Senior Missionary Opportunities* Finding Places for Church Members to Serve as Full-Time, Away-from-Home Senior Missionaries or as Part-Time, Live-at-Home Senior Service Missionaries

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I. Seniors Are Needed as Missionaries.

You should plan to serve a mission when you are a “senior”.  For full-time “Senior Missionaries” a “senior” is at least 40 years old.   For at-home “Senior Service Missionaries” a “senior” is at least 26 years old.  You should not wait for your Bishop or Stake President to ask you to serve.  To be a missionary, you need a desire to serve, a love of God, a love of people, and a Temple Recommend.

1. Click here to watch Elder Rasband's 13-minute General Conference talk given in the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd semi-annual General Conference held on September 30, 2023. In his talk, Elder Rasband renewed the challenge to “senior” members of the Church to consider serving as Senior Missionaries or Senior Service Missionaries.  [The link is for the 720p version.  For the 1080p version, click here.]


2. “Senior Missionaries” are full-time missionaries and serve away from home.  “Senior Service Missionaries” are part-time missionaries and live at home.  Which type of mission best fits your circumstances?

Senior Missionary Full-Time, Away-from-Home

Senior Service Missionary Part-Time, Live-at-Home

“If you have the finances, health, and family support to allow it, please consider a full-time mission.  Thousands of full-time opportunities are available and are the greatest priority.” Married couple or single individual; age 40 and above. No dependents living at home. Able to pay $1,900 to $5,200 a month.† Sufficient health for full-time service.‡ Not employed; able to live away from home 6-24 months. To explore Senior Missionary opportunities, see Section II of this page. †Discuss possible funding options with your priesthood leaders. ‡Some missionary opportunities can be adapted to health conditions, including disabilities.

Single or married; age 26 or older. Married individuals may serve even if spouse does not.  Spouses can serve in different positions. May have one or more dependents living at home. No additional cost beyond normal living expenses. Sufficient health for part-time service.‡ Need not be retired. “Virtual” opportunities are available for those who have an interest in serving using their Internet-connected computers without leaving their homes. To explore Senior Service Missionary opportunities, see Section III of this page. ‡Some missionary opportunities can be adapted to health conditions, including disabilities.

II.  What Full-Time “Senior Missionary” Opportunities Exist?

1. Senior Missionaries live away from home and serve full time for 6–24 months.


1. Click here to watch an 11-minute video about the work of senior missionaries in the Philippines.


2. Click here to watch a 10-minute video on how to search for full-time, away-from-home Senior Missionary opportunities on the Church's Senior Missionary webpage.  The video is best viewed in full-screen mode.


3. Some of the missionary opportunity types include these:



2. To get started, you can inform your Bishop of your desire to serve, and he will have you complete an online application in the online missionary application system, which will result in a mission assignment from the Apostles.  If you want to search for a specific type of assignment, go to https://seniormissionary.churchofjesuschrist.org/ to start your search (after watching the 10-minute video mentioned in paragraph A.2, above).  You can select four to eight possible assignments, but the mission assignment will be made by the Apostles.  If you need assistance with searching for missionary opportunities, contact your Stake Senior Missionary Specialist or the Senior Missionary Coordinators that serve in your regional area.  For a list of Senior Missionary Coordinators in the North America Southwest Area, click here.

III.  What Is a Live-at-Home “Senior Service Missionary” Opportunity?

A.  Part-Time Local or Virtual Service

Senior Service Missionaries generally live at home, work 8 to 40 hours per week, and serve in their local area or serve remotely (online) for 6–24 months.  Service missionaries can be single, married, and any age over 26.  A service mission is an alternative to a full-time mission and is available to those who may be still employed or have other commitments that prohibit a full-time mission.

B.  Types of Service Missionary Opportunities

1. Church Operations.  Senior Service Missionaries work for Church organizations or “operations”.  There are a variety of service opportunities, and the needs of the various Church operations vary from time to time.  Service opportunities might include service under one of the following Church "operations".



Bishops’ Storehouse	Deseret Industries
FamilySearch (in-person and online)	BYU-Pathway (in-person and online)
Military Relations (Air Force Bases)	Institute
Community Service | Welcome Centers	Employment Resource Center
Family Services | Addiction Recovery	Mission Office
Transitional Services	Temple Office



2. Testimonies of Senior Service Missionaries.  Click here to watch a video in which several service missionaries share their testimonies about the different types of work that they are doing.  For a video of an exceptional couple who are service missionarie while employed and involved with their family, click here.


3. Searching for a Position.  You can search on your own or you can seek assistance.


1. Assistance.  If you want to discuss the possibilities for positions for a Senior Service Missionary, contact your Stake Senior Missionary Specialist and make an appointment to discuss your interests, your talents, your experience and your availability.  If you are not sure who your Stake Senior Missionary Specialist is, contact the Senior Missionary Coordinators who are assigned to your regional area.  For a list of Senior Missionary Coordinators in the North America Southwest Area, click here.


