Missionary daily life abroad
Where missionaries live, what they eat and who does the laundry, in plain words from the Church’s Missionary Standards.
At a glance
- Home: housing the mission arranges, always shared with a companion.
- Meals: mostly cooked at home, sometimes with Church members.
- Chores: laundry, cleaning and shopping happen on P-day.
- Money: monthly mission funds cover food and supplies.
- Holidays: the mission president can adjust the schedule.
Details differ by mission. Your call packet and mission are the final word.
Questions
Where do missionaries live on their mission?
In housing the mission arranges. The type, like an apartment or a room, depends on the mission, so confirm in your call packet (Missionary Standards 4.6).
Do missionaries live with church members?
The Church doesn’t publish a rule on this. Housing is set by each mission, so confirm in your call packet.
Do missionaries live alone or with a companion?
Always with a companion. They sleep in the same room but not the same bed, and stay where they can see and hear each other (Missionary Standards 2.2.2).
Is missionary housing safe?
Safe housing, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are part of safety training. Missionaries are home by 9 p.m. or earlier, depending on local conditions (Newsroom).
Do missionaries cook for themselves?
Usually, yes. Monthly funds cover “food to prepare nutritious meals” and limited restaurant meals (Missionary Standards 4.8.1).
Do church members feed missionaries?
Often. Mission and stake presidents set local guidelines for meals with members, and missionaries offer a 15- or 20-minute lesson (Missionary Standards 2.4.5).
What is a pensionista?
No official Church page describes this. Some missions arrange meals locally; your call packet or mission will tell you.
How long do missionaries get for meals?
Lunch and dinner together take no more than two hours a day in the sample schedule (Missionary Standards 2.4.2).
Who does missionaries’ laundry and cleaning?
They do. Laundry, cleaning and shopping are preparation-day jobs, and monthly funds cover the supplies (Missionary Standards 2.5.1, 4.8.1).
How do missionaries pay for groceries?
From monthly mission funds, on a spending plan. They don’t ask family for extra money unless it’s an emergency (Missionary Standards 4.8.3).
Is the food and water safe on a foreign mission?
Missionaries use a water filter where purified water isn’t easy to get, eat only pasteurized dairy and avoid street-vendor food (Missionary Standards 4.1).
Do missionaries celebrate Thanksgiving and other holidays?
Mission presidents can adjust schedules for holidays, and missionaries may contact family on days that matter at home. See holiday calls.
Sources
- Missionary Standards, ch. 2: Organization and Activities
- Missionary Standards, ch. 3: Conduct
- Missionary Standards, ch. 4: Physical Well-Being
- Newsroom: Missionary safety
- General Handbook, chapter 24
. Rules change, so 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.
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