How is my 'Bank Account' with my Companion?

The relationship that exists between to missionaries in a companionship can be likened to a bank account. This "relationship" account is created and maintained by both missionaries patiently, faithfully, and consistently making deposits into the account. When the relationship account has plenty of "money" both missionaries are happy and are able to have harmony and unity in their companionship. As we read in Galatians 5:22, the source of love is the Holy Ghost and so therefore the companionship qualifies to receive inspiration and revelation to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.

In order to be able to carry out our purpose of bringing souls to Christ through the waters of baptism, we must have the Spirit. We must have the Spirit in our own personal lives as well as in our companionships. Love and unity in our companionships will allow us to become the missionaries that the Lord want us to become and accomplish what he has sent us here to do.

A missionary can make deposits, like with money, into the relationship account in many different ways. Acts of kindness, positive verbal comments to the companion about his or her strengths, expressing gratitude, getting to really know your companion, asking your companion for suggestions and counsel (Using the powerful phrase “What do you think?”), helping each other to be obedient with exactness to have the Spirit, etc. There are many different ways to make deposits into the account. Some of these deposits have greater value than others depending on the companion´s needs. The key is to find out what the companion´s greatest needs are by following the model taught by Elder Bednar: Observe (Ask inspired questions), Listen, Discern, and then act.

If we find out that our companion is feeling discouraged, reminding them of their past successes, identifying and reminding them of their strengths, and sharing inspiration scriptures may have more of a value towards a deposit into the account than simply making their bed. The key is to be patiently, faithfully, and consistently making deposits into the account.

We make withdrawls from the account when we are selfish, prideful, disobedient, disloyalty, complaining, etc. When this type of behavior continues, there is no longer any money left in the account. The financial world calls this being overdrawn which if not corrected eventually leads to bankruptcy. In a companionship this means that one or both missionaries are requesting a change because they no longer want to be together. Their account in their relationship is empty because of lack of effort to patiently, faithfully, and consistently make deposits into the account.

Having a relationship account with a lot of "money" requires effort by both missionaries in a companionship. If one does not do his or her part, the other companion has to make the majority of the deposits to keep the account from being overdrawn. This particular missionary may become frustrated, unhappy and tired of constantly having to maintain the account. That is why it takes the efforts of both missionaries in the companionship to keep the account full. Companionship inventory is the time in which we can evaluate the state of the relationship account.

The Lord has said “… if ye are not one ye are not mine” (D&C 38:27). It is my prayer that charity will begin in our companionships so that we be guided by the Spirit to those who are searching for the true gospel of Jesus Christ, teach them by the power of the Spirit, baptize them for the remission of their sins so that they may qualify for the precious gift of the Holy Ghost, and help be strong and active members who help build the kingdom of God here upon the earth.

We love you and pray for your success as disciples of Christ,
President May