The Missionary Training Center recently announced the one millionth missionary to go forth since the formation of the Church. What a remarkable accomplishment. How wonderful to think of all those elders and sisters dedicating a portion of their time to share the gospel.
When we think of missionaries, we generally think of young men of nineteen and young women of twenty-one. However, there is a great need in the Church for senior missionaries, not only couples, but senior sisters as well.
I quote from President Gordon B. Hinckley:
“Along with the need for young elders and sisters, there is a growing need for couples in the mission field. Older married couples are doing a wonderful work in the missions. Many more are needed. Particularly we need those with foreign language abilities. They can serve in many responsibilities under the direction of sensitive and considerate mission presidents.”
L. Tom Perry augments the above statement with: “After conversion comes the desire to share—not so much out of a sense of duty, even though that responsibility falls on the priesthood, but out of a sincere love and appreciation for that which has been received. When such a “pearl of great price” comes into our lives, we cannot be content just to admire it by ourselves. It must be shared! And here is the great joy and happiness of the gift!
“I have especially been impressed with the older couples who, after fulfilling a life of service in their wards and stakes, have the desire to spend a period of time as missionaries in full service to the Lord. I have found them in all corners of the world, and they are, I guess, the happiest people I have ever met because of what they are accomplishing.”
Later in the same address, he adds, “Mission presidents always respond the same when I ask them the following question: ‘What can I do for you?’ The response invariably is, ‘Send us more missionary couples.’”
Robert D. Hales also spoke of this need: “I feel a deep responsibility to speak to you today about a pressing need in the Church. My greatest hope is that as I speak, the Holy Ghost will touch hearts, and somewhere a spouse or two will quietly nudge his or her companion, and a moment of truth will occur. I will speak on the urgent need for more mature couples to serve in the mission field.”
Why is it that senior missionaries are so needed?
First, there are times when a senior couple or two single senior sisters could reach an investigator that the younger missionaries could not. With age comes experience, and the senior missionaries can bring their wisdom to the situation. Perhaps the investigator is dealing with the pain of being widowed. Maybe they have children who are causing them despair. Or they could be dealing with the diagnosis of a crippling disease. A senior missionary will have personal experience with these trials whereas in most cases, a younger missionary can empathize but not really understand, not having gone through it themselves. You simply can’t argue with the power of a life-long testimony that came through trial and suffering and weathered the storm to become stronger.
Second, there are places where older persons are more respected than the younger ones. Different cultures revere age and honor it, thereby causing less difficulty to the senior missionaries as they go about their work.
Third, there are varying mission tasks that are uniquely better suited to a senior missionary. Office work, administration, temple missions, family history missions, visitor’s centers—each of these positions will be staffed with both younger and older missionaries, but there are times when the younger missionaries must be out doing more strenuous activities and the senior missionaries can handle these that are less taxing.
The Lord and His prophets are asking seniors to consider going out into the field and serving. As we continue this series, we’ll address the reasons why you would want to serve, the reasons you might feel hesitant to go, and how you go about entering the process.
Related Blogs:
Fishers of Men: What Are Our Nets?