Senior Companion

With the departure of Elder Vankampen, I fantasized that I would be senior companion. In a companionship, one elder — usually the one who has been out the longest — is officially in charge. In some companionships, this is merely a formality, but even in such pairs the designated senior companion often pulls rank to influence decisions. When the call came that I was to remain the junior companion, I consoled myself by recalling that none of the other elders who had come with me from the MTC were senior companions either. President Koyle explained once in the regular once-a-transfer interview that the number of departing missionaries and the number of missionaries coming in were such that the mission didn't need many new senior companions at the moment.

A transfer later, however, I knew that surely the mission needed a few more elders to step up as senior companions. When transfer news came, I awaited the assignment.

Elder Patten held the phone to his ear as the district leader let him know our new assignments.

"Yes ..."

"What is it?" I demanded.

"Yes ..." he said again, nodding to the unseen speaker.

"Elder! Tell me!"

Elder Patten dragged out the suspense for a few more minutes before he hung up. "We're both getting transferred out," he said. "They're merging our area with the other elders' area."

"Where am I going?"

"Indian School with Elder Green," he said.

Something dark churned in my chest. Elder Green had come out a transfer before me and was already a district leader. District leaders, of course, were never junior companions.

"Oh, good," I said, retreating to my bedroom.