Who do mormon's decide where to go on their mission?
Im not sure if the church chooses or if there is some other process. Does the missionary get any say in where they go?
2011-03-28T13:06:32Z
I should probably proof read. That should have said "How" not "who".
2011-03-29T06:23:26Z
To answer Juan Marqu's question - I am happily non-religious, but i'm fascinated by other people's belief's. I have been exposed to people of all faiths, but have never (to the best of my knowledge) met a mormon. Believe me when I tell you, I pepper all of my friends with questions about their religion. The Scientologists and Orthadox Jews are WAY sick of me at this point. But I have the ability to ask them questions face to face. The only place to go with my LDS questions's in here.
Brutally Honest2011-03-28T13:29:21Z
Favorite Answer
The Church send you your mission.
Heres a simple video explaining missionary work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbwT4j-mLdw
There might be some small amount of truth to the saying that sometimes a Missionary that is more devout might be sent farther away from their home and from Church headquarters, and to a foreign country where they will need to be trusted on their own even more, but that may or may not be true.
That is probably just an urban Mormon myth.
Any way you look at it, the LDS Missionaries themselves do not choose where they go to. It could be near Disney Land in Florida, or it could be in Mozambique Africa somewhere.
The person who wants to go on a mission submits their mission papers with all their relevant personal information. Then the church leaders in Salt Lake City pray about where this missionary should be sent. The missionary may list a preference, also language abilities may be a factor in where in the world they are sent. Mostly, it is the guidance of the Holy Spirit given to the leaders of the church that decided where they are sent.
Once a Mormon volunteers (or is volunteered) they are judged for their worthiness to serve and then receive an assignment from the church hierarchy. In theory they go where they are sent - and for the most part, as they are junior members of the church, they're used to following the guidance of their superiors in the church - but as with any other human endeavor there is the possibility of calling in favors, especially if the missionary has influential relatives.