Is that some kind of actual title for mishies that is ranked higher than a Zone or District Leader? Keep in mind, I've never been on a mission so I don't know how that stuff works out.

Are those who are considered the most loyal to the MP, or those who have the most baptisms, or work the hardest those who get selected for this honor?

Is it a sign of a super-hardcore TBM for one who has this distinction?

The easiest way to be an AP (or ape as some of us had it) was to be the son or nephew of a GA. I knew the nephew of a certain GA who was one of the bigger screwups in the mission. At about his one year point, he was named a zone leader...not an assistant zone leader mind you, but straight to zone leader. Two months later he was an AP...to the end of his mission.

Heads were shaking

The ugly face of nephitism.

Good Wordsmithing!

If you're a descendant of a past church president from long ago, will that help?

Thanks for explaining.
Could this be a clue that said missionary might be called to be a GA or Apostle someday in the very distant future?

>Is that some kind of actual title for mishies that is ranked higher than a Zone or District Leader?

Exactly. The totem goes missionary < district leader (DL) < zone leader < Assistant to the President < Mission President

Sister missionaries (and the mission president's wife) are somewhere at the bottom.

Like all church callings, it's acquired by having someone above you in the pecking order decide you're the one who God wants to have that position.

and was the most feared church authority in all of norway by the Missionaries …

AP are usually brown nosing, master politicians, with family connections …sometimes they are the most competent missionaries that can be trusted with logistics, driving to the airport etc. Not always.

It can be a combination of some of the things mentioned.

Obviously, having the right linage or connections helps. One of our APs had a father who was a mission president.

Another AP who stands out was a great salesman. He could really turn on the emotional juice, and some of his investigators loved him. He may have loved them back genuinely, or this was just his way--I don't get into judging motives. But, most of these folks went inactive after he lured them in, because they had converted to the missionary, and not the church. But, it juiced the numbers for the MP, so what does he care, and he promotes the guy, because he made the MP look good. He puts on really emotional investment seminars for a real estate investment club --go figure!

"But, most of these folks went inactive after he lured them in, because they had converted to the missionary, and not the church."

Sounds quite plausible.

You can also be cute and a flight risk.

I was an AP for 6 months. I have no GA connections at all. I was uber obedient and hardworking. If that constitutes brown-nosing then I guess I did, but didn't intentionally do anything to get the position.

In fact, the MP's daughter got in touch with my ex not long ago and wanted to know if he was available. She was 13 when he was assistant to the MP.

AND his good friend from high school was AP to an eventual GA while he was an MP.

Both of these guys are gay. You'd think they'd have had discernment. My ex was by far not being a good little Mormon boy on or before his mission. His friend was.

Neither are from GA families.

My ex is EXTREMELY organized and is extremely likeable. I don't know many people who aren't drawn to him.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/2015 05:18PM by cl2.

I was for 3 months. I asked to be released when the new MP came in. I was punished by the new MP for asking he took offense. He was a clown. I am NO relation to any GA, made out with the then prophet's granddaughter if that counts.

Is an ASSistant kinda like the MP's bitch?

Usually douchebags

I was an AP in France. Mom was a convert, dad a non member. I did not go to BYU nor was an Eagle Scout. No connections to any GA's either. I was devout, loved my mission, and worked hard. My MP was great and kind. He was a professor at a non church school. Knew how to relate with college age kids. I was lucky

Like pathway, my Dad was a non-member, I was not an Eagle Scout, nor was my older Brother, yet both I and my Older brother were AP's in our mission's. I was a dedicated missionary, but never brown nosed. My brother had natural leadership skills, was hard working, and people liked him. He retired young after getting his MBA, and moving into senior executive status with a very large aerospace company. A great guy with a lot of character, but a TBM.

I found my time as an AP to be a great opportunity to travel and get to know all the 150 missionaries in my foreign mission. I modeled the leadership shown by the previous AP's, who were genuinely cool guys. The mission President and I didn't get along too well. He was one of the most naive individuals I have ever met. He had a brilliant and inventive mind, which made him financially secure for life, but had no ability to assess people or situations. My companion and I ran the mission. He spent all his time trying to prepare inspirational talks. I heard that after I left, he put a brown nosing fraudster into the financial clerk position. After I went home, I told the assistant who to put into that position, which he convinced the prez to do. Got the ship righted.

Being an assistant was like having an office job. The 6 months I was in, i don't remember doing any direct missionary work. Just traveling for zone conferences and the occasional splits with zone leaders.

"I was an AP in France. Mom was a convert, dad a non member. I did not go to BYU nor was an Eagle Scout. No connections to any GA's either. I was devout, loved my mission, and worked hard. My MP was great and kind. He was a professor at a non church school. Knew how to relate with college age kids. I was lucky"

Ditto

LD$ Inc is total BS, but some of the experiences were good

Most mishies on my mission called them Anal Penetrators.