Understanding stress
What are the four phases of emotional adjustment missionaries often go through? Pg 53
Anticipation, Discovering the Unexpected, “I Can Do This,” Emotional Self-Reliance.
What is a recommended activity to help manage stress during the “Discovering the Unexpected” phase? Pg 54
Engage in relaxing or refocusing activities like deep breathing or short breaks (p. 54)
What is the first step when noticing a stressful or upsetting thought? Pg 53
Identify the thought and the emotion it creates.
What is the Transition Skill, and what are the three transition words used in journaling? Pg 10-11
The Transition Skill helps turn negative experiences into positive reflections of hope; the three words are “however,” “nevertheless,” and “even though.”
When doing deep breathing, how long should you inhale? (p. 19)
A: 4 counts.
Name one physical symptom of stress mentioned in the AML manual. Pg 54
Disturbed sleep, appetite changes, or irritability.
What skill helps you deal with stressful thoughts by noticing and identifying the thought? Pg 53-54
Thought reframing
How can labeling your emotions help during missionary life? Pg 54
Helps understand feelings and respond intentionally rather than reactively.
What is the best approach if you are in the orange category, and what number is Orange? Pg 6
5, Talk to someone immediately then Use coping skills like journaling, thought replacement, or taking a short break to restore balance.
How long should you exhale during deep breathing?
(p. 19)
A: 8 counts. why is it twice as long as inhaling?
What is the Anticipation skill, and how is it used? Pg 52
You put something in your schedule to look forward to so it will create a natural high of endorphins. Look forward to something.
What is one way to strengthen emotional self-reliance? Pg 55
Recognize personal strengths and progress; develop greater self-confidence (p. 55)
According to the manual, why should you be kind to yourself during adjustment? Pg 56
Everyone makes mistakes; self-kindness supports emotional resilience.
What is Thought Replacement, and how can it be used to adjust to missionary life? Pg 8, 18
Recite memorized scripture, sing a song, or Focus on serving someone.
What is and how is the Prediction skill used in adjusting to a new situation? Pg 17
You predict it will be hard so there is no surprise or let down.
How does the manual suggest you react to unexpected challenges? Pg 55
Focus on what you can control and use coping skills to handle stress (p. 55)
How can writing in a journal help with coping? Pg 55
Helps organize thoughts, process emotions, and reflect on progress.
How can reframing negative thoughts reduce stress? Pg 53-54
By focusing on what is constructive rather than dwelling on problems. Identifying mythical thoughts.
How many gratitude statements are encouraged in the gratitude journal? Pg 17
12 statements: 5 about yourself, 4 about your companion, 3 about your mission. (p. 17)
What is Psycho-Somatic and how does it impact adjusting to missionary life?
You experience Physical symptoms to let you know there is an emotional worry you have that God is encouraging you to manage and deal with. Once you deal with the emotional worry then the physical symptom will leave.
Why is emotional self-reliance important for missionaries? Pg 55-56
It helps you trust yourself and your abilities to handle challenges.
Why is taking time for short mental breaks recommended? Pg 54
It reduces stress, restores energy, and improves focus.
What role do feelings of gratitude play in stress management? Pg 55
Gratitude helps shift perspective, increases positivity, and introduces humility while reducing stress.
In the Dashboard/Reservoir theory, what and how is it used to manage stress while adjusting to missionary life. Pg 5
Check and balance fillers vs drains and check your speed. Avoid running faster then necessary.
What is reflective/active listening and how can it be used to adjust to missionary life? Pg 7
This is when you say back what the person has said to you ...So what I heard you saying is.. without interpretation. It provides validation