What Day Do Lds Mission Calls Come
1 / 2
Dwayne Saviano and Dallin H. Oaks assign perspective missionaries to missions at the LDS Church's Missionary Department.
Photo courtesy of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
2 / 2
Dwayne Saviano and Dallin H. Oaks assign perspective missionaries to missions at the LDS Church's Missionary Department.
Photo courtesy of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
❮ ❯
PROVO - With high school graduations finishing up this week, the next thing on many graduate's minds isn't college in the fall, but the big white envelope expected in the mailbox any day with a mission call inside.
On Wednesday, through social media, Elder Dallin H. Oaks shared with the public how he and other members on the Missionary Committee go about matching missionary applicants to missions.
"I recently assigned missionaries, a sacred responsibility for which we always come fasting. I assigned 240, my share of the 1,047 (which includes young missionaries, senior couples, and senior sisters) whose papers were ready for assignment last week," Elder Oaks said on his Facebook page. "We are assisted in this sacred experience by a member of the Missionary Department staff, who keeps records and manages the computer screens on which we view the essential information on elders and sisters and the needs (including languages) of our more than 400 missions in the world."
In an online explanation of how missionaries are called the church said that each week, after the forms have been reviewed, Missionary Department employees divide the submitted materials into groups of several hundred.
A staff member reviews the materials for each missionary in the group. Near the end of the week, that staff member will then display the materials for each potential missionary in an assignment meeting with a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
The information is presented on a screen for the apostle, who seeks divine guidance as he assigns each missionary to one of the 405 Church missions across the world. The mission assignment is then approved by the president of the Church, who issues the written mission call letter.
Just how interested members and those not of the LDS faith are in how missionaries get called is evident by the more than 10,813 shares Elder Oaks has from the Facebook Post.
In 2010, Elder Ronald A. Rasband, a member of the Church's Presidency of the Seventy, spoke about observing First Presidency member President Henry B. Eyring, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, as he determined mission assignments:
"As the process began," Rasband said, "a picture of the missionary to be assigned would come up on one of the computer screens. As each picture appeared, to me it was as if the missionary were in the room with us. Elder Eyring would then greet the missionary with his kind and endearing voice: 'Good morning, Elder Reier or Sister Yang. How are you today?'
"He told me that in his own mind he liked to think of where the missionaries would conclude their mission," Rasband said. "This would aid him to know where they were to be assigned. Elder Eyring would then study the comments from the bishops and stake presidents, medical notes, and other issues relating to each missionary.
"He then referred to another screen, which displayed areas and missions across the world," Rasband said. "Finally, as he was prompted by the Spirit, he would assign the missionary to his or her field of labor.
"From others of the Twelve, I have learned that this general method is typical each week as apostles of the Lord assign scores of missionaries to serve throughout the world," he said.
The LDS Church's missionary program is one of its most recognized characteristics. Mormon missionaries can be seen on the streets of hundreds of major cities in the world as well as in thousands of smaller communities.
According to church statistics there are currently 85,147 missionaries serving in 406 missions throughout the world.
Prior to arriving in their area of service missionaries will spend time in one of 15 missionary training centers throughout the world.
They learn how to teach the gospel, learn about cultures, and other aspects of missionary life. Those who are speaking of foreign language begin to learn the language in the MTC.
The largest training center is in Provo, with additional centers in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, England, Ghana, Guatemala, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, the Philippines, South Africa and Spain.
"To those of you who have served or will serve missions, thanks for your willingness to serve," Elder Oaks stated on Facebook. "We pray that the Lord will bless you in and for your missionary labors."
What Day Do Lds Mission Calls Come
Source: https://www.heraldextra.com/news/2015/may/27/dallin-h-oaks-uses-social-media-to-explain-mission-calls/