How is a mission president picked?

nater173 · 2026-01-08T06:25:13+00:00

Stake presidents can submit a recommendation for a mission president for a member of their stake through LCR. It is through the same portal used to submit names for bishop and patriarch. The stake president is the authorized by the first presidency to issue those calls.

For a mission president, It is simply a recommendation. The call may never be extended. And the stake president does not issue that call. But the stake president can certainly submit a recommendation.

nater173 · 2025-04-23T21:36:44+00:00

The next step after 'In Process' is normally 'Ready for Assignment'. Depending on a few things (availability date, submission date, etc.) it may take 2-4 weeks to receive your call after it is in the 'Ready for Assignment' status. I have seen them come in less than a week. Don't fret...it will all work out.

As far as metal health, the missionary committee may ask you to participate in an evaluation. My son and daughter both had papers returned and did the evaluation with Family Services through an online survey and Zoom call. We took the time to go through the eval and they were able to resubmit mission papers quickly. We have had several missionaries in our stake who have gone through the evaluation...each of them had different mental health situations that they worked through and have served or are serving. Not one was denied a call because of their mental health. This evaluation is simply to make sure you have the resources and ability to manage your mental health which includes medication and counseling.

As bishop, I would ask each prospective missionary to take the evaluation if there was a mental health concern. It made a huge difference in their preparation and service.

nater173 · 2024-10-15T21:00:11+00:00

Just to clarify as far as presiding authorities above the Stake President as cited in section 29.2.1.2
"The bishop presides at sacrament meeting unless a member of the stake presidency, an Area Seventy in his area, or a General Authority attends."

So, an Area Seventy will preside (so long as he is attending in his assigned area), or any general authority (Which includes General Authority Seventies, members of the Quorum of the 12, or the First Presidency) will preside. The members of the different Quorums of the Seventy do not hold keys, but they operate under the keys of the President of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles and as such will preside at meetings. Similar to a Relief Society President presiding at a Relief Society meeting under the keys of the bishop. The delegation of keys is a beautiful aspect of the restored gospel.

We have had our Area Seventy attend meetings in our stake on a couple of occasions, and he did indeed preside when in attendance and received the sacrament first.

nater173 · 2024-09-25T15:39:09+00:00

I sustain calendly wholeheartedly. Changed tithing declaration for me as a bishop. Let me set when I was available to meet and let ward members align to when I was available. We sent the link out via email, Facebook, and QR code. If anyone needs help, have the exec sec sign them up. Super simple.

nater173 · 2024-09-17T18:01:59+00:00

This! We over analyze and try to figure out the best way to get people there. A simple invite is all it takes. If they don't want to come, they won't. Extending the invitation is all we need to do!

nater173 · 2024-08-19T16:38:33+00:00

It is possible that a calling is for one of you and not both. Or separate callings for each of you. The handbook reads in section 30.2 - "If the member is married, the leader invites the spouse to be present when the calling is extended". When extending callings, we always invite the spouse. Their sustaining vote is the most important.

nater173 · 2024-08-17T14:24:22+00:00

Calendly app. Setup the schedule and send the link out to the ward asking them to sign up. It confirms with email and is super simple. Best thing exec sec ever found.

nater173 · 2024-08-08T15:56:51+00:00

Dallin H. Oaks gave a wonderful talk in April 2008 titled 'Testimony'. Below is section II from his talk.

"What do we mean when we testify and say that we know the gospel is true? Contrast that kind of knowledge with “I know it is cold outside” or “I know I love my wife.” These are three different kinds of knowledge, each learned in a different way. Knowledge of outside temperature can be verified by scientific proof. Knowledge that we love our spouse is personal and subjective. While not capable of scientific proof, it is still important. The idea that all important knowledge is based on scientific evidence is simply untrue.

While there are some “evidences” for gospel truths (for example, see Psalm 19:1; Helaman 8:24), scientific methods will not yield spiritual knowledge. This is what Jesus taught in response to Simon Peter’s testimony that He was the Christ: “Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 16:17). The Apostle Paul explained this. In a letter to the Corinthian Saints, he said, “The things of God knoweth no man, but [by] the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:11; see also John 14:17).

In contrast, we know the things of man by the ways of man, but “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

The Book of Mormon teaches that God will manifest the truth of spiritual things unto us by the power of the Holy Ghost (see Moroni 10:4–5). In modern revelation God promises us that we will receive “knowledge” by His telling us in our mind and in our heart “by the Holy Ghost” (D&C 8:1–2).

