FIRST AREA FIRST COMPANION

6-9-2011 (4:30 am)


So I didn’t realize that I had received an email this morning until one of the moms of Dylan’s traveling companions email me and asked me about it. I would have totally missed this email from theMission President:


EGLISE DE
JÉSUS-CHRIST
DES SAINTS
DES DERNIERS JOURS

Mission de

MADAGASCAR ANTANANARIVO

B.P. 5094

Antananarivo 101 Madagascar

Téléphone 22 417 51 - Fax 22.418.54

N° 0000-10 / MM-SL

Antananarivo, 9 June 2011

Brother and Sister Thurlow,

Your son, Elder SHAW, arrived safely in Madagascar. After prayerful consideration, I assigned him to labor initially in Anjanahary with Elder SMITH, T. one of our best missionaries. We will do everything in our power to see that your son’s missionary experience is all that it should be and one that will be a source of strength to him throughout his life.

As your son takes the gospel forth, he will have some new experiences, some of which will probably be a great challenge, especially learning a new language, being away from home in a foreign land and culture, adjusting to missionary life, and getting along with companions and other missionaries. Experience shows that missionaries who lose themselves in the work quickly overcome any obstacles.

Your weekly letters will greatly influence his success and be an important source of emotional and spiritual support. Please make letters to him cheerful and uplifting. Family members are authorized to send emails to their missionaries, subject to the guidelines established by the brethren.

For any package you would like to send to Madagascar use the address below (very important) when using DHL or any other mail company:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints

Madagascar Antananarivo Mission

ELDER DYLAN SHAW

B.P. 5094

Dingana III

Andrainarivo

ANTANANARIVO 101

MADAGASCAR

Each missionary receives the Missionary Handbook. Your missionary has committed to living by the principles of this handbook. You can be of great support to your missionary if you are aware of some of these principles.

“Write to your parents each week on preparation day.” If you should not receive these letters regularly (taking into consideration that there is some irregularity in mail delivery), please let me know.

”Notify the mission office if your parents’ address changes (including e-mail addresses).” It would be useful for you to also notify us of such a change, just in case your missionary forgets.

“Do not telephone parents, relatives or friends.” We would also ask you to refrain from placing calls to your missionary, except for a call on Mother’s Day and one on Christmas, which we do authorize. Missionaries are not authorized to accept other calls.

“In case of an emergency, contact your mission president.” Should the family have an emergency which needs to be communicated to the missionary, please contact the Mission Office (001-261-22-417-51).

“Consider your support money as sacred. Spend it wisely and only for things relating to your mission. It represents sacrifice by your family, yourself and others…If you have extra funds, do not overspend and make it difficult for your companion who may not be as fortunate.” There are many valuable lessons to be learned during a mission, and one of these lessons deals with being able to budget and live within an allotted amount.

Sincerely,

Sean Edmund DONNELLY, President

Madagascar Antananarivo Mission