Two days ago the LDS Church News released new mission president assignments for 2018. The affiliated mission adjustments garnered a bit more media attention (5 new missions, 19 missions to be merged with others), but that’s not what caught my eye. It was the inclusion of wives with that list of new mission presidents.
Historically, the announcement of new mission presidents was slightly different. In 2017, the list of 123 new assignments gave the name of each mission with its current mission president in one column and new mission president in another. No wives were listed. The 2016 announcement of 168 new assignments was the same: mission name, current mission president, and new mission president. Same with 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, and, well, you get the picture.
But this year they dropped the name of the current mission president and added in the new president’s wife:
So what’s the deal with referring to the wife as a “companion”? Apparently, “mission president’s companion” is a semi-official title for the calling of a mission president’s wife, though it’s public appearance is sporadic. In a 1998 Deseret News obituary, a woman is celebrated as having served four times as “Mission President’s Companion.” The title “mission president’s companion” is used in this 2017 Mormon Newsroom announcement and quite often in this 2011 Church News article. The 2011 article even explained some responsibilities, “Mission presidents’ companions provide assistance in everything from health care to training to counseling.”
Yet the title is conspicuously absent in other places. Take this 2013 Mormon Newsroom press release describing the creation of the new “Mission Leadership Council.” This was at the same time the role of “sister training leader” was created, a leadership responsibility necessitated by the increased numbers of women entering the mission field after the age change. The Mission Leadership Council was to consist of “the mission president and his wife, assistants to the president, zone leaders and sister training leaders.” During this press release, it was also announced that the mission president’s wife would assume new responsibilities: “Additionally, the wives of mission presidents are now being asked to play an enhanced role in training and caring for sister missionaries, subject to their individual and family circumstances.” But nowhere is a wife of a mission president described as a “companion.”
And then there’s lds.org, which doesn’t seem to register anything for “mission president’s companion” (or “president’s companion”):
Searching for “president and companion,” “presidents and their companions,” “presidents and companions,” or “presidents’ companions” is more successful, though you’ll never get more than a half dozen results each (if that). For example, “president and companion” yields the recent February news release, a 2003 Ensign article, a 2005 article appearing in both the Ensign and Liahona, and Elder Rasband’s personal bio.
So it’s understandable that members, like me, aren’t familiar with a title of “companion” for the mission president’s wife. Which is why, in a 2016 poll by the online Mormon journal SquareTwo, hundreds of Mormon women indicated they’d like to see the wife of a mission president be given an official title. Authors Valerie Cassler and Neylan McBaine reported that, with over 400 predominantly centrist/orthodox LDS women responding, 96% of respondents wanted to see a change to the title of “mission president’s wife.” People weren’t shy in offering suggestions. Funny enough, “Mission President’s Companion” was offered as an alternative, but not a common one. It’s in the “other” category on SquareTwo‘s description (emphasized below).
The question of what to change her name to resulted in less uniform answers. The majority (58%) suggest also calling her “President,” or some variation: co-president, presidentess, presidenta. “Why can’t they both be mission presidents?” was a common refrain in the comments….
Other suggested names for the mission president’s wife included “matron”, signaling a desire perhaps to have some uniformity in our women’s titles as it would echo the current “temple matron” appellation. “Mission matron” and “temple matron” allow both callings to gain in stature and indicate similar partnerships with their male equivalents. Overall, 23% of respondents indicated that “mission matron,” “mission matriarch,” or “mission mother” felt right to them.
Other terms offered by a few individuals included Mission Advisor, Mission Counselor, Mission Leader, Mission President’s Companion, Mission Associate President, Mission Administrator, and “use Mission Father and Mission Mother.”
Questions:
- What do you think about the changes to the 2018 announcement, omitting the previous mission president’s name in favor of the new president’s wife?
- How do you feel about the title “Mission President’s Companion”? Is there another title you’d prefer for a mission president’s wife?
Wheat & Tares 
I have weak opinions, but even if they were stronger I wouldn’t state them. Because I recently heard the viewpoints of two woman on that 2018 list and they were quite different. Without saying anything out loud, I was rocked back into “who am I to say?!”
No opinion. But I note that Mormon-speak has been employed with unfortunately possible but clearly unintended meanings. See
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/companion
“1.2 A person’s long-term sexual partner outside marriage. …
1.3 A person, usually a woman, employed to live with and assist another.”
Amused, you aren’t the first person I’ve talked to who has brought up similar associations. I heard the term at a recent stake conference, a GA referring to a couple who’d recently been called to serve as “mission president and companion,” and I did a bit of a double-take. That’s what made me so interested when I saw its “semi-official” status. I suspect people enveloped within a mission context don’t think about what calling a spouse a “companion” sounds like to outsiders.
Jimmy Carter did always seem like a Mormon.
The title Companion has the problem of its basic definition and meaning in the English language. As a child in primary, I remember being taught the proper way to pronounce the word Ensign. The explanation back then was that words had meaning and the officials of Lord’s Church used words properly and appropriately and expected all members to do the same.
