Recomendation from mission president

[Brett McKay]

 I'm Mormon and like many guys of my faith I served a two year mission for my church. I served mine in Tijuana and I got back last July. While I was there I was put in several leadership positions, including being the Mission President's Assistant (the highest position of leadership you can have while on a mission). Anyway, I think my president could write a killer rec because he saw me show up in Mexico speaking nada of spanish and speaking fluently in threee months. He saw my ability to work hard and overcome extreme adversity to go on and have success. I have profs that could write me letters becuase of my grades, so if the mission president wouldn't work than its no big deal. Just wondering if having someone who you've worked with one on one for so long would be good for writing a rec. 

[SanchoPanzo]

Absolutely. Sounds like it'll work. Just make sure to specify what aspects of your participation you'd like him/her to focus on.

Have you decided on your PS topic? Keep in mind that if you decide to write your PS on your 2 year service, you may be duplicating effort and waste an opportunity to say even more about yourself. Unless, the two focus on different aspects of the service. That, in my opinion, would not be a wasted opportunity.

[elemnopee]

Yes.

Is it true there is a BYU in Hawaii.

[Brett McKay]

I am planning on using my mission as the theme of my PS, so a letter from the pres wouldn't be good? And yes there is a BYU in Hawaii.

[jwilcox1024]

The letter from your mission president would still be good. Make sure both the LOR and your PS say different things, though. He is going to tell the story of your mission through the lens of your leadership and hard work. Tell the same story through a different lens.

[lawstudent3]

I don't know if going from nada Spanish to fluency in three months is even possible.  I'd leave the hyperbole out...

[Strijder]

I don't know if going from nada Spanish to fluency in three months is even possible.  I'd leave the hyperbole out...

I did the same with Dutch...

[The Dread Pirate Roberts]

I don't know if going from nada Spanish to fluency in three months is even possible.  I'd leave the hyperbole out...

Probably depends on your definition of fluency.  If it's defined as the ability to interact successfully in the language, immersion is known to have results like that, especially with closely related languages.  If you definite it as mastery of the language (ie never or almost never having to ask what word means, speaking without a noticeable accent or noticably slowly, etc.), I could see it being impossible.

Still, I'd agree that regardless, it -sounds- like hyperbole, but the OP or the OP's recommender may not phrase it that way.

[Brett McKay]

I didn't have a mastery of the language at three months, but I was able to teach lessons and talk with people with out them making fun of  how funny I spoke. By the end of the mission I had a Mexican accent and such an extensive vocab that many people were shocked that I was American. It took me about month after I got home to get rid of the accent and to stop mixing in Spanish words into my english sentences. Total immersion in a language will do that to you. The weirest moment was when I realized I thought and drempt in Spanish.

[badmammajamma]

I know the mission is deeply meaningful...I think everything that makes me prepared to succeed in law school is directly attributable to mine. My first PS draft was about my mission. I went to great lengths to ensure that it wasn't cliche or rote, but that I talked in detail about my personal development. Still, I ended up scrapping it in favor of another, which only mentions the mission in passing.
I don't think a mission PS is off-limits, but it would have to be unique and powerful, and I would recommend one or the other (PS or LOR) related to the mission, not both.
Best of luck. Are you at BYU? I should hook you up with my sister. She's a nice young lady. Then all of the males in the family can talk about nothing but law school at family gatherings and drive everyone else crazy. (My sister and her husband are going to UVa law in the fall.)