Who do mormon's decide where to go on their mission?

The Church send you your mission.

Heres a simple video explaining missionary work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbwT4j-mLdw

No say whatsoever.

And there are no such thing as plum assignments.

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.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLS1AHNGiNw&feature...

Priesthood leaders at Church Headquarters make the choices, based on inspiration from God.

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.

Mormon Mission Locations

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.

I was going to answer, but I see you've had many do so already. Most of them are right, (but a few were just trying to sound interesting.) Anyway, since you've got your answer(s), I'd like to ask you a question, if I may, Woodsy. I've notices this is only one of several questions about Latter-day Saints ("Mormons,") may I ask what keeps you intrigued?

There is no choice.

There is a set of 'royal families' in the LDS church who are all related to each other, and their kids are more likely to get plum assignments, like Europe.

Sometimes a kid will have special skills that make them standout for a certain area, like an unusual language skill.

Mostly the names all go in the computer and are randomly assigned, although what members are told is that it is done by divine discernment by leaders. They send about 25,000 kids out a year.

Everyone wants London or Berlin. No one wants South Cleveland.

I have some Mormon friends and I think they are given like 3 choices, but the choices are chosen by the missionary committee.

The General Authority generally plugs the bare spots with warm bodies. The kids don't have a say where they will end up. Timbuktu or Boise, its all the same. Well, its not to them, but most are willing to get away from their families regardless, as all young adults do at that age. They go whenever they sign up for one. They go to their bishop and tell him they want to serve a mission, they get their ducks in a row, get approval and start the process of learning the ropes of mormonism.

god chooses and tells the apostles who tell the (missionary to be).