'Wrinkled Missionaries': The Ins and Outs of Serving a Senior Mission

If you have read Sister Gretta Holzworth's article about serving a couples' mission, you might be interested in more information about this wonderful opportunity.  Single senior Sisters also have many opportunities to give wonderful missionary service throughout the world.  And every Mission President I have ever heard of would always love to have more senior missionaries within the ranks of his missionaries!

(Some parts of the following are taken from articles in the Deseret News and in LDS Living magazine.  You can read these articles in full by clicking on the links.)

"We continue to need many more senior couples.  As your circumstances allow, as you are eligible for retirement, and as your health permits, I encourage you to make yourselves available for full-time missionary service.  Both husband and wife will have a greater joy as they together serve our Father's children."  
(President Thomas S. Monson, 2012)

The age requirements for young missionaries were lowered in October 2012, by President Thomas S. Monson. We can probably all remember how exciting that was!  Within a year there was a staggering 40-percent increase in missionaries serving.  What many don't realise, is that there were also changes made to service opportunities for senior missionaries about a year before that... 

For instance, did you know?...

1.  Prospective senior missionaries are encouraged to indicate on their missionary recommendation forms, their interests and preferences regarding where and how they would like to serve.  Senior missionary assignments seek to take advantage of the professional, social, and spiritual skills that have been garnered over a life-time.  Elder Don R. Clarke of the First Quorum of the Seventy, and assistant executive director in the Missionary Department says that because of the range of needs and the fact that only about half of the available opportunities are filled, “Usually couples can do something they really want to do—something they’re really good at.”  (Couples are reminded however, that assignments are made by the Lord through His ordained Apostles, and are asked to be willing to serve wherever and in whatever capacity they are called.)   

2.  Senior missionary couples have opportunities to serve in visitor centres, mission offices, on medical assignments, in military relations, in member and leader support, in Church education, humanitarian areas, employment resource centres, in family and church history support, church administration and other areas. Single senior sisters can also serve in a variety of areas.

3.  There is no upper age limit for seniors, as long as they have the physical, mental and emotional health to serve a mission.

4.  Couples pay no more than $1,400 per month for housing costs, (rent, utilities and furnishings), but are further responsible for transport and food costs, and other personal expenses.  Couples can now serve a six month mission, in addition to 12, 18 and 23 month missions.  (For international missions of less than 18 months duration, missionaries are required to pay for their own travel to and from the mission field.)

5.  Senior missionaries generally receive their mission calls about 4 - 6 weeks after their papers are submitted to Church headquarters.  Service usually begins about 1 - 2 months following that, although there may be a wait of up to six months if the assignment is in a foreign country.

6.  Senior missionaries are given more flexibility and have less strenuous requirements placed upon them than the young missionaries.  You can go home and take a nap in the middle of the day if you need to. There is also more in the way of ongoing communication with home, via email, Skype and Face Time.  

If you are interested in learning more about what it would be like for you to serve as a senior missionary, there are many helpful resources:

• On the Church Senior Missionary Opportunities Bulletin website, you can get an idea of missionary service opportunities and costs throughout the world.

• On the Full-Time Senior Missionaries page here at LDS.org, you can watch videos of missionary stories and experiences from those who have served.  Very interesting and illuminating!

• 'What we wish we'd known before we served a Mormon mission' article at Deseret News.

• 'How to Prepare for a Senior Couples Mission' at LDS Living magazine.

• There is also a lovely little book called 'Wrinkled Missionaries' that you can read, with its inspirational accounts of the everyday ups and downs of serving a senior mission.  Full of encouragement and reassurance :) 

In summary:   Yes, grandparents miss their grand-children, their homes and their pets when they serve a full-time mission away from home - but usually not as much as they thought they would! The blessings seem to so clearly outweigh the sacrifices - as usual!  Senior missionaries bear testimony that they discover so much purpose, learn so much about the gospel, see so much good accomplished, and strengthen their love for the Saviour and for their husband or wife so much, that they often want to sign up again as soon as they get home, if they can!  Family groups are strengthened through the example of their grandparents, and miracles occur both in the mission field and in the lives of the missionaries themselves.  

Please see your Bishop for more information and direction.

By Sandy Munro