2. Learing to Search on Your Own.  Click here to watch a 13-minute video providing navigational assistance with searching for Senior Service Missionary opportunities on the Church's website.  The video is best viewed in full-screen mode.


4. Senior Missionary Website.  After watching the video mentioned above, click here to access the official Senior Missionary Website and start your search.


1. More Information.  If you find an opportunity that interests you on the Senior Missionary Website, you can click the “Additional Details” button and you will see more information about the required skills.  You may also find additional contact information, which can be used to find out more information about what the expectations are for the position.  If additional contact information is not shown, consider contacting your Stake Senior Missionary Specialist or the Senior Missionary Coordinators for contact information.


2. If Position Number Provided.  If you have been given a position or opportunity number, click here for instructions on how to apply for that position.  For Step 4 in those instructions, use the complete position number you have.  The number will include a dash, which is required.

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IV.  What Is The Process for Applying for a Senior Service Missionary Opportunity?

A. Website Initiation

1.  For those applying to be full-time Senior Missionaries, you can pick up to eight missionary assignments for the Apostles to consider for your missionary service, but that is optional.  When you have indicated your choices (or lack thereof), you can start your application for a recommendation to serve a mission on the online missionary application system.  Your choices will be considered, but you will be informed of your actual mission assignment by a call letter from the Prophet.


2.  For those applying to be live-at-home Senior Service Missionaries, you need to find an opportunity that interests you.  You can do this with the assistance of your Stake Senior Missionary Specialist or the Senior Missionary Coordinators assigned to your stake.  [See Section V of this page for the names of Senior Missionary Coordinators in the North America Southwest Area.] In the alternative, you can search for Senior Service Missionary opportunities on the Senior Missionary Website, which is https://seniormissionary.ChurchofJesusChrist.org (perhaps after viewing this video if you have not already seen it).  After you have found a Senior Service Missionary opportunity that is suitable for you, click the “Submit” button, and you will be taken to the online missionary application system to complete an application for a recommendation to serve a mission.


3. Once the application is completed by you, your Bishop will log into the Missionary Recommendation System (MRS) and review your application.  He will schedule a missionary worthiness interview. 


4. Once the Bishop has approved your application, your Stake President will log into MRS and review your application.  He will schedule a missionary worthiness interview. 


5.  For those applying to be full-time Senior Missionaries, once the application is approved by your Stake President, your application will be handled by the Missionary Department, and your call will come from the President of the Church.


6.  For those applying to be live-at-home Senior Service Missionaries, once the application is approved by your Stake President, your application is transferred to the Senior Missionary Management System (SMMS), and it will be then reviewed by the "operation manager" of the organization under which you will be serving.


• The Operation Manager needs to determine if the position is a “good fit” for your talents, experience, interests, and availability.  He or she may choose to interview you on the phone or in person to make that determination.


• If the operation manager does not feel that the position is appropriate for you, your Stake President, and your Senior Missionary Coordinators will be informed that you need to find another Senior Service Missionary opportunity.


• Once the operation manager has approved your application in SMMS, the Stake President will sign into SMMS to approve the assignment.  The Stake President will call you, the Stake President or one of his counselors will set you apart.  The Stake President will also sign and give you a letter formalizing your call, and your Bishop will be given a copy of that.


• A Senior Service Missionary called by his or her Stake President and is set apart by the Stake President or one of his counselors.  The Stake President can extend or shorten your term of service.  [See General Handbook, 24.2.4.]

 

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V.  Senior Missionary Coordinators for the NASW Area

If you need help finding a missionary opportunity that is right for you, contact the Senior Missionary Coordinators (SMCs) assigned to your stake.  SMCs help promote and facilitate missionary work among senior Church members.  The North America Southwest Area is divided into ten Senior Service Missionary Groups, each of which has an SMC couple assigned.  For a list of the current SMCs for the NASW Area, click here.   If you are not sure who are the Senior Missionary Coordinators for you, please send an email message to Elder and Sister Rushforth (SMC-NASW-SA@churchofjesuschrist.org), and you will receive a reply indicating whom you should contact.

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VI.  Conclusion

Start planning your mission.  If family circumstances, physical health, and finances permit, please consider a full-time, away-from-home Senior Mission.  If not, please consider a live-at-home, part-time Senior Service Mission.  Set up a planning schedule so that you can be ready as soon as possible.  Let your Stake Senior Missionary Specialist or Senior Missionary Coordinators help you find the right missionary opportunity for you.  WE NEED YOU!

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*Not an official page of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Updated January 14, 2025