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Mormon Missionaries Articles
Members of the Mormon Church believe that Jesus Christ has commanded them to take the Gospel to every creature, to every nation, tongue and people.
To do this, the Mormon Church has the largest missionary force of any church. Nearly 55,000 at given moment are preaching the message of the Gospel as restored through living prophets like Joseph Smith.
Many people have misunderstandings or misconceptions about Mormon missionaries and what they teach. This site discusses what Mormon missionaries do as they seek to teach others about their beliefs and what those beliefs are.
What will they do when they visit me?
Some people find it scary or strange to have two young men or women come into their home and begin talking about religion with their family. For many people, religion is a very personal matter and talking about it with strangers is a new experience. Most Mormon Missionaries know this and will try to make you feel comfortable. You should feel free to express your feelings and... Read the rest of this article »
What will the Mormon Missionaries do when
they visit me and my family?
Some people find it scary or strange to have two young men or women come into their home and begin talking about religion with their family. For many people, religion is a very personal matter and talking about it with strangers is a new experience. Most Mormon Missionaries know this and will try to make you feel comfortable. You should feel free to express your feelings and beliefs with the missionaries. Mormons believe that it is important to openly and honestly share thoughts and questions about religious beliefs, so that we can understand one another and learn.
Most likely your missionaries will want to get to know you better in order to understand what you believe about God and Jesus Christ now. You should share your beliefs openly, but without confrontation, just as the missionaries will share their beliefs. They will also want to know about your family and about you since it becomes easier to talk... Read the rest of this article »
Elder/Sister
Mormon missionaries are referred to by the titles Elder for men and Sister for women. This is to represent the fact that they are full-time Mormon Church missionaries and as such have been set apart for a special mission. They have vowed to put dating, school, and careers on hold while they preach the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Men are called Elders, because they hold the office of Elder in the Melchizedek Priesthood of the Mormon Church. They serve in pairs and devote their full energies to preaching the Gospel for two years. Women in the Mormon Church do not hold priesthood offices, but nevertheless hold many important teaching and leadership positions. Since Mormons generally refer to each other as brothers and sisters, in recognition of the fact that all people are children of one Universal Father who is God, female missionaries are therefore called Sisters and serve for a period of eighteen months. All Mormon missionaries serve in pairs called companionships.
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Welcome to Meet Mormon Missionaries
Chances are that if you live in one of the 165 countries where Mormons live, work, and raise their families, you have met a Mormon. This person could be a coworker, a neighbor, a relative, or a friend. Perhaps the only Mormons you have met were the Mormon missionaries, those distinctive, well-groomed pairs of young men and women who devote up to two years of their life knocking on doors, preaching on street corners, and searching for the honest in heart with whom they can share their message.
If you have met some Mormon missionaries, they may have taught you or a family member about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly called the Mormon Church. You may have questions about what they have taught you.
Perhaps the story about Joseph Smith seeing God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ in the modern day seemed outlandish to you, or perhaps you have heard rumors that Mormons practice polygamy or worship a different Jesus. This... Read the rest of this article »
Senior Mormon Missionaries
The most widely recognized missionaries of the Mormon Church are the young Elders and Sisters who proselyte the faith. However, the Mormon Church also sends out thousands of senior Mormon missionaries, typically — though not exclusively — as married couples who have retired from their professions and devote their time to Church missions. These missions are generally more varied than the missions undertaken by the young missionaries, and while they can include proselyting missions, they also include humanitarian, public relations, medical, building, leadership training, and genealogical missions.
Senior missionaries, also called Elders and Sisters like their younger counterparts, pay their own expenses, though they may receive some assistance from family. They have more choice in the placement and purpose of their mission, particularly if they have unique skills such as medical expertise or knowledge of foreign languages. Many serve humanitarian... Read the rest of this article »
Sharing the Gospel
Proclaim the Gospel:
To the whole world
One of the last commandments that Jesus Christ gave his disciples was,
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:19-20).
This message is still in force. The Mormon Church sends missionaries out to nearly every country on the planet, but they cannot reach everyone. It is our duty as members of Christ’s Church to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others.
In the Doctrine and Covenants we read:
“Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:81).
Once you learn the truth, you should share it with friends and family. This can be scary, but remember that it is the Lord’s message that you... Read the rest of this article »
Mormon Humanitarian Missionaries
The Mormon Church considers humanitarian work to be an essential part of its mission to bless all humanity in emulation of Jesus Christ “who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed” (Acts10:38). Throughout its history, the Church has always provided for those in need, but the first permanent humanitarian organization of the Mormon Church was created in 1955 at Brigham Young University. In the early years of the Church after its founding in 1830, little organized, systematic humanitarian work was attempted due to the impoverishments of the early members and continuous persecution. In 1842, the Prophet Joseph Smith organized the Women’s Relief Society, an essential aim of which was to provide “relief” to suffering members and ultimately to all people. The Relief Society continues to fulfill this mission today, though the Mormon Church has expanded its humanitarian efforts and organized welfare, disaster relief, educational... Read the rest of this article »
Mormon Missions and Missionary Structure
Part of the organization of the Mormon Church is the Mormon missions. A mission of the Church refers to the geographical area in which Mormon missionaries proselyte. Every missionary in the Mormon Church is called to serve in a particular mission and generally stays there throughout his or her missionary service. Boundaries are established according to the organization of the stakes and districts (geographical divisions of the Mormon Church containing several congregations). Today there are approximately 340 missions in the Mormon Church throughout the world.
Missions are organized according to need. The more missionaries needed in a particular area, the more missions are created. These missions are parallel to the regular ecclesiastical organization of the Church, but cooperate extensively with it. Each mission is presided over by a mission president and two counselors. The mission president is actually a volunteer missionary similar... Read the rest of this article »
Mormon Missionary Training Centers
Missionary Training Centers, or MTCs as they are commonly called, are maintained by the Mormon Church to train their full-time Mormon missionaries before sending them around the world. In these facilities the new missionaries learn expected conduct, proselytizing methods, and a foreign language, if it is required. They also study the scriptures and the teachings of modern prophets to learn more about the gospel of Jesus Christ. All missionaries are given at least three weeks’ instruction in proselytizing methods. This includes lessons on church doctrine and teaching, proper manners and how to avoid being confrontational. They are encouraged to actively study the Church’s doctrine in order to be inspired on how best to teach others. Missionaries are not trained to “sell the gospel,” but to search out those who are seeking and teach by the Spirit.
There are currently seventeen MTCs through the world. Besides the large facility... Read the rest of this article »
