FAQ For Senior Missionaries

Transcription

1 FAQ For Senior Missionaries (Prepared for the Highland Utah Stake Senior Missionary Fireside) Types of Missions 1. What types of missions are there for senior missionaries? a. You have the option to serve as a full-time senior missionary or as a part-time live at home Church-Service missionary. b. Full-time senior missionaries submit their application to the Missionary Department and are assigned by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and called by the President of the Church. They usually leave their homes to serve in one of the many missions around the world. c. Part-time Church-Service missionaries submit their applications to the Church- Service Missionary Program office. They live at home and are called by their stake president and set apart by their bishop. They help Church departments and operations provide needed products and services. This assignment is often in addition to their other ward or stake callings. Typically, they serve at least 8 hours per week for 6-24 months. Church-Service missions are excellent options for seniors who cannot leave their home because of health and medical concerns, caring for elderly parents or disabled children, employment needs, etc. 2. What kinds of full-time senior mission opportunities are available? a. There are many different mission opportunities for full-time senior couples. The best resource for learning about mission opportunities is the current Senior Missionaries Opportunities Bulletin available on b. The most common kind of senior mission and one of the most needed is the Member and Leader Support (MLS) mission. MLS missionaries are called to serve under the direction of the mission president. Their assignments usually include helping to rescue the less-active, retaining new converts, strengthening young single adults, and supporting local leaders. c. Other areas where full-time senior missionaries serve include Translation Services, Addiction Recovery, Farmland Reserve, Stake YSA programs, Health Care, Family and Church History, Visitors Centers and Historic Sites, Polynesian Cultural Center, Recreational Properties, Welfare and Humanitarian, Employment Resource Centers, and many others. d. The Senior Missionary Services office reports that there are thousands of senior missionary openings and that they process approximately 60 calls per week. 3. What kinds of part-time Church-Service mission opportunities are available? a. The variety of service opportunities for Church-Service missionaries is huge! 1

2 b. For information about Church-Service Mission opportunities and a complete list of needs visit or contact the Church-Service Missionary Program office at Church headquarters at , or csm-support@ldschurch.org. c. Some of the areas of service include Family Search, building hosting, cataloging records, academic tutors, honor code counselors, addiction recovery, employment centers, bishop storehouses, and many others. 4. What is the length of a call for full-time senior missionaries? a. Senior missionaries can choose 6-month, 1 year, 18-month, or 23-month callings. However, every mission is different and the available length of service may be restricted or vary. Not all missions, for instance, offer 6-month callings. 5. Can single women serve a full-time senior mission? a. Yes, single women are allowed to serve a senior mission and there is no age limit if they are in good health. b. Single women pay 70% of the estimated mission cost. 6. Can single men serve a full-time senior mission? a. No. However, senior men can serve part-time live at home Church-Service missions. Expenses 7. How much does it cost per month for full-time senior couples to serve? a. Senior missionaries pay all of their mission expenses while serving in the field. b. The monthly cost varies depending on the mission. According to the monthly estimates listed in the Senior Missionary Opportunities Bulletin in February 2016, the range of costs for missions around the world was between $1,355/month (Peru Cusco) on the low end to $4,030/month (England London South) on the high end. Most missions listed show an estimated cost of between $2,000 and $3,000/month. c. The estimated monthly cost includes housing (rent, utilities, all furnishings, fees, and parking), personal needs (consumables, food, personal care items such as bath supplies, office supplies, laundry, haircuts, etc.), transportation (personal auto operating costs including fuel, car rental and fuel if you are assigned a mission car, or public transportation costs), and health insurance. d. Actual costs can vary quite a bit depending on personal spending habits and needs. 8. What is the $1,400 per month housing limit? a. You pay for the actual cost of housing in your mission, but no more than $1,400 per month. Housing costs in some missions are much more than $1,400 while other missions are lower. Anything above $1,400 is subsidized by the Church. b. For example, if it only costs $500 to rent an apartment in your mission, you only pay $500. You are not automatically charged $1,400. 2

3 9. Do I pay a monthly amount to the Church? a. Yes. Once you have received your mission call, your Mission President will tell you exactly how much you pay monthly to the Church. b. Your monthly payment to the Church only covers housing, health insurance (if needed), and car rental if the car is loaned to you by the Mission President. You pay for all other expenses out of pocket. c. You make your monthly payment to your home ward and the Church takes the money through electronic transfer. Travel and Transportation 10. Who pays for my travel to and from the mission field? a. If you serve in the United States or Canada, the Church pays for your travel to the mission field and back home after your release as long as you are serving for 6- months or longer. b. If you serve a foreign mission, the Church pays for your travel to the mission field and back after your release IF you are serving an 18-month or 23-month mission. If you serve a 6-month or 12-month foreign mission, you must pay your own travel expenses to and from the mission even if you extend your mission. c. If while serving you travel home for any personal reason or emergency, you pay your own roundtrip travel expenses. 11. Do senior missionaries take their own cars to the mission? a. Senior missionaries serving in the United States and Canada usually use their personal vehicles for transportation in the mission. b. Senior missionaries pay for their own fuel, licensing, and vehicle maintenance. c. If assigned a mission car, senior missionaries pay a rental fee plus fuel expenses. 12. What if I want to live in my fifth-wheel, travel trailer, or motor home? a. This is an option for some missions in the United States and Canada; however, before making this decision, you must check with the Senior Missionary Services office for details because this option is not available in most missions. b. If you are approved to take an RV, you should plan on parking it at a missionapproved location. You will pay your parking and hook-up fees through the mission. c. Some missions discourage you from living in an RV because they may lose the housing contracts they already have for senior missionaries. 13. Can my children visit me on my mission? a. Absolutely! In fact, your children and grandchildren are encouraged to visit you on your mission. b. You can also communicate with your family through letters, , and social media. One senior missionary serving away from home jokingly said that Skype was made for senior missionaries! 3

