should walk talk and interact and face life's dilemmas. ( to our blessing and the blessing of others...) Yes? I would encourage you and your son and myself and everyone to study learn, memorize, and assimilate the teachings of Christ Through The Sermon on the Mount especially the Beatitudes. It was through difficulty that Christ ascended and was filled and grew and became the embodiment of virtue. Be rest assured the wholeness that was the Life of Christ because he was love he was virtue --these heaven-sent blessings more than made his life beam through his life's difficulty. Too often we miss the mark in understanding the truth that our difficulties in life are our greatest blessings. Think of Nephi in his struggles-- he wouldn't change it for nothing. How's that expression go--- often we find God / his great grace and healing in our extremities... Christ made heaven everywhere he went because he was armed and was the embodiment of righteousness. We too irregardless of life's circumstances -- if we are armed and follow Christ in righteousness the sparkle of Heaven can be where we are at. The opposite of these blessings that come from murmuring is a tiresome and difficult way to navigate the morass of mortality.

[mes5464]

I was in my first area for at least 7 months.

[kittycat51]

Totally depends on the mission, mission president, what's going on where - lots of factors. Our sons' transfers varied from 6 weeks to 9 months, with the average stay in one place being around 3-4 months. This was in foreign and state-side missions, and all within the last 6 years. We have two sets of missionaries serving in our local ward, and they usually seem to stay here around the same 3-4 month length of time, although some have stayed here much longer.

DITTO what Emma said. My same experience with my two older boys; one state side Cali, the other in Africa. (within the past 10 years) It all depends on the mission president and the circumstances. I had a nephew in California who stayed in the same area for 10 months.

Oh Orignal Intent; you are dating yourself. Ha my husband was one of those 18 monthers. He came home just as he was getting the hang of the language :))

[Finrock]

Doesn't hurt to talk to the Mission President if there are issues, but it should be done with meekness. I don't think there is a "normal" time to be in a certain area. How long a missionary is in an area can depend on many things and I'm prone to believe that the Mission President is inspired and the areas that missionaries serve in or stay in are for a purpose.

-Finrock

[davedan]

I served in the same area for the entire 2 years.

Loved it!

[Robin Hood]

My son served in Slovakia and was in his last area for a year.

[inho]

The longest I had was 8 months in the same area. Shortest was 2 months.
I think only one transfer (we had 9 weeks transfers) in an area wouldn't be wise, it takes time to learn to know the people and places.
I hoped that I was able to see as many areas as possible. But to be honest, the longer I stayed in an area, the more effectively I could work there.

[h_p]

I know a lot of missionaries who are out right now, and the length of time I've heard them in a single area runs the gamut from a single 6-week transfer to up to 9 months. There's definitely no church-wide policy.

[e-eye2.0]

I remember hearing back in the day the church wanted missionaries to be in an area for a longer period of time closer 8 months. In our home ward for awhile we had probably 10 new missionaries in a 6 month period as we seemed to be the flex ward where any movement in the mission caused us to change. We did just have a missionary here for 7 months and the one before that for 5 months - I enjoy when they are here longer (when they are good missionaries) as it really allows for a relationship of trust to be built.

[gkearney]

I have you all beat on this one. Once while serving in a Branch Presidency we had a missionary serve in our branch for 18 moths until he went home.

The branch was in a very rural farming community. The missionary had come from a similar community in Idaho and had been transferred to us, the most remote area in the mission, as a kind of punishment for what I gathered was minor infractions of mission rules while in the more urban areas of the mission.

In our rural community he thrived, he was beloved by the primarily Catholic farmers of the region for his willingness to help with the farm equipment or the chores. He would stop the car if he saw any farmer out working on machinery and offer to help. His white shirts were seldom without grease stains from such efforts. He was the best missionary the branch ever had and we told the mission president so. We begged the mission president not to transfer him and he never did.

Following his mission he returned to the community, married a local girl he had converted. Those kind of things happen you know. They settled down and he works for the local farm implements dealer, They have four children and are pillars of the community.18 month well spent I say.

[Zathura]

My wife was in 2 areas her entire mission. It's different for every missionary

[Kitkat]

hubby served 9 months in one area, 7 in another in Trujillo Peru.

[LDS Physician]

Nothing new in the handbook...up to mission president discretion. Elders in our ward have stayed as long as 10 months and as little as 1 transfer! Son who just returned from Brazil stayed 7 months or so in one area. So I wouldn't think a thing of it. MPs are pretty unique and special people and I personally believe the Lord is very interested in his young missionaries and their well-being. He's in good hands!