North America Southwest Area
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints*

Quick Links
Senior Service Missionaries opportunities that need to be filled ASAP.	Click here .
Links to web sites related to senior Church members serving as missionaries.	Section B.
Flowchart showing the process of applying for a Senior Service Missionary recommendation.	Section C.
Contact information for the Senior Missionary Coordinators for the North America Southwest Area.	Section E.
Definitions, explanations of terms, and acronyms related to senior Church members' missionary service.	Section F.
Download links for memos, documents, and other information related to seniors serving as missionaries.	Section G.

A.  Facilitating the Service of Seniors as Missionaries

1.  Purpose of Website

This web page provides helpful resources to leaders who have a role in calling "senior" members of the Church as missionaries and who work with the assignments of senior service missionaries. In this context, "leaders" include Stake Presidencies, Bishoprics, High Councilors, Operation Managers, and their delegated representatives.  For full-time Senior Missionaries, the term "senior" means someone who is at least 40 years old.  For at-home Senior Service Missionaries, the term "senior" refers to someone who is at least 26 years old.  Some other terms and acronymns used on this page are defined in Section F, below.)

2.  Full-Time Senior Missionaries

Couples and single sisters who are seniors are encouraged to first consider serving a full-time, away-from-home mission.  There are Mission Presidents throughout the world who desparately need Senior Missionaries (SMs), and the greatest need is outside of the United States.  The schedule of Senior Missionaries is less rigorous than that of young teaching missionaries, and Senior Missionaries have no restrictions on family contacts.  With the Mission President's permission, Senior Missionaries can even travel home for important events (at their own expense).

3.  Senior Service Missionaries

Single brothers and couples and single sisters whose personal, family, and/or financial circumstances preclude a full-time mission are encouraged to consider serving as a Senior Service Missionary (SSM).  Senior Service Missionaries generally live at home, work 8 to 40 hours per week, and serve in their local area for 6 to 24 months.  There are some virtual assignments that allow missionaries to serve from their homes.

This page is a work in progress, and we plan to updated it regularly.  Please let us know if you find errors or omissions or if you have other suggestions for improvement.

B.  Missionary Related Websites

The flowchart shown above mentions three websites that are involved in the process of becoming a Senior Missionary or Senior Service Missionary:  SMS, MRS, and SMMS.  The Church also has a directory of Church related organizations and leaders to facilitate communication with leaders.  We have created some additional websites with supplemental materials and helpful links.

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C.  Stages of a Senior's Mission Application, Assignment, and Call

1.  Process for Senior Service Missionaries (SSMs)

Here is a flowchart that gives an overview of the process of becoming a senior service missionary:

2.  Process for Full-Time Senior Missionaries (SMs)

For full-time, away-from-home Senior Missionaries (SMs), the process is similar to that of Senior Service Missionaries (SSMs) except that (1) Stage Three is handled by the Missionary Department and (2) Stage Four involves a call from the Prophet, being set apart by the Stake President under the direction of the General Authorities, and being trained as determined by the Missionary Department.

3.  Fact Sheet Comparing SMs and SSMs

For a fact sheet comparing and contrasting the calls of Senior Missionaries (full-time, away from home) and Senior Service Missionaries (part-time, serving while living at home), click here.

Stage One - Finding Missionary Opportunities for Seniors (SMs and SSMs)

When a senior member decides to serve as a missionary, the first step is the search for a missionary opportunity that fits the member's skill set, natural aptitude, interests, and desires.  Senior members can start exploring full-time and service-mission opportunities on the Senior Missionary Website, https://seniormissionary.churchofjesuschrist.org/.  If a couple is involved, each spouse must submit an application for a separate position with a unique position number.

For an informal and unofficial video that explains how to use that site, click here .  Additional help for using the Senior Missionary Website can be found at https://seniormission.org (an unofficial page).

Assistance in finding a senior service missionary opportunity can be given by the Stake Senior Missionary Specialists (or by other Stake Missionary Support Representatives to whom that responsibility has been delegated).  If additional help is needed, members and leaders may contact the Senior Missionary Coordinators for the appropriate Group of the NASW Area (See section E, below.)  Note to Stake Presidents:  Delegating some duties to one or more representatives will free up your time while providing more direct support to seniors who are missionaries or potential missionaries.  [Read Stake_Senior_Missionary_Support for more information.]

Stage Two - The Missionary Recommendation System (MRS)

1.  Using MRS

When a couple or a single sister has decided on a mission opportunity (or has decided to defer the decision to the Church authorities), the application process for a full-time, away-from home mission is started when the missionary submits a request on the Senior Missionary Website (SMW - https://seniormissionary.churchofjesuschrist.org/) or when the Bishop opens a recommendation in the Missionary Recommendation System (MRS - https://mrs-leadership.churchofjesuschrist.org/).  For an at-home, senior service mission, a missionary does not have the option of leaving it up to someone else to find an appropriate missionary opportunity, but the application process on MRS is much the same.

2.  Leaders Involved

• Bishop.  The member's Bishop is involved as the first step in determining a member's worthiness to service as a Senior Service Missionary.  Once the Bishop has approved a member's missionary application in MRS, his role in the calling process is complete.


