Service missionaries
Service missionaries live at home and serve in their own area. It is a mission, called by the Lord, just like any other.
What it is
Service missionaries serve God and His children in their local community while living at home. Assignments are tailored to each person and to the needs of the area (Serve a Mission).
Living at home
- Service missionaries live in their own home or with an approved family member.
- They arrange their own travel to where they serve.
- Senior service missionaries usually serve 8–40 hours a week for 6–24 months.
Kinds of service
Service can be at Church operations, approved charities in the community, and stake assignments. Many serve in more than one place during their mission (A Customized Experience).
Who it’s for
- Young service missionaries: single men 18–25 (usually 24 months) and single women 18–29 (usually 18 months).
- Senior service missionaries: men and women 26 and older, married or single. You don’t have to be retired.
- Young applicants don’t choose. All are considered first for teaching missions, and some are called to service missions.
How to start
- Young people: talk with your bishop and start your recommendation in the Missionary Portal.
- Seniors: apply for an opening on the senior missionary site. Your bishop and stake president are notified.
Questions
Do service missionaries live at home?
Yes. Service missionaries live at home and serve in their local area.
Who can be a service missionary?
Single young men 18–25 and single young women 18–29, and men and women 26 and older as senior service missionaries.
How long is a service mission?
Young men usually serve 24 months and young women 18 months. Senior service missionaries usually serve 6–24 months.
Is a service mission a real mission?
Yes. The Church teaches that all missionaries represent the Lord and carry out His work.
How long does a call take?
The Church says it usually takes two or three weeks after the stake president completes the recommendation.
Sources
- Serve a Mission (ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
- Service Missionary Candidate (official)
- Service missions: A Customized Experience
- Senior Missionary FAQ: service missionaries
- General Handbook, chapter 24
Checked October 12, 2026. 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.