Apartment Cleanliness and Marriage Prep 101

Sister Beck & Elder Yorgenson

It was time again to hit the skill training of "Apartment Cleanliness" and Marriage Prep 101. I'm not really sure how much good it does, but I do drill the training in them. I try to tell them that everything they do in the mission helps prepare them all for marriage. They need to practice taking care of themselves and cleaning their apartment so they can impress their wifes and future husbands. Training on the kitchen and how to take care of food properly, and how long to keep food in the fridge (meaning they shouldn't wait until it is changing colors and fuzzy), bathrooms and bedroom tips (such as making sure they change their sheets once a week and not once a transfer) are all part of the training. When it got to the bathroom training I was very blunt as I taught the Elders the proper procedures after they went to the bathroom. Many of them blushed, but the truth was that their future wives needed them to put the toilet seat down after they were through so she wouldn't fall in when she went to the bathroom in the middle of the night. They all got a big kick out of that, but hopefully it was taken seriously. We have about 50% consecrated housing for our missionaries, meaning our members are offering to have them stay with them. This is a great savings for the church who pays for their housing. It is one of the reasons we stress the importance of doing daily, weekly and monthly cleaning. Every preparation day they are suppose to clean their apartments, wash their cars and clothes, do their grocery shopping, and email their families. If there is time left over they can relax or play sports. By the time the interview week is over, President had done 216 interviews and I had given my presentation 8 times.