• Stake President. After the Bishop's interview and approval in SMMS, the Stake President conducts a missionary worthiness interview and approves the calling of the member as a missionary in SMMS.  This completes Stage Two.

Stage Three   - The Senior Missionary Management System

• Operation Manager.  After the Stake President has approved a missionary's application in MRS, the process moves to the Senior Missionary Management System (SMMS), and the first step is for the Operation Manager to review the application and to approve or decline it.  The key question for the Operation Manager is to determine that the proposed opportunity (position) is a good fit for the missionary.  If the Operation Manager determines that the opportunity is not appropriate for the missionary, the Operation Manager declines the assignment in SMMS, and the missionary can work with the Stake Senior Missionary Support Representative(s) or Senior Missionary Coordinators to find another opportunity.


• Stake President.  If the Operation Manager approves the position in SMMS, the Stake President gives his final approval of the position in SMMS.  That completes Stage Three.

Stage Four - Actual Service

• Stake President.  Stage Four begins the missionary service. This stage begins when the Stake President:
• Issues the missionary call formally;
• Sets the missionary apart (or authorizes a counselor to do so); and
• Downloads and signs the mission-call letter that is generated in SMMS.  This is done in the member's assignment page under "Service Documents", and pop-up blockers must be turned off.  (Click here for more detailed instructions about downloading the call letter.)


• Operation Manager.  Once the missionary is set apart, the Operation Manager trains and supervises the service of the missionary.

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D.  SMMS Maintenance

• From time to time, adjustments will need to be made to the Senior Missionary Management System.  Both the Stake President and the Operation Manager will need to log into SMMS to update information relating to Senior Service Missionaries or their assignments.  Some authority can be delegated to other authorized users in SMMS.


• Because SMMS does not generate notification regarding actions that are needed, each Stake President and each Operation Manager (or another designated user to whom authority has been delegated) should regularly check SMMS.  From there, one can see the status of the senior missionaries under your stewardship.  One can see if any missionary needs an assignment, if a missionary needs a different assignment, or if a missionary's release date needs to be modified.  Urgent tasks in any category will be indicated by tiles with pink shading and red letters.  The dashboard may not always flag all action items, and it is important to check the list of the operation's missionaries to monitor their status.

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E.  Senior Missionary Coordinators (NASW Area)

The North American Southwest Area is divided into groups by geographical regions, and each group has a couple of Senior Service Missionaries serving as Senior Missionary Coordinators. The Senior Missionary Coordinators:

• Encourage senior Church members to serve as Senior Missionaries or Senior Service Missionaries.
• Assist Bishops and Stake Presidents navigate the Church websites (MRS and SMMS) that are related to the application of senior Church members for a recommendation as a missionaries.
• Facilitate mission calls, releases, and a positive experience for Senior Service Missionaries who live locally.
• Assist the managers of Church operations who have Senior Service Missionaries develop an effective workforce.
• Help stake and ward leaders carry out assignments for Church operations and understand Senor Service Missionary responsibilities.
• Have no role with Young Service Missionaries.

The following table contains the contact information for the Senior Missionary Coordinators (SMCs) who are currently serving in the NASW Area.

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F.  Common Terms and Acronymns

Terms and acronymns used for mission callings and the related processes are unique and have changed from time to time.  Some terms and acronymns are similar and easily confused with each other.

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G.  File Downloads and Links

File Description	Name of File Link opens new window.
Instructions for Senior Missionary Candidates
Flowchart showing process for applying as a Senior Service Missionary	SSM_Process.pdf
Navigating the Senior Missionary Website (seniormissionary.churchofjesuschrist.org)	https://seniormission.org*
Examples of Missionary Opportunities for Seniors - Senior Missionaries and Senior Service Missionaries	https://seniormission.org/bulletin/.
Using position number to apply for Senior Service Missionary opportunity	SSM_apply.pdf
Recommendation submission instructions for applicants in the Missionary Recommendation System (MRS)	SSM_apply.MRS.pdf
Instructions for Bishops and Stake Presidents
Flowchart showing process for applying as a Senior Service Missionary	SSM_Process.pdf
Instructions for Missionary Approval in MRS	Priesthood_Approval.MRS.pdf
Instructions after a Senior Missionary's Release	end-of-missionary-service.pdf
Instructions for Stake Presidents
Memo on the duties of a Stake Missionary Support Representative	Stake_Senior_Missionary_Support.pdf
SMMS Quick-Reference Guide for Stake Presidents	sp-quick-reference.pdf
Memo on Delegation by Stake Presidents	SMMS.Delegation.pdf
Instructions for Stake President to Download Call Letter for Senior Service Missionary	Call_Letter.pdf
Instructions for Stake President for Recommending an Extension of a Senior Service Missionary	SMMS.Extension.SP.pdf
Instructions for Stake President for Recommending an Early Release of a Senior Service Missionary	SMMS.EarlyRelease.SP.pdf
Instructions for Operation Managers
SMMS Quick-Reference Guide for Operation Managers	om-quick-reference.pdf
Instructions for Operation Manager for Recommending an Extension or Early Release of a Senior Service Missionary	SMMS.Modification.OM.pdf

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

Updated April 1, 2024