So now the Lord’s Church is calling women serving in an official church capacity Companions.
That is just really throwing it out there that the Church provides for their mission leadership in all ways. Those Companions are called with a purpose and by titling those wonderful women Companions, we know what their primary purpose is.
Wife has a higher status in the language than Companion. Companion is certainly more nuanced than prostitute . It is more upscale than Sugar Baby. Unfortunately, it lacks all the dignity, grace, and solemnity that a religious calling normally has.
Is this title a direct push back aimed at the Ordain Women Movement?
What a terrible situation that our entire language has so few descriptives to give women that has dignity and responsibility without sexual connotations. What a sad situation that the church is unwilling to borrow a masculine word and simply apply it to women.
Words like Counselor, President, Matron or Matriarch are powerful. The word Companion is full of sexual connotations. How disheartening, that when the Church leaders had to pick a descriptor, they chose a title of sexualization rather than a title of power.
Damascene, I doubt they were even aware of the possible connotations beyond the longstanding use of “companion” in the LDS missionary context where it clearly has no sexual connotations at all. It would seem to have been an attempt to acknowledge the mission president’s wife as having a calling to serve as a missionary and not a mere tag-along to her husband. There may have been a better choice, the long-established role of Temple “Matron” could have served as a less problematic Mormon-speak model, but in any event, I choose amusement and appreciation for the effort in preference to being disheartened.
Why can’t we call them both President? As in ‘Sister and Brother X, who preside over the XYZ mission’?
Damascene, as shown in the post, the title has been used since the 1990s, at least. It’s use is unrelated to Ordain Women.
Pete, maybe because a husband and wife co-presiding in a mission might set a precedent for allowing co-presiding in other situations?
I celebrate the use of the gender neutral title “companion”. Clearly the church is paving the way for when same-sex couples will be called as mission presidents.
The term “missionary companions” has been around for a heck of along time. I’ve heard Senior missionaries refer to themselves as companions, or “Elder and Sister,” never as “husband and wife” missionaries.
The Mission’s President’s wife takes on an extraordinary number of things while she is on her Mission. I think it would be better to recognize her for that as opposed to worrying about a title. I can almost with certainty assure you that those serving in that capacity care less about title and more about serving. They leave that to those who have time on their hands.
Well my first thought was ‘companion animal’ as in a service dog (or peacock if you are afraid of flying).
The Mission ‘companion’ as a connotation wasn’t on my radar until someone mentioned it here. The thing about missionaries is that using the term companion is an equalizer. Both missionaries are a companion and both missionaries have a companion. With a Mission Pres and Mrs. Mission Pres it isn’t an equalizer but underlines her role of being more of a help-meet. Which possibly is why the brethren chose it rather than a phrase like Mission Matron that demonstrates institutional power. Married couples calling each other ‘mission companions’ comes off as cutesy/campy to me personally. I wonder if others see it as a sign of deep respect?
Having said all that, I’m finding I no longer care. I’ve got too many other great opportunities for my time and skills to worry about an organization that institutionally demeans woman outside of their roles as wife/mother. Maybe it’s a sign of exhaustion or an acceptance of the futility of hoping for more. I don’t know. I’m somewhat surprised I feel this way, to be honest.
Why can’t they just be co-presidents? Glory.
Jeff Spector,
Why worry about titles for men? Why not just Brother? Why does the church insist on emphasizing the authority of practically everything done by men, but all women, regardless of calling, are called Sister?
Could it be that they (someone?) didn’t want to use the phrase “mission presidents and wives” because it could sound like polygamy? I think that would be an overreaction, but it’s just a thought.
Maybe Sister Nelson could be called Co-President Nelson?? Lol. Yeah, that works.
Let’s car more about serving than titles!
We Mormons are famous for changing the meaning of the words we use. One of my cousins got married at a stake house . T0 the disappointment of those attending not familiar with our faith, the steaks were not well-done, medium, rare, raw or burnt. (Maybe some of the jokes were, I can’t remember). Seminary is another example; it is daily early morning scripture study and snooze fest for LDS high school students, not an institution that provides professional training on the level of a MS or PhD for full-time, life-long ministers and pastors.
I think the titles are far less important than the function that is performed.The titles do not drive the function and may not reflect anything about changes or sameness. In this case I think it is all window-dressing and and a lame attempt to give some downtrodden women a sliver of comfort. But they do not reflect any real change in function.
It is difficult to care more about serving than titles when half (or more) of us are throttled and muzzled by such titles in what we are allowed to do simply because of differences in reproductive anatomy.
Mike… That’s funny…
The non members were upset that they weren’t married at a true stake house…
And the members were upset that they were…
I am still holding out for Mission Commander. as the name for the Wife of the mission president. Mission Commander and President… Companion as a title is lame. It still describes her relationship to her husband, and not to the calling (and reminds me of a dog). Does anyone ever even call the President’s wife, “Companion So-and-so” ?. No way. Because it’s lame.
Good idea, Lindsey; I vote for “Mission Commander” as well. Because it would be sexist to refer to the MP’s wife as a Payload Specialist.