Mission Call Opening Ideas (with a Free Guessing Game)
Updated Oct 2026
Opening the call is a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Here are simple ideas to include everyone, near or far. Tap an idea to open it.
Ideas for the opening
Host a free “Where in the world?” guessing game
Make a free game in about 20 seconds, text the link, and everyone taps where they think the call is. At the opening, the globe flies to the mission and the closest guess wins. Start a game →
Bring far-away family in on a video call
Grandparents, cousins and friends can guess from their own phones anywhere. On the night, share the big-screen view on Zoom or a TV so everyone watches the reveal together.
Open it privately first, then share
Some missionaries open the call with just their parents, then announce it to everyone else afterward (LDS365). Choose whatever feels right for your family.
A big world map and pins
Print or hang a world map and let guests stick a pin or sticker where they think the call is. Take a photo of the map before the opening; it makes a great keepsake.
Guess cards
Hand out small cards: guests write their guess for the country, the language and the report month. Read the closest ones after the reveal.
Pause after the mission name
Read the mission name first and stop for a moment so everyone can react, then read the rest of the letter.
Ask one person to film
Let one person record the moment so the missionary can put their phone down and just enjoy it.
Snacks or flags from likely places
Set out a few snacks or small flags from countries people are guessing. After the reveal, look up a favorite food from the mission on its GotMyCall page.
Make a keepsake
After the reveal, the guessing game makes a shareable keepsake card with everyone’s guesses and the closest one.
Share the news
Find the mission on GotMyCall, add the report date for a countdown, and share the page with family who couldn’t be there.
How the free guessing game works
- Create a game with the missionary’s name and the opening time. No accounts.
- Invite family with the link or QR code. They tap where they think the call is.
- Reveal: type the mission at the opening. The globe flies there and the closest guess wins.
Ranking: naming the exact mission beats a pin inside the mission’s approximate area, then the right state or province (US and Canada), then the right country, then the shortest distance. Ties go to the earlier guess.
Before the opening
- Pick a time when the people who matter most can join, in person or by video.
- Charge phones and test the TV or video call ahead of time.
- Have the Missionary Portal login ready so the call opens quickly.
Sources
Checked October 9, 2026. Rules change, so the official pages, your call packet and the Missionary Portal are always the final word. GotMyCall is unofficial and not affiliated with or endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.