Meet the Missionaries

Missionaries come from all over the world. Any man or woman who meets the required standards is welcome to serve a full-time mission, no matter where they live.

No. Serving a mission is not a requirement for anyone. We believe that a mission is a time for learning, serving, and growing, so it is encouraged but never required.

No. As a matter of fact, many missionaries pay their own way. Missionaries and their family members oftens save for missions for years in advance.

No. In fact, “Elder” is not a name, but a title. Male missionaries are addressed as "Elder," followed by their surname, and female missionaries are similarly addressed as “Sister,” followed by their surname. “Elder” and “Sister” are titles of respect and honor.

No. Inspired Church leaders assign each missionary to a specific area where they will serve. Some will stay in their native country, and some will go abroad, but all missionaries serve knowing the call ultimately comes from God.

Depending on the day, you can find missionaries visiting with others, volunteering in the community, teaching about God, and more. They are never too busy to help you.

Working in pairs helps keep missionaries safe. It is also patterned after the way Jesus instructed. “And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two” (Mark 6:7).

There are over 65,000 full-time Latter-day Saint missionaries throughout the world. There are likely missionaries in your local area.