The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is expecting that the current influx of young men and young women choosing to serve the Lord in Latter-day Saint missions worldwide will soon set a new Latter-day Saint missionary record.
Read more Is protesting good for democracy?
“In coming weeks, we will have the largest number of full-time missionaries in the church’s history,” President Dallin H. Oaks, the global faith’s leader, said during a recent seminar for new mission leaders.
More than 87,000 church members are currently serving full-time missions, including young service missionaries and full-time senior teaching missionaries, President Oaks said at the seminar held in Provo.
The previous record, set in 2014, was 88,000.
To help those currently preparing to serve or considering future missionary service, the Church of Jesus Christ has provided useful guidance and information in an FAQ page and a recent press release.
Here’s a roundup of six helpful things to know when preparing to serve a Latter-day Saint mission.
1. Applications may be submitted up to 5 months ahead of availability date
Prospective missionaries may submit their applications through local church leaders up to 150 days, or approximately five months, ahead of their availability date.
This expanded deadline may facilitate making important life plans; preparing spiritually and emotionally for service; and completing necessary medical, dental, passport and visa requirements, per the church’s press release.
Prospective missionaries are encouraged to begin working with their local church leaders well in advance of that 150-day window to allow sufficient time to prepare their applications. Further guidance on when prospective missionaries should begin their missionary service or how to start the recommendation process is available here.
2. Removing healthy wisdom teeth is not required
The extraction of healthy wisdom teeth is no longer required ahead of missionary service, the church’s press release states.
Instead, removing wisdom teeth should only be considered when teeth show signs of disease or pose significant risk. This instructional change is anticipated to reduce costs for prospective missionaries and their families and help avoid unnecessary procedures.
Prospective missionaries are still required to complete health and dental examinations, however.
These examinations enable professionals to identify any conditions that should be addressed before missionary service and provide guidance for maintaining health during service.
3. All missionary assignments are given by inspiration
Multiple types of missionary assignments exist, including teaching and service assignments for young and senior missionaries.
All missionaries are called by the prophet of the church and personally assigned to a mission, through inspiration, by a member of the church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Read more Key takeaways from 2 researchers’ 8-hour defense of a possible Joseph Smith photo
Providing complete and accurate medical, mental health and background information is important and “will bless the missionary during their service,” according to the church’s press release.
Young service missionary assignments are tailored to missionaries’ individual needs. Learn more about the role of young teaching missionaries and other missionary assignments here.
4. The best spiritual preparation involves strengthening personal conversion
Members preparing to serve should strive to prepare spiritually by strengthening their personal conversion to Jesus Christ and his restored gospel, according to the church’s FAQ page.
The Book of Mormon, combined with the Spirit, is a powerful resource in conversion, and those preparing to serve are encouraged to commit to studying the Book of Mormon daily to strengthen their personal testimony of its divine power and truths.
Becoming familiar with “Preach My Gospel” and other church resources, such as “Adjusting to Missionary Life” and “Safeguards for Using Technology,” may also be helpful in preparing spiritually and emotionally for missionary service. Further resources to prepare are listed here.
5. Full-time senior missionaries are needed worldwide
Married couples and single women and men, ages 40 and up, may also serve as senior missionaries if they do not have dependent children.
All full-time senior missionaries are called by the prophet and assigned by a member of the Quorum of the Twelve.
They usually serve away from home for six to 23 months and are helpful in the work of the Lord, according to the church’s press release. Those considering senior missionary service can visit here for more information.
6. Missionaries serve in more than 50 languages
All missionaries are trained and taught at one of 11 missionary training centers located around the world.
At these training centers, missionaries learn skills for missionary service and may be assigned to learn a language in preparation for their service and the specific region they’ll serve in.
More than 50 languages are taught across the church’s 11 missionary training centers, and training centers are located in Brazil, England, Ghana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand and Utah.
Learn more about what missionary training centers are like here, or watch actor and convert Danor Gerald take you through a tour of the Provo Missionary Training Center here.
Read more Utah’s wildfire season built for months before the flames arrived