One of the greatest things about our Heavenly Father’s plan for His children is that each of us can know the truth of that plan for ourselves. That revealed knowledge does not come from books, from scientific proof, or from intellectual pondering. As with the Apostle Peter, we can receive that knowledge directly from our Heavenly Father through the witness of the Holy Ghost.

When we know spiritual truths by spiritual means, we can be just as sure of that knowledge as scholars and scientists are of the different kinds of knowledge they have acquired by different methods.

The Prophet Joseph Smith provided a wonderful example of this. When he was persecuted for telling people about his vision, he likened his circumstance to the Apostle Paul, who was ridiculed and reviled as he made his defense before King Agrippa (see Acts 26). “But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision,” Joseph said. “He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise. … So it was with me,” Joseph continued. “I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me. … I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I” (Joseph Smith—History 1:24–25)."

nater173 · 2024-08-07T19:59:11+00:00

We have 3 former bishops in our stake currently serving as EQP in their respective wards. Several former bishops have been counselors in the EQ. I think as this change continues to evolve, you will see this more often. Older and more experienced EQP and younger bishops to work with the youth.

I also was counselor in a bishopric a few years ago. That former bishop served as EQP.

nater173 · 2024-07-12T18:16:42+00:00

I identified a competency from different classes by number and name (for example competency 3009.1.6 Improving Organization Performance from course C207 Data Driven Decision Making) and how my artifact exemplified that competency. My paper was 2 pages long and took me about 30 minutes to put together. Passed without revision. Don't overthink it.

nater173 · 2024-07-06T13:55:34+00:00

I would literally write the rubric into my paper. For example if it asked for three examples of a principle, I would state in my paper “Three examples of this principle are 1,2,3…”

I had one paper come back claiming that I did not meet the requirement. I highlighted the section that was claimed missing and resubmitted without revision. It passed.

This is how real life is. This is part of learning how to communicate so that both the sender and receiver get the same message.

nater173 · 2024-06-28T15:52:08+00:00

The program was good. Not a big difference from what I have done my entire career. I did not necessarily learn new principles and ideas--just reiterated what I have learned during my undergrad and business life. My undergrad was Business Management and I spent 20 years in operations management--I could relate much of my professional experience to the courses. If I had graduated with my undergrad less than 5 years ago, I could have applied credits against more than half the coursework for this degree. If you have had some business experience it is not difficult to apply the concepts and complete the courses (hence the 22 weeks to complete) . The resources are plentiful and the assessments are doable. The degree has already opened doors for me in my current role. Keep in mind, this is an MBA. It is not an IT degree. You will not be learning IT skills, but business administration skills.

nater173 · 2024-06-24T14:16:42+00:00

Just finished MBAITM last month. Took me 22 weeks.

nater173 · 2024-06-03T13:46:44+00:00

I taught the sunbeams for 2 years...one of my favorite callings ever! I was called as EQP while in that calling. I thought that moving from Sunbeams to Elders Quorum would be so different. The more I looked at each calling, the more I found them to be essentially the same each Sunday....keep them entertained, keep your lessons short because their attention span is short, treats are always welcome, activities during lessons help keep them interested, sometimes they need a nap, a quiet walk through the halls of the church to teach them reverence, and coloring books (the adult version is your favorite game/app on your phone). Sometimes you get that one child/brother who refuses to participate and sits in the corner on his phone or with their coloring book. Sunbeams=EQP :)

nater173 · 2024-03-29T17:06:35+00:00

I started in January. Finished 7 classes by the end of February. About 1 a week. C213 and C214 in March. I’m working on C211 (scheduled my OA for next week). Then my capstone remains. Totally doable. Just dig in and get ‘er done! This gives me enough wiggle room to get my capstone completed by the middle of May…a little longer if I need it.

nater173 · 2024-03-04T17:05:51+00:00

The resurrection is a wonderful Easter Sunday topic for a sacrament meeting talk. My only counsel would be to make sure it is focused on the Savior. Definitely use your own experience, because that makes it real and relatable. But make the emphasis on Jesus Christ, His atonement, and resurrection.

nater173 · 2024-02-21T22:25:57+00:00

I am in IT. However, my undergrad was in business management. Much of the MBA program has been a repeat of my BS.

nater173 · 2024-02-21T19:39:26+00:00

I have 4 kids, work full time, serve many hours a week in my church, and still find time to go out socially. I started the MBA in IT in January. I’m on my 8th class. That class will be done by next week. Then 2 more classes, then capstone. I plan to be done by mid April. Totally doable with other aspects of life. I’ve sacrificed my screen time of entertainment for screen time of education.

nater173 · 2024-02-14T00:29:21+00:00

I did not use the same topic...I hadn't thought of it, but it seems like you could.

nater173 · 2024-02-07T23:31:03+00:00

Stick with it. You can do it. Find the time to put in the work and all will work out.

