The Calling of a Missionary

  When a young man or woman decides to go on a mission, he/she must first be found spiritually, physically, and mentally worthy to do so.   

  The Savior taught, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations” (Matthew 28:19).  Church members consider it a privilege to show their love for other people and the Lord by sharing the gospel.

 Missionaries generally begin serving when they are from 18 to 21 years old. Many retired seniors, men, women, and married couples also serve missions. Missionaries serve from 18 months to 2 years. Missions are voluntary, and missionaries are not paid for their service.  Missionaries come from around the world, and they serve wherever the Church calls them. While serving full-time, missionaries are official representatives of the Church.

As is done with every single perspective missionary, Elder Copeland first had to fill out his paperwork stating his desire to serve with recommendations from his ecclesiastical leaders of his worthiness in order to serve a mission.  This paperwork was then sent to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The perspective missionary then waits for the special letter to come with the particulars of his/her "calling."  This calling and the place where the missionary will serve is done by revelation through the Lord's servants, the prophets. A member of the Quorum of the Twelve assigns prospective missionaries to one of more than three hundred missions of the Church throughout the world.

 When Elder Copeland received his mission call on March 12, 2016, he was absolutely thrilled.  He would be serving in the Scotland/Ireland Mission for a period of 24 months, and would be preaching the gospel in English.  He was told that he would be reporting to the Missionary Training Center in Lancashire, England, on July 26, 2016.

 In addition to Elder Copeland's immediate family, many grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends were in attendance while he read his missionary calling letter, while others were tuned in through phones to hear the exciting news.