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“It is clear that our first priority should go to spiritual learning. For us, reading
the scriptures would come before reading history books. Prayer would come
before memorizing those Spanish verbs. A temple recommend would be
worth more to us than standing first in our graduating class. But it is also
clear that spiritual learning would not replace our drive for secular learning.
Part of the tragedy you must avoid is to discover too late that you missed
an opportunity to prepare for a future only God could see for you. The
chance to learn another language is for me a painful example. My father was
born in Mexico. He grew up speaking Spanish as his first language. I lived in
his home for more than 20 years. Sadly, I never asked him to teach me a
word of Spanish. Now I am the first contact in the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles for the Church in Mexico, in Central America, and in Colombia,
Venezuela, and Ecuador. It was no accident that I was born into a home with
a Spanish-speaking father.”
“Set short-term goals that you can reach. Set goals that are well balanced—not too many nor too few,
and not too high nor too low. Write down your attainable goals and work on them according to their
importance. Pray for divine guidance in your goal setting.”
(Elder M. Russell Ballard, “Keeping Life's Demands in Balance” April, 1987)
“I feel that goal-setting is absolutely necessary for happy living. But the goal is only part of the desired
procedures. We need to know which roads to take to reach the goal. … [People] need to make
commitments with themselves by writing down their goals and keeping a record of the fulfillment of
their achievements.”
(Presiding Bishop John H. Vandenberg, in Conference Report, Apr. 1966, 94).
“It is not enough to want to make the effort and to say we’ll make the effort. … It’s in the doing, not just
the thinking, that we accomplish our goals. If we constantly put our goals off, we will never see them
fulfilled.”
(President Thomas S. Monson, “A Royal Priesthood,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2007, 59.)
“Wishing will not make it so. The Lord expects our thinking. He expects our action. He expects our
labors. He expects our testimonies. He expects our devotion.”
(President Thomas S. Monson “To the Rescue,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2001, 49).
“In setting our own goals we need to examine our own needs and abilities. The direction in which we are
moving is more important than where we are at the moment. Goal setting should cause us to stretch as
we make our way.”
(Elder Marvin J. Ashton, “The Word Is Commitment,” General Conference, October 1983).
“Stimulate and encourage [the missionaries] to make and reach goals for themselves. … I believe in
goals, but I believe that the individual should set his own. Goals should always be made to a point that
will make us reach and strain. Success should not necessarily be gauged by always reaching the goal set,
but by progress and attainment.”
(President Spencer W. Kimball, Regional Representatives’ Seminar, 3 Apr. 1975).
RESOURCES BEYOND THE MISSION
1. Common vision
A team has a common vision. For missionaries, it is the mission calling. As you set group goals for the
mission work, set some SMART goals as a team for Spanish (e.g. use Spanish during the district
meetings, set specific time blocks in the day to use Spanish in the companionship).
2. Optimism
Learners who have positive experiences become more motivation than those with negative experiences.
Being able to reframe a negative experience with a positive outlook is a strategy for success.
5. Empathy
If a problem with language learning is expressed, it is important to listen and understand. Put yourself in
their shoes and try to know what he/she is going through.
8. Fairness
Make sure everyone has a fair opportunity to use the language in meetings or within a companionship.
Give everyone a chance to speak.
9. Respect
If a missionary is not motivated to use or study the language, then it is best to do all the above and
respect their agency. Show unconditional kindness and avoid negative judgment, try to understand. Be
patient.
1
Lewis, T. (2016). Lerner autonomy and the theory of sociality. In Murray, G. (Ed.). (2016). Social dimensions of
autonomy in language learning. Springer. (pp. 37-59).
Ideas for Immersing Yourself in Spanish
I. PERSONAL IMMERSION
(You have complete control)
1. Set all your electronic devices and online accounts to Spanish (cell phone, tablet, email account, watch, etc.)
• Use these devices in Spanish (planning, scheduling, texting, etc.).
4 Kirk, R. W. (2014). Spanish proficiency, cultural knowledge, and identity of Mormon returned missionaries. Spanish in Context, 11(1), 1-26.
II. COMPANIONSHIP IMMERSION
(Requires Teamwork)
This proficiency self-assessment was adapted from the that are spontaneous and non-rehearsed. It is not likely
2015 American Council of the Teaching of Foreign for you to acquire functions of the superior level as a
Languages (ACTFL) “Can-Do Statements.” 1 The ACTFL missionary (functions such as debating, but many native
proficiency level descriptions are unaltered, but the speakers don’t reach this anyways.). It is certainly feasible
specific “can-do” statements were adapted especially for to reach an advanced level in an 18-24-month mission.
your context as a Mormon missionary.