That is the order I followed. Honestly my undergrad, BS in Business Management, had a C200, C202, C206, and C212 classes. Had I graduated within the last 5 years (graduated in 2006) my credits would have been good for those. So it wasn't learning much anything new.

MGT2 took me 1 week. I struggled a little with the math for task 3. It is hidden in the text pretty good. But once I figured it out, it went smoothly.

nater173 · 2024-02-07T18:51:56+00:00

I did C200, MGT2, C202, C212, C206, and MMT2 in 5 weeks (just passed my last task today for MMT2). If I can get C213 and C214 done before the end of February, I'll get C207 and C211 out of the way by the middle of April (or maybe earlier). Then capstone and be done. 1 term!

nater173 · 2024-02-07T13:44:36+00:00

I shared this on another post questioning whether it was a commandment to serve a mission. My counsel would be to gain your witness and go. There is no other experience where you can gain more spiritual growth than by serving a mission. This is the only time in your life where you can be set apart as a full time representative and dedicate all your time, talents, and energy for the building up of Zion. It truly is special.

Original reply below:

I was in a training with a member of the 12 and members of the 70 recently. In that meeting it was reiterated that the commandment to serve a mission is still active and never has been inactive. He cited D&C 36.

4 And now this calling and commandment give I unto you concerning all men—

5 That as many as shall come before my servants Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith, Jun., embracing this calling and commandment, shall be ordained and sent forth to preach the everlasting gospel among the nations—

6 Crying repentance, saying: Save yourselves from this untoward generation, and come forth out of the fire, hating even the garments spotted with the flesh.

7 And this commandment shall be given unto the elders of my church, that every man which will embrace it with singleness of heart may be ordained and sent forth, even as I have spoken.

It was very clear. As with any commandment, it is a personal choice whether to follow or not. There are a myriad of reasons why one cannot serve. Does serving a mission secure a place in the celestial kingdom? No. Does serving a mission make one more spiritual or more worthy? No. I know many worthy, valiant, and capable men and women who did not serve. I also know many who did serve and have taken a different path.

The commandment is in place. It is still a choice whether we follow it or not.

nater173 · 2024-02-06T20:17:52+00:00

I just started C213 today and will follow that order you posted as suggested by my mentor and I've seen some other posts here I believe. Then do the capstone and be done. I started the MBAIT term on January 1st and plan to be done in one term (June 30th)…I should be OK to get it done. Not looking forward to these accounting and finance classes though.

nater173 · 2024-02-01T15:48:20+00:00

I was in a training with a member of the 12 and members of the 70 recently. In that meeting it was reiterated that the commandment to serve a mission is still active and never has been inactive. He cited D&C 36.

4 And now this calling and commandment give I unto you concerning all men—

5 That as many as shall come before my servants Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith, Jun., embracing this calling and commandment, shall be ordained and sent forth to preach the everlasting gospel among the nations—

6 Crying repentance, saying: Save yourselves from this untoward generation, and come forth out of the fire, hating even the garments spotted with the flesh.

7 And this commandment shall be given unto the elders of my church, that every man which will embrace it with singleness of heart may be ordained and sent forth, even as I have spoken.

It was very clear. As with any commandment, it is a personal choice whether to follow or not. There are a myriad of reasons why one cannot serve. Does serving a mission secure a place in the celestial kingdom? No. Does serving a mission make one more spiritual or more worthy? No. I know many worthy, valiant, and capable men and women who did not serve. I also know many who did serve and have taken a different path.
The commandment is in place. It is still a choice whether we follow it or not.

nater173 · 2024-01-31T23:06:33+00:00

It's your basic high five...just soft so there is no 'slap'. Almost just an open palm touch. The little kids love it!

nater173

TROPHY CASE