Missionary Preparation
See my latest blog posts on Preparing for a Mission.
Also see my tips on Becoming an Effective Missionary.
Spiritual Missionary Preparation
- LDS Talks on Missionary Work: Here are just a few of the many great articles by general authorities on the topic of Missionary Preparation found on LDS.org.
- Missionary Name Tag: The Mormon missionary name tag may be a simple name badge, but it is a symbol of the Church the missionaries represent and of the Savior whose messengers they are.
- The MTC: The Missionary Training Center (MTC) is where missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints get doctrinal and language training at the beginning of their missions.
Temporal/Physical Preparation:
- LDS Mission Cost: This article reviews the costs involved in an LDS mission. Mormon missionaries pay their own expenses: $7,200 for sister missionaries and $9,600 for young men who serve two years.
- LDS Missionary Clothing List: A list of clothing and other supplies that you’ll need for your mission. A more complete list will come in your mission call letter stating clothing, luggage, and other items to bring on your mission.
- LDS Mission Call Process: Information on the missionary paperwork, the mission application form, the timeline, etc.
Sister Missionary Preparation: Here is a compilation of articles and resources for Sister Missionaries.
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
Do you need a passport to submit papers for mission or can it be done after
Can be done after thats what I did I am leving in. Summer
Few questions I need answered please!
1. Can I choose the country I would like to serve in?
2. Do I go to my Country’s MTC or to the one where I will be serving?
3. If I know Italian can I request to serve somewhere like Italy?
How well do you need to know a mission language ? Basic or advanced?
Thanks a lot!!! Please answer my questions in great detail if possible
1. No, you cannot choose the country you serve in.
2. Sometimes you go to the MTC in the country where live, sometimes you go to the MTC in the country where you will be serving. It depends on several factors. Your mission call letter will tell you which MTC to report to.
3. If you know Italian, you can request, on your mission application form, to serve in Italy but it is not guaranteed.
4. There are no language requirements. Even if you didn’t know Italian at all, you could be called to serve in Italy. Most missionaries come out of the MTC unsure of their language skills, but with faith, the Lord will provide.
Good luck, and God bless.
Thank you for the brilliant answer this has cleared a lot of questions.
What is mission prep and how does it work?
Can I bring my seminary and institute manuals with me during my mission? Thank you.
Iris, You should leave at home any reading materials that are not on the approved Missionary Reading List. Church lesson manuals and other official Church materials are on the list, so if you really want the seminary and institute manuals, I presume they would be okay. But personally, I would advise against bringing them. For one, your suit case space is limited and those manuals would be heavy to lug around. For two, the scriptures, the Preach My Gospel Manual, and Church magazines like the Ensign generally provide plenty for missionaries to read and study. Good luck and God bless you on your mission.
Oh, thank you very much for that quick response. I’ll take not of that. Really too excited to receive my call now. You’re site is too informative and helpful. Good job.
I didn’t see scriptures listed on the list of what you will need to bring. Should my son bring his scriptures?
Yes, absolutely he should bring his scriptures. My article on missionary clothing list discusses other items to bring such as scriptures. Also see the approved Missionary Reading List.
I’ve been wondering about this for a few days. If there is a Church-published book, e.g. ‘The Articles of Faith’ by James E Talmage, that I would like to have with me on my mission, but it is not on the approved mission book list (I doubt that’s the right name), can I have it mailed to me by my family later? I looked at my mission call packet a few times, and it didn’t say you couldn’t do that, but I’d like to know for sure. Thanks!
Austin, When I was a missionary, 15 years ago, The Articles of Faith by James E Talmage was on the approved missionary reading list, but it is no longer on the list. I would advise you to stick to the reading material on the list. There are many other good Church books, but you can read those before or after your mission. Good luck and may God bless and be with you.
I need help finding mission preperation classes online. I know that you talk about doing one on your main page, and I voted for it. Are you going to do one? Do you know of anyone who has already done one? I’m the only missionary about to go out from my ward and I don’t think there are enough going out in the area to call someone to teach a prep class for the stake, either. I need help, please!!!
Something that has been weighing heavily on my mind is the question about health. It is unfortunate but my health requires constant care/watch, although i can still do anything anyone else can such as exercise,walk,run,talk, etc. But it raises the questions:
1) Will this limit me in my mission?
2)Will i be able to have a mission in a different country?
3) How will i get the supplies needed to keep my health?
The missionary application form has some very detailed questions on individual health situations. Also, as part of the application, you will turn in a medical evaluation filled out by your doctor. When Church headquarters receives your paperwork, they have a team of doctors who will also review your application and make recommendations regarding your ability to serve and any limitations on where you can go. For missionaries with serious health issues that require close monitoring, they frequently do let you go on a mission, but keep you in the United States or elsewhere where good medical services are available. You will want to discuss these concerns with your priesthood leaders as you are going through the application process. Ultimately, it will be the brethren at Church headquarters, in conjunction with local leaders recommendations, who will decide where and how you will be called to serve. I hope this helps. God bless.
How early can I turn my papers in? I turn 18 in November a year from now, but I have to finish the school year before I can leave. I will start the missionary application process as soon as I can. The website said that I should start at least four months before I am available, but it didn’t mention when the earliest time I could start is.
Thanks!
Joshua, The earliest you can turn in your application is 120 days (about 4 months) prior to your availability date. Check out my article on the mission application timeline for more details. Good luck, God bless, and let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi Jim, The young men are need to serve when they are 18, so 120 days to summit their application doesn’t meet the Elder ordination of the prospective missionary. They become Elder on their 18. Please clear this. Thanks a lot for your help.
Bishop Naeata. Fangaloto Ward, Nuku’alofa Tonga Stake, Tonga Is.
My understanding (and please remember that I am not an official spokesman for the Church) is that if a young man has received a mission call, he can be ordained to an Elder prior to his 18th birthday. Typically, in the past, young men have not been ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood until they turned 18 because there was no reason to do so because they didn’t go on a mission until age 19. But with the new younger age for men to go on a mission, the typical way of doing things will change. If a young man is to enter the MTC and begin his mission on his 18th birthday, then it is expected that in the weeks prior to this, he will be ordained an Elder and receive his temple endowment. This means that young men can receive the Melchizedek priesthood and temple endowment when they are 17 years old, but only if they have received a mission call. I hope this clarifies things a little. Please let me know if you have further questions.
request for a missionary
Anyone know where I can get the old set of missionary discussions in English? Thx
Can I still go on a mission if I was recently diagnosed with chrons disease?
Alex, You will need to have that conversation with your doctors and priesthood leaders to know if your Crohn’s disease will prevent you from going on a mission or not. I do know of young people with Crohn’s disease who have gone on a mission. So it is possible. But there could likely be geographic restrictions. For example, the doctors may so you can go on a mission, but that you should stay in the US. If that is the doctor’s recommendation, the Church would honor that in issuing your mission call. Good luck and God bless you.
Hi I’m an 18 year old boy turning 19 this year, December 29. I’m graduating this year in high school. I would like to know that, how old a person must be in order for him/her to serve mission?
How long does a guy have to wait after having sex/living with a girl before he can serve a mission? What about drinking and drug use? Or is that something they even ask about before putting in your papers?
All of those things are serious transgressions that a person will need to discuss with his/her bishop. Only the bishop, who is ordained as a Judge in Israel, can determine the severity of the sin and how long the person will have to wait before submitting their mission papers. Generally, with the sin of fornication (having sex/living with a girl before marriage) requires waiting at least a year. Drinking and drug use may not be as long, but it can depend on the severity. I hope this helps. Good luck and God bless.