Level description
1NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements Performance Indicators for Language 2 NCSSFL (National Council of Supervisors for Languages). (2010). LinguaFolio.
Learners. (2015). Retrieved November 20, 2015, from Retrieved from http://www.ncssfl.org/links/index.php? linguafolio
http://www.actfl.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/Can-Do_Statements_2015.pdf 3 Moeller, Aleidine J., Theiler, Janine & Wu, Chaorong. (2012) Goal setting and
• The “can-do” statement should be slightly challenging but still ATTAINABLE because it is your level.
• All the “can-do” statements should be based on real-world situations and functions you need. The
statement you picked will help you generate a REALISTIC goal. You do not have to limit yourself to the
list of statements. You can certainly identify an unlisted real-world function that you know you need.
Base your responses only on what you think you can do in real-world situations that are spontaneous and
non-rehearsed. If you check “I can do this!” it should be supported by evidence. Continue the assessment
until you cannot answer most of the statements with “I can do this!” This would be your level for setting
SMART goals. Once you can do most of the can-do statements at that level then move up to the next level.
Look ahead on the assessment to think about preparing for your future goals. Focus on your needs.
Novice High
I can exchange information about familiar tasks, topics, and activities. I can handle short I can do I can do This is
this! this with my goal
social interactions using phrases and simple sentences, but I may need help from my some of the
companion or rely on visuals and gestures to keep the conversation going. help week
(Note: This does not mean to stop using visuals and gestures in the next levels).
I can exchange information with other people about what to do, where to go, and
when to meet.
• I can politely accept food, a gift, an invitation to do something, or go somewhere. □ □ □
• I can politely reject something a non-member might offer me to consume or to do □ □ □
some social activity that goes against mission rules or doctorine, and give them an
informed explanation (e.g. invitation to drink tea.) □ □ □
• I can invite and make plans for an investigator to go to Church or do something. □ □ □
• I can express where and when to meet or go to, such as the store, the church
building, a member’s house, a restaurant, a preparation day activity.
• I can explain how to use the scriptures, such as the Topical Guide and the Bible
Dictionary.
• I can tell an investigator the basic worthiness requirements for getting baptized
and going to the temple.
• I can…
I can ask and answer questions on factual information that are most familiar to me.
• I can strike up a conversation with a new contact with various questions
• I can ask and answer simple questions related to common conversation topics that
□ □ □
come up come up such as music, learning language, gospel topics, church, □ □ □
mission life, my own hobbies and interests, etc. □ □ □
• I can describe the basic geography around me in the mission □ □ □
• I can describe the basic geography of my hometown, where I live, and where my
investigators are from. □ □ □
• I can describe the basic setting of my living space. □ □ □
• I can give a tour of the chapel to an investigator, describing all that we do there. □ □ □
• I can name various animals that you find on a farm, a zoo, or a pet store.
• I can name various foods in a grocery store.
• I can…
From Advanced Low to High, the functions related to Hispanic life, culture, traditions,
and customs are italicized and underlined like this.
I can communicate effectively on a wide variety of present, past, and future events.
• I can give a clear and detailed story about memories as a child or youth, such as □ □ □
what happened during vacations or memorable events and answer questions about
my story. These can be personal experiences that can be shared in a lesson.
• I can give detailed descriptions about historical cultural events and respond to
questions about them (Mexican Independence Day, Cinco de Mayo, Christmas,
□ □ □
etc.).
• I can talk about various challenges that are faced and overcome in the mission life,
□ □ □
learning Spanish, moving, gaining a testimony, etc.
• I can discuss my future plans such as where I want to live and what I will be doing
□ □ □
in the next few years.
• I can talk about the prophecies for the second coming and the events of the plan of
□ □ □
salvation (from preexistence to the afterlife).
• I can…
I can exchange general information on topics outside my fields of interest.
• I can exchange general information about the local community, such as □ □ □
demographic information and points of interests.
• I can exchange general information about leisure and travel, such as the most □ □ □
visited sites in Mexico as discussed with local Hispanics (or other beautiful
places to visit).
• I can exchange factual information about social and environmental questions that
are politically neutral to talk about as a missionary (e.g., a lot of recycling, low □ □ □
light pollution, bike lanes, and murals in Tucson).
• I can talk about various topics related to the lives of the local Hispanic □ □ □
population, such as their jobs and what they do for leisure time.
• I can…