P.M.G. IN PORTUGAL
TALES OF A SISTER MISSIONARY
All those Mormon words though...
PMG : "Preach My Gospel" is the name of the missionary teaching manual
The Book of Mormon: The Book of Mormon is another witness that Jesus Christ really lived, that He was and is God’s Son. It contains the writings of ancient prophets. One of these, Lehi, lived in Jerusalem around 600 B.C. God commanded Lehi to lead a small group of people to the American continent. There they became a great civilization.
Ward: Our local congregations are called wards (or branches for smaller congregations). They are organized geographically and members attend a ward or branch near their home. Because in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all the teaching materials are consistent throughout the wards and branches, a person will be studying the same lessons no matter where in the world they attend church.
Bishop: The spiritual leader of each ward is called the bishop (or the branch president for branches). He is a member of the congregation who has been asked to serve as a volunteer in this position.
Stake: A group of wards forms a stake, and the leader of a stake is a stake president. “Stake” is not a term found in the New Testament, but is taken from Old Testament tent imagery in which the “tent,” or church, is held up by supporting stakes
Branch: A ward or a branch is a community in which members develop friendships and help each other. Members try to follow the teachings of an ancient prophet who taught that when we are baptized, we are “willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light” and “willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort” (Book of Mormon, Mosiah 18:8-9). Through service, members lift one another’s burdens and express their love.
Mission: The Savior taught His disciples, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations” (Matthew 28:19). As followers of Jesus Christ, members of His Church are enthusiastic about proclaiming the good news of His restored gospel to all who are willing to listen. Young men 18 or older and young women 19 or older serve 2 year and 18mo missions respectively.
Mission President: presides over a particular mission and all of the missionaries serving in that mission
MTC (Missionary Training Center): centers devoted to training missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The flagship MTC is located in Provo, Utah, adjacent to the campus of Brigham Young University, a private university owned and operated by the church. At the beginning of their service, LDS missionaries usually spend 3–12 weeks at an MTC where they receive training in doctrine, conduct, proselytizing methods, and, when required, a foreign language. There are a total of 15 MTCs in nations throughout the world
Transfer: the period of time a missionary teaches in one place with a certain companion, or refers to the event of moving to a new area and teaming up with a new companion
White Washing: when both missionaries in a companionship are transferred to a new area and two new missionaries take their place. The area is "white washed", with two new faces, so to speak.
Relief Society: philanthropic and educational women's organization. It is one of the oldest and largest women's organizations in the world. Members of Relief Society participate in "visiting teaching"-- with one visiting teaching companion they are assigned to visit and look after two other members of the organization.
Elder's Quorum: A quorum in the Church is a combination of a class, a fraternity of brethren, and a service organization.
Young Womens/Young Mens: youth organization (12-18 years old) Consists of mutual activities once a week, specific church classes every sunday, and seminary (Bible study) classes during high school.
District Meeting:Every week missionaries in the same local area meet for a district meeting for 60–90 minutes. One of the elders is the district leader and conducts the weekly meeting. The missionaries learn from one another through training, discussing challenges, and sharing testimonies and experiences.
Zone Conference: Every three months missionaries in several districts hold a zone conference, which is held under the direction of the mission president. Many of the missionaries will have to travel to these meetings, which are usually longer than the district meetings and can cover a wide range of topics.
Good FAQ Sources:
