International Mission Continues to Reach Out

In today’s mobile society, many Church members live in areas far from existing Church organizations. To meet the challenge of maintaining contact with them, the International Mission was established in 1973. It is presided over by Elder W. Grant Bangerter, an Assistant to the Council of the Twelve.

According to Elder Bangerter, the International Mission currently serves some 1,500 members in thirty-five countries around the world. Generally contact is made with these members before they leave their regular wards or branches or when notification is received from their bishops or families that they have moved to some isolated part of the globe.

The International Mission maintains contact with members by informing them of developments within the Church and by helping them take part in existing Church programs.

The International Mission assumes responsibility for its members’ records, and where possible it arranges for baptism and other ordinances for children of the proper age. The mission also informs members if other Latter-day Saints live in the area.

Members who are going to move to an area where the Church does not have organized units should contact the International Mission so their records can be transferred and so they can be assured of continual contact with the Church. Priesthood leaders or families who know of members of the Church who now are in isolated areas should also contact International Mission, 50 East North Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150, USA.

The mission needs to know the full name of each member, where he will be going, and where he is from, including ward and stake or branch and district.