Wednesday, October 2, 1968

Today was an interesting day. We attended our first leadership meeting, were assigned to our permanent districts, and gained new companions.

Leadership meeting is held every Wednesday at 11:00 A.M. in Knight Mangum Hall with some speaker before the combined zones of the mission. The scheduled speaker did not show up, so missionaries who were recent converts were called up to speak. After a few of these, the speaker did arrive (she had been lost on campus and could not find Knight Mangum Hall) and presented her interesting story. Sister Davies had been a nun in the Catholic Church for 33 years, which included several years working directly with the Pope. In 1967 she was introduced to and embraced Mormonism. Her testimony and the story of her conversion were most inspiring. Since she was late, everything, including lunch and classes, were behind about half an hour.

This afternoon all the new missionaries in the zone were called out of classes into a meeting with Elder Allen Ostergar, the zone counselor. Permanent districts were assigned. I am now in the Marília District with an Elder Nelson as district leader. My new companions are Elder Craig Rencher and Elder Richard Kletting. Still a threesome because of an odd number of elders. How lucky can I be? At least I did not have to move out of room 34. Elders Babbel and Gale are still in the same district with me.