The next question: It sounds a lot like becoming a priest or monk etc . Is it similar? Do all missionairea become a form of priest and hence called sister or elder ?

No. It is not like becoming a Priest or a Monk. I think there is quite a bit of schooling to become a Priest or a Monk – and it is their life calling as well. Priests are a paid clergy, and while I don’t think monks get paid, they rely on the community. Neither group marry, as they commit themselves to God. It’s a life choice for most (but I’m not an expert on Priests and Monks so my knowledge is limited to the minimum research I have done).

Missionaries are quite a bit different.

There is no “official” training. They do go to a training centre to learn languages, learn how to teach, and have some religious education, but nothing like how a Priest of Monk is educated. The MTC (Missionary Training Centre) is intense and they study all day – but it’s only 3 weeks long unless they learn a language too (in which case it ranges from 6-12 weeks long). Much of a missionary’s “education” comes from what they were taught growing up (at home and at church or church events) and what they learn and choose to study on their own (while growing up, and on their mission).

As already mentioned in previous posts, missionaries volunteer their time. Not only do they volunteer their time, but they pay their own way. The church covers their airfare, but the missionary has to pay a monthly amount. This monthly amount covers most of their basic needs while on the mission (they are supplied with funds monthly). They do pay for any kind of souvenirs or extras they might want, and sometimes they have to purchase things like a bike for themselves and are asked to pay for that (Zach had to bring money to purchase a bike when he arrived in Tahiti). Right now it is $400 per month they pay, but it goes up next year to $500 (they haven’t increased the cost since the 90’s despite cost of living increasing.) Of course there are all the set up costs they have to pay for as well – which doesn’t seem like a lot, but it adds up (clothing, luggage, supplies, vaccinations etc). A mission is not free – you are actually paying to volunteer – so a missionary really needs to be devoted to give up the time and money.

Missions are all paid for differently depending on the family and the missionary circumstance. Some missionaries pay for it all on their own, some have family support as well. Some families pay the whole thing for their child, and sometimes the congregation helps fund the cost if the missionary does not have enough money to pay. Basically if you want to serve, money will not hold you back. There is always a way (and often missionaries will postpone when they go so they can work to save money to go).

Once the mission is complete then they just go back to their regular life. Our church has no paid clergy – it is completely run on a volunteer basis, so after serving a mission, you continue serving in your local congregations doing different jobs that they ask you to fulfill just like everyone else. Serving a mission doesn’t place you in any higher ranks than anyone.

However, while you are a missionary, you are specifically called to be a “full-time missionary” and are assigned to serve in a specific area. Right before you leave on your missions, you receive a special blessing/prayer where they “set you apart” (basically in a religious way officially “make you”) a full time missionary. That’s when all the missionary rules “come into effect” and you are asked to follow them . At that point you are called “Elder” or “Sister” and your last name. This symbolizes that you have been “set apart” officially as a missionary and that you are now choosing to live your life as a full time missionary. You are called by these titles until you are “released” as a missionary when you come home. The term Elder comes from the Old Testament and New Testament and refers to a Priesthood office. It is only used as an official title for male missionaries and some apostles or seventies in the church (higher leaders – much like how the church was organized in Christ’s time). Women are called “sisters”. Using these titles is seen as a way of distinguishing yourself so that you can stand out as representative of Jesus Christ. It is a title of honour and respect and serves as a reminder to both you and those around you about who you are and what you are doing for this time period.

As a representative of Jesus Christ, you are also given a name tag to wear – which has your last name on it, as well as the Church’s Name. You wear this name tag at all times, again, letting the world know that you are setting aside your worldly needs and yourself, to be a representative of Christ.

You serve for a period of 18 months – 2 years. Females serve for 18 months, males serve for 2 years. Females can go at 19 years or older, males can go between the ages of 18-26. Why the differences? Who knows. Truly. Many of my friends in the church talk with me about how we just wish they would make it one way across the board as we don’t understand it. Perhaps it is a remnant of times past where women did not go on missions and when they first started going they made it different back then? Maybe they wanted sisters to go for less time so they could come back earlier to get married earlier? Maybe they wanted the boys to stay longer as they needed more time to grow and mature? I really don’t know, so hesitate to really guess. I do know that in years past, the amount of time for men’s missions have changed (went from 2 to 3 year to 2 years to 18 months, to 2 years) – and the age limit of missions has also changed. So future changes will likely still take effect. (Remember when I said some things are outside my jar? All these questions are little pebbles that are outside my jar that I don’t get and I tend to think it is stuck in some cultural, traditional vortex – so the rocks just stay outside my jar and I’m fine with that.)

If you want to follow Zach’s actual mission blog here it is: zachfioretahitimission.blogspot.com