4 14. Can I travel home for special occasions or to see my grandchildren? a. You are allowed to go home temporarily if there is an emergency in your family that needs your attention and presence. b. The Church does not encourage you to go home for family events such as birthdays, baby blessings, baptisms, priesthood ordinations, or weddings of grandchildren. c. You must pay your own round-trip travel expenses when returning home temporarily during your mission. Your Mission Choices 15. Can senior missionaries choose where they want to serve? a. Yes and no. Prospective senior missionaries are encouraged to state their preferences on the missionary recommendation form and their requests are often filled. However, all requests are reviewed and subject to change. The final assignment is made by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. b. Though preferences can be indicated, prospective missionaries should be willing to serve wherever and in whatever capacity they are called. 16. How do I get called to serve in Nauvoo, Palmyra, Kirtland, Martin s Cove, or Cove Fort? a. These historic site missions are extremely popular places to serve. Many missionaries are turned away from serving at these sites because of the high demand and the limited number of callings. b. Generally, you must submit your Missionary Recommendation Form over a year in advance in order to be considered for these sites. Details are contained in the Senior Missionary Opportunities Bulletin and assignments for these missions are usually made by March of the previous year. 17. Can I serve a full-time proselyting mission? a. Senior missionaries are not called to serve proselyting missions like the young fulltime missionaries. This is a Church policy. b. If called on a Member and Leader Support (MLS) mission, senior missionaries may have opportunities to assist teaching missionary lessons with the full-time missionaries. c. Senior missionaries may also teach less active members and help with reactivation efforts in the branches and wards where they are serving. 18. Can I serve a full-time temple mission? a. There is a need for senior couples and sisters to serve as full-time missionaries in temples around the world. Many temples are staffed with local temple ordinance workers called from within their temple district and do not need to rely on temple missionaries. However, some temples do not have a sufficient number of members 4

5 in close proximity to the temple who can serve on a weekly basis. Temples in these areas rely on the help of temple missionaries. b. For information about serving as a full-time senior missionary in a temple please read the Senior Missionary Opportunities Bulletin or contact the Senior Missionary Services office. 19. Will I be required to follow the same mission rules as the young full-time missionaries? a. No. Senior missionaries manage their own time around their assigned work schedule. They have much more life experience than young missionaries and therefore need fewer rules to keep them focused on their work. b. Senior missionaries can travel freely within the boundaries of the mission and they can enjoy movies and cultural events. c. One senior missionary said that it s like working a full-time job for the Lord and then going home to do whatever you want (almost) in the evenings and on weekends. 20. If I am called on a foreign language mission, will I attend the MTC for 2 months? a. No. Senior missionaries no longer attend the MTC for language training. Most missionaries called on non-english speaking missions already know the language, or have a spouse who knows the language. b. There are a few non-english speaking missions where English-only couples may be called, but it is becoming less common. c. If a spouse needs to learn the basics of a language, the Church has learn-at-home resources available, but the missionary is on his/her own to learn. Health and Medical Insurance 21. Does my health impact my mission options? a. Absolutely. Your health impacts the kind of mission you serve and where you may be called. The Church does not want to send you where your health concerns cannot be met by medical professionals or extend a calling that you are physically unable to do. b. You should honestly indicate everything about your health history and your health concerns on the application form. Providing these details ensures that you receive the kind of call that is best for you. 22. Does the Church provide health insurance while I am serving? a. You MUST have health insurance, but the Church does not pay for it. b. If you have a private health insurance policy or Medicare, you will be asked to provide information about it on your missionary application form. After your forms are submitted, the Church conducts its own review of your health insurance policy to determine if you will have coverage on your mission. If you do, you must maintain this insurance policy and pay your own premiums. c. If you do not have a private health insurance policy or Medicare, you will be required to purchase health insurance coverage. The Church provides you an option 5

6 to buy health insurance from DMBA/Aetna International for $188/month per person or $376/month per couple. If you purchase this coverage, the cost will be added to your mission costs and you will pay it through your ward. d. If you serve a foreign mission, you will be required to purchase the DMBA/Aetna International health insurance unless you have worldwide or military coverage with your private health insurance policy. In most cases, Medicare does not cover you in a foreign country. 23. Do I have to meet certain physical requirements to serve? a. You should be in good health and ready to serve where called. However, if you have physical restrictions, you will be called to serve in an area where your physical restrictions can be accommodated. b. The Senior Missionary Services office has found service opportunities for almost everyone with physical limitations. Getting Started 24. How do I start the recommendation process? a. Meet with your bishop to start the recommendation process. b. Review the list of senior openings in the Senior Missionaries Opportunities Bulletin and determine if there is an area where you would like to serve. If so, contact that department for information and put that preference on your mission application. c. Complete the missionary application form. d. Once the missionary application form is completed, the stake president submits the recommendation to the Missionary Department. e. It takes approximately three to four weeks to process the recommendation before you receive your call. 25. Should I obtain a passport before I submit my mission papers? a. If you are hoping to serve a foreign mission, you are not required to have a current passport before submitting your mission papers. Having a passport does not guarantee that you will serve a foreign mission. b. You may consider applying for (or renewing) a passport, then if you are called on a foreign mission the process for acquiring a visa may be shorter. It often takes from two to five months after you receive your mission call to obtain a visa. For More Information 26. Where can I go and who can I call for answers to my questions? a. For information about a full-time senior mission go to Click Share the Gospel then Prepare for a Mission then Full-Time Senior Missionaries. b. You can also contact the Senior Missionary Services office at SeniorMissionaryServices@ldschurch.org or call them at