“How is the missionary’s place of assignment determined?” New Era, Feb. 1972, 37
“How is the missionary’s place of assignment determined?”
Answer/President Spencer W. Kimball
“We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands, by those who are in authority to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.”
In accordance with this policy each missionary is called of God through the president of the Church. This is the way that Aaron received his call. Moses, the Lord’s prophet, gave to him the call from the Lord.
In the assigning of missionaries there are numerous factors, the chief one being the inspiration received by the Missionary Executive Committee, who review carefully and prayerfully all of the recommendations sent to them by the stakes and missions. As this committee makes recommendations, it considers numerous factors: worthiness, age, experience, military status, home, finances, health, language ability, desires, quotas, limitations of countries, requests, nationality, general attitudes, and the needs of the various missions. When all these factors have been duly weighed, a sincere effort is made to ascertain where the person can make the greatest contribution; the inspiration of the Lord is sought earnestly. The tentative assignment is made subject to approval by the president of the Church, who then signs the call and has it mailed to the prospective missionary.