Mormon missionary
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often referred to as Mormon missionaries, are volunteer representatives of the church who engage variously in proselytizing, church service, humanitarian aid, and community service. Missionaries of the church may be male or female and may serve on a full- or part-time basis, depending on the assignment. Missionaries are organized geographically into missions, which could be any one of the 449 organized worldwide. This is one of the practices that the LDS Church is well-known for.
The LDS Church is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, reporting that it had more than 74,000 full-time missionaries and 31,000 service missionaries worldwide at the end of 2024. Most of the church's full-time missionaries are single young men and women in their late teens and early twenties. Older couples no longer with children in their home also serve. Missionaries are often assigned to serve far from their homes, including in other countries. Many missionaries learn a new language at a missionary training center as part of their assignment. Missions typically last two years for males, 18 months for females, and one to three years for older couples. The LDS Church strongly encourages, but does not require, missionary service for young men. All these missionaries serve voluntarily and do not receive a salary for their work; they typically finance missions themselves or with assistance from family or other church members. Many Latter-day Saints save money during their teenage years to cover their mission expenses.
In 2007, the church said that, throughout its history, over one million church members have been sent on missions.
Preparation to serve
Significance and basic qualifications
Completing a mission is often described as a rite of passage for a young Latter-day Saint. However, serving a mission is not necessary for continuance in church membership.Young men between the ages of 18 and 25 who meet standards of worthiness are strongly encouraged to consider a two-year, full-time proselytizing mission. This expectation is based in part on the New Testament passage "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations". The minimum age had previously been age 19 in most countries until October 6, 2012, when church president Thomas S. Monson announced that all male missionaries, regardless of nation, could serve from age 18. Prior to the announcement, members from some countries were allowed to serve from the younger age to avoid conflict with educational or military requirements. It was also announced that young women may serve beginning at age 19 instead of 21, although it remained the position that no young person "should begin his or her service as a missionary before they are ready". This was changed in 2025 however, with the minimum age for young women to serve now being 18 as well. In 2007, approximately 30% of all 19-year-old Latter-day Saint men became missionaries. From Latter-day Saint families that are active in the church, approximately 80–90% of 19-year-old men serve a mission.
Missionaries can be sent home for violating mission rules, and occasionally they choose to go home for health or various other reasons. However, the vast majority of missionaries serve the whole two-year or 18-month terms.
As of 2007, 80% of all missionaries were young single men, 13% were young single women, and 7% retired couples. Women who want to serve a mission must meet the same standards of worthiness as men and be at least 18 years old. Women generally serve as missionaries for 18 months. Married retired couples are encouraged to serve missions, but their length of service may vary from six to 36 months depending on their circumstances and means. Any single retired person may also be called to serve in what is known as senior missionary service. In the last two decades, the LDS Church has stepped up its call for senior couple missionaries.
Standards of worthiness
All missionaries must meet certain minimum standards of worthiness. Among the standards that a prospective missionary must demonstrate adherence to are: attendance at church meetings, personal prayer, study of the scriptures, adherence to the law of chastity, adherence to the Word of Wisdom, payment of tithing, spiritual diligence, and a testimony of God.Other exclusionary factors
In addition to spiritual preparedness, church bishops are instructed to ensure that prospective missionaries are physically, mentally, and emotionally capable of full-time missionary work. In the same speech where he called for "every young man" to fill a mission, church president Spencer W. Kimball added, "we realize that while all men definitely should, all men are not prepared to teach the gospel abroad". Apart from general issues of worthiness and ability, there are a number of specific situations that will disqualify a person from becoming an LDS Church full-time missionary. Those excluded include those who would have to leave dependent children in the care of someone else; young couples who are still of childbearing age; those who are in debt and have not made arrangements to meet these obligations; those who are on legal probation or parole; couples with serious unresolved marital problems; those who are HIV-positive; and those who have been convicted of sexual abuse. Additionally, members who have submitted to, performed, encouraged, paid for, or arranged for an abortion are usually excluded from missionary service, as are members who have fathered or borne a child out of wedlock; men under 26 and women under 40 who have been divorced; and anyone who has participated in homosexual activity after age 16.From the beginnings of the LDS Church, people of black African descent could become members of the church. Up until 1978, it was not common for men of black African descent to serve on missions, most likely due to the ban on black people holding the priesthood. However, some black men such as Elijah Abel did hold the priesthood and served multiple missions in their lifetime. This priesthood ban was lifted in 1978 during Kimball's presidency, and since then there have been no restrictions to missionary service based on race or ethnicity.
