Missionaries Serving Others in 2023

While many Church members serve within their local communities, some choose to devote even more of their time to humanitarian work. Many senior couples and young adults fill a part-time service missionary role, in which they organize and participate in projects to care for those in need within their communities.

Married couples may opt to serve as full-time welfare and self-reliance missionaries. These couples devote their time to administering humanitarian projects in their assigned area.

Full-time proselytizing missionaries participate in service projects as part of their ministry—separate from their work teaching about the Savior. These missionaries assist with emergency response initiatives as they arise.

Service Initiatives

Throughout their missions, missionaries have opportunities to serve on a variety of assignments.

• Employment Services missionaries, for example, help individuals within the Church to prepare for and find employment opportunities.
• Missionaries may also serve at Church-owned orchards and farms, bishops’ storehouses, and Transitional Services offices.
• Some missionaries also serve in a humanitarian capacity, coordinating projects and providing service with local nonprofits.

Disaster Relief

Every year, millions of people are impacted by disasters and emergencies. Missionaries are often called upon to offer their assistance in these unforeseen events. They help restore hope through their generous service to any who may be affected.

• In Ecuador, for example, missionaries traveled up to three hours to help those who were suffering after the province of Esmeraldas was impacted by severe flooding. They helped shovel mud from the streets and from homes and properties that had been damaged by the storm.
• In Guam, missionaries united with other volunteers to assist the community after massive winds and rains from Typhoon Mawar destroyed houses and local businesses. They helped clean debris, repair roof damage, clear uprooted trees, distribute clean water, and coordinate relief efforts. They also helped distribute clean clothing, as many had lost their personal belongings in the disaster.

Community Service

Missionaries also volunteer their time and effort to assist the communities in which they teach, serve, and live. These efforts help to care for those in need and strengthen communities in a variety of ways.

• For instance, in Washington, D.C., full-time missionaries provided service for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. This service helped to educate the community on contemporary cultural traditions, bringing people of different faiths and backgrounds together.
• In Panama, missionaries gathered with other volunteers for a day of service, cleaning up the coasts, collecting food and other necessities, delivering personal hygiene kits, and serving at a home for the elderly.

Elder Dean serves his community by providing facility maintenance at the Blind Center of Nevada. Elder Dean said. “For the rest of my life, I . . . want to dedicate it towards helping others, not just looking out for myself.”