Comments on: Missionary Home Training Schedule, 1936

By: Maurine Ward

Maurine Ward — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 02:25:41 +0000

3:00 p.m. – Missionaries purchase tickets and arrange for transportation to their missions.

I find it interesting that the missionaries were to do all of their travel arrangements themselves, and that only a few days before departure for their mission.

By: Last Lemming

Last Lemming — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 20:06:15 +0000

Tuesday offers two periods for sisters to go to the gym. Should one of those be elders, or do the elders not need time for the gym?

I read the schedule to mean that sisters (whether in group A or B) had permission to skip their Old Testament class and go to the gym instead. Elders went to the gym at 4:30. Presumably, the gym was single sex and sisters were not welcome at that time.

On a different subject, are we to understand “Modern Scriptures” to include the Book of Mormon?

By: David B

David B — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:50:50 +0000

Afternoon and evening free. Missionaries should return to the Home by 10:30 o’clock p.m.

Along the same lines as Broce Crow's observation, some parts of this schedule were way less structured than my world in the MTC was. (Also, my linguist self loves seeing the now-very rare construction 10:30 o'clock in print in a formal setting.)

By: Bruce Crow

Bruce Crow — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:34:41 +0000

There was a lot more “free time” than I remember in the MTC.

By: Morris Thurston

Morris Thurston — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:23:37 +0000

My great-grandfather, who left for Australia in October 1906, received only half a day’s instruction. He arrived in Salt Lake (from Cache Valley) at noon, was set apart by apostle George Teasdale, and heard instruction from Francis M. Lyman (President of the Q 12), John Henry Smith, Seymour B. Young and J. Golden Kimball.

My great-grandfather records that the five departing elders were warned against “being too free with strangers and not to kiss any one in our travels. We must not baptize any one under age without the consent of parents and we must not baptize women without the consent of their husbands. We must be zealous in our labors.”

By: Morris Thurston

Morris Thurston — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:15:32 +0000

Interesting — when I went out in 1962 they were back to only one week of training. We were also set apart toward the end of our stay, perhaps to give those who had second thoughts a chance to leave before being set apart.

Howard W. Hunter set me apart in his beautiful office in the old Church Office Building. I had never seen such a nice office before. We heard talks by Richard L. Evans, Boyd K. Packer, Milton R. Hunter, Legrand Richards, Franklin D. Richards, S. Dilworth Young, Spencer W. Kimball, Mark E. Peterson and Joseph Fielding Smith, among others. Quite a lineup.

By: Clark

Clark — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:29:54 +0000

Two things caught my eye: One, that missionaries weren’t set apart until the very end of their training; and two, the Saturday 9 a.m. “Sightseeing through the temple.” I don’t know that I’ve ever been offered one of those.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 16:00:51 +0000

I almost put “sic” after that second gym period, kew, because I wondered the same thing; it probably is a printing error, but I’ve reproduced the source accurately.

You mean YOU didn’t desire exams? C’mon, why not?

By: kew

kew — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:36:42 +0000

Monday mentions meetings for men and women, but Tuesday offers two periods for sisters to go to the gym. Should one of those be elders, or do the elders not need time for the gym?

I wonder how many missionaries desired examinations for their coursework.