Mission call
After application to the church and the requisite approval, prospective missionaries receive a "call to serve"—an official notification of their location assignment—from the church's president. The mission call also informs the prospective missionary what language he or she will be expected to use during their mission. Members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are responsible for assigning missionaries to a particular mission. A prospective missionary receiving the call to serve is generally considered to be a major event in church culture; family members, friends, and members of the prospective missionary's congregation often gather together when a call arrives, which the prospective missionary opens and reads aloud to the group.Until 2018, mission calls were mailed to prospective missionaries. In the summer of 2018, the church announced they would begin emailing mission calls to prospective missionaries. The church began emailing calls to prospective missionaries residing in Utah and Idaho in the summer of 2018, with the goal of expanding to the rest of the United States and all countries with reliable internet by the beginning of 2019.
Temple attendance
Before beginning their mission, prospective male missionaries are usually ordained to the office of an elder in the Melchizedek Priesthood. All missionaries are set apart by the laying on of hands to preach the gospel; this is usually performed by the missionary's stake president. Prospective missionaries also usually attend the temple for the first time to receive their endowment if they have not already done so.Training
Newly called missionaries attend a short training period at one of the church's 11 MTCs worldwide. The largest MTC is located in Provo, Utah, adjacent to Brigham Young University. Missionaries who will not be learning a language in order to serve their missions spend three weeks at an MTC where they practice using proselytizing materials, learn expected conduct, and study the scriptures. Missionaries bound for foreign-language missions spend six to nine weeks at an MTC, depending on the language to be learned. During this period, they are encouraged not to speak in their native tongue but rather to immerse themselves in the new language.Missionary conduct
''Missionary Handbook''
The basic standards of missionary service and conduct were previously contained in the Missionary Handbook. The previous Missionary Handbook was commonly and informally referred to as "the white handbook" or "the white bible". As of November 2019, this handbook has been replaced by two new handbooks, Missionary Standards for Disciples of Jesus Christ and Missionary Standards for Disciples of Jesus Christ: Supplemental Information. Missionaries are instructed that following these standards will protect them both physically and spiritually. Mission presidents have discretion to adjust some of the standards according to local circumstances.Dress and grooming
Full-time LDS Church missionaries are required to adhere to a dress code. Previously for men, this included conservative, dark trousers and suit coats, white dress shirts, and conservative ties. For women, modest and professional dresses or blouses and mid-calf length skirts were worn.In 2013, the LDS Church updated their grooming standards. Young men were no longer required to wear dark suits or a full suit during regular everyday proselytizing activities. They must, however, remain in professional, conservative attire including a white shirt and tie. For instance, a light colored suit is acceptable. They are also allowed to wear a sweater or suit vest over their dress shirt and are encouraged to wear colored ties.
Sister missionaries may wear skirts and dresses that cover their knees. Young women are encouraged to dress in colors and patterns, and they may wear appropriate jewelry and accessories. In 2018 it was announced that female missionaries could wear dress slacks if they wanted, except when attending the temple and during Sunday worship services, baptismal services, and mission leadership and zone conferences.
In some areas these standards are altered slightly according to the discretion of the mission president. For example, in hot, humid climates, suit coats are not required, and dress shirts may be short-sleeved. Casual clothes may be worn only in limited circumstances, such as when missionaries exercise or provide manual labor.
In 2016, the dress guidelines were updated to allow for "simple and conservative" sunglasses and "wide-brimmed hats" as part of a missionary's attire to provide missionaries protection from excessive heat. Subsequently, in 2020, church leaders also announced approved adjustments and exceptions to the dress standards for young male missionaries, which allowed for the usage of blue shirts, along with foregoing the usage of ties, with the approval of the area presidency, although standard missionary attire for young males remains the status quo in specific circumstances.
All full-time missionaries wear a name tag that gives their surname with the appropriate title. The name tag also bears the church's name, unless the mission president considers this inadvisable due to circumstances in the area. Missionaries are required to wear the tag at all times in public.