Confirming Your Eligibility
Observe the age requirements and time commitment for your gender. Note that men who want to serve a mission should be between the ages of 18-25 and open to serve for 24 months at a time. Women wishing to serve should be 19 or older and available to serve for 18 months. Age exceptions may be made in the case of young men who are the children of mission presidents. Consult your church for more information.
Confirm that you are unmarried without children. Determine if your marital or family status will invalidate your eligibility for a mission. People who have been divorced or have had children are typically not recommended by the LDS church for missionary service. Speak to your bishop if you have extenuating circumstances you think qualify you for a mission despite your family or marital history.
Save about USD 10,000 to finance your mission. Resolve any outstanding debts and put a plan in motion to save for your mission. In the LDS church, most aspiring missionaries begin saving money from a young age to help finance their service. If you’re just starting, create a budget and pick up odd jobs to begin saving. Talk to your parents or another family about your savings goals. They can help you formulate a plan and may even be willing to make you a loan. While there are no rules about other people contributing money to your missionary funds, many LDS leaders believe that the self-sacrifice involved in saving money for your mission can make your work ultimately feel more meaningful.
Determine if you’re emotionally prepared for a mission. Consult a trusted counselor or therapist if you’ve struggled with mental health issues in the past. Examine whether your mindset is steady enough to deal with the change and upheaval a mission might insert in your daily routines. The LDS church asks that all missionaries be of sound mental health before embarking on the difficult work of completing a mission. If needed, discuss any medication regimens that might help prepare you mentally for a mission with your therapist. It’s probably not the right time to apply for a mission if you are dealing with a traumatic event or in emotional distress due to an ongoing mental health problem.
Optimize your physical health. Increase your physical fitness such that you can walk an average of 6 miles (9.7 km) a day and bike an average of 12 miles (19 km) a day. If you’re just starting with exercise, begin by walking 20 minutes a day a few days a week. Gradually increase the length and frequency of your walks to reach peak missionary shape.
Preparing Spiritually
Repent for serious transgressions. Talk to your bishop and stake president about any serious transgressions, such as drug abuse or violation of church norms regarding chastity, in your history. They will need to confirm that sufficient time has passed for you to be truly contrite and forgiven for your actions. To be mission-eligible, you typically also need to have been free from such transgressions for at least 1 year. Your bishop and stake president may restrict your ability to go on a mission if you transgress repeatedly. Alternatively, they may require a longer period free from transgressions to feel you have repented for your behavior. The church has outlined steps of repentance to help you improve yourself here: https://mormonmissionprep.com/basic-doctrines/repentance-process-and-steps/.
Maintain your temple worthiness. Keep yourself in good spiritual standing with the church by adhering to its outlined principles of good conduct and spirituality. Being a full-tithe payer, keeping the Word of Wisdom, attending church meetings, and not affiliating with anti-Mormon groups are all paramount to your preparedness for missionary work. A comprehensive list of required characteristics for temple-worthiness can be found on the Church of Latter-day Saints’ website: https://www.lds.org/.
Join the church at least 1 year before applying to become a missionary. Become a member of the LDS church so you can receive the Temple Endowment—a blessing that’s considered to come directly from God—before your mission. To receive this special blessing, you must be a church member for at least 1 year before your mission takes place. Your Endowment usually takes place once you’ve been assigned to a mission within a few weeks of your start at a Missionary Training Center.
Receive your Melchizedek Priesthood ordination to the office of an Elder. Consult with your bishop about the steps to become an elder in the church through a Melchizedek Priesthood ordination. This should take place before going on your mission or receiving your Temple Endowment. Only men are required to become Elders to serve a mission. Becoming an Elder with the Melchizedek Priesthood means you are committing to preach the gospel wherever you are assigned around the world. You also have the authority to bless family members and administer to the sick. There is no such equivalency for potential female missionaries.
Obtain a patriarchal blessing. Get a blessing from an ordained patriarch in the LDS church to get ready for your mission. These special blessings are typically given out only once in a lifetime, and recipients are encouraged to keep their blessings personal and private. Blessings usually celebrate a person’s strengths and reveal any weaknesses they should look to improve as they grow in their spirituality. Keep your blessing in mind as you prepare for your mission.
Filing Required Paperwork and Attending Interviews
Meet with your bishop and obtain your mission application form. Set an appointment with your bishop about 4 months before you’d like to leave for your mission. At the meeting, the bishop will interview you about your worthiness for the mission and counsel you on any repenting you should do if you’ve transgressed. The bishop will give you either a paper mission application at your meeting or he will guide you to register for an LDS account to apply online. Note that this online service is not available in all areas.
Get a full health evaluation. Make an appointment at both your doctor’s and dentist’s offices for appointments to assess your health. At your appointment, ask each practitioner to complete the required medical and dental forms included in your mission application. These forms will confirm for your bishop and stake president that you are in good health and physically prepared for the challenges of your mission.
Complete your missionary candidate information on the application. Consult your mission application and fill out relevant fields about your language skills, schooling, reasons for pursuing a mission, and trip financing. This background information will help the members of the church decide if you are mission-ready. Most applications will request that you include or upload a photo of yourself as part of your missionary candidate information. To make the best impression, dress in conservative hair and clothing according to missionary standards. Opt for modest clothing, such as a suit or long skirt, in a dark color. Keep hairstyles traditional, such as shorts with a side part or a tidy bun.
Bring your completed application to a second meeting with your bishop. Set up a second meeting with your bishop so he can look over your completed mission application. At this meeting, he may ask you pointed questions about your skills, background, and preparedness for a mission based on the information you and your health practitioners have provided. The bishop may also question your spiritual motives for pursuing a mission. Be prepared to discuss your faith and relationship with God in detail. The bishop will likely take notes during your meeting. After you meet, he will provide a written recommendation regarding your missionary potential.
Meet with the stake president. Follow the directions your bishop will give you to set up a meeting with the LDS stake president in your area. The stake president will conduct an interview regarding your readiness for a mission and will also provide his own written recommendation regarding your service. At this meeting, the stake’s clerk will compile your application materials, as well as the written recommendations of the stake president and bishop, and pass them along to church headquarters for a final decision.
Wait for your mission call letter. Wait patiently while the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in receipt of your application decides on your application. If you are accepted for service, a mission packet will arrive by mail within 2-4 weeks. Your mission packet will detail your specific mission, any necessary supplies, and the date you should report to your local Mission Training Center. In the unlikely event that the Quorum does not think you are ready for a mission at this time, you will also be notified by mail within the 2-4 week time period.
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