The Call

Isaac's Later Day Saint Mission Call

Isaac got his call on Wednesday, April 3 2013. It is averaged to take 1 1/2 weeks to get it from the time it is sent via internet to the Presidency from the Stake President. We called to have the post man hold our mail so I could have it in hand, but he held the wrong address.
We got it and Kaylin was most excited. Isaac was trying to be COOL. Kaylin and I ran inside. Isaac simply had a grin from ear to ear. I took it and put it in my drawer right away so we wouldn't want to open it. But, then I had a great IDEA....look and see the first letter of the mission? I tried to not look at the whole call. But I got to the first letter and I couldn't help it. E....ngland Leeds Mission.
I told him it started with an E. thoughts ran through his mind....Eugene Oregon Mission, Egypt, Ethiopia...everything but England.

I had to leave and while I was out, Jaida walked in on Isaac attempting to look at the SECOND letter....But Jaida stopped him. Landon got a good look and he saw LAND. I don't know if Isaac knew. I knew I knew. We tried to hold off for the opening on Thursday, and for the MOST part we did. The other exciting news was the date he would be going into the MTC. August 22, 2013. And he would be going straight into the MTC in England, not the usual Provo, Utah MTC. The reason being is that the Provo MTC is overcrowded now with the age change of missionaries from 19 to 18 for boys and 21 to 19 for girls! There are over 44,000 missionaries out now, 20,000 waiting to enter the MTC, and 6,000 in the interview process.

How do missionaries receive their call?

Talk by Elder Rasband of the Seventy explains

October 2010 Conference Talk:

... Each Apostle holds the keys of the kingdom and exercises them at the direction and assignment of the President of the Church. Elder Eyring was assigning missionaries to their fields of labor, and as part of my training, I was invited to observe.

I joined Elder Eyring early one morning in a room where several large computer screens had been prepared for the session. There was also a staff member from the Missionary Department who had been assigned to assist us that day.

First, we knelt together in prayer. I remember Elder Eyring using very sincere words, asking the Lord to bless him to know “perfectly” where the missionaries should be assigned. The word “perfectly” said much about the faith that Elder Eyring exhibited that day.

As the process began, a picture of the missionary to be assigned would come up on one of the computer screens. As each picture appeared, to me it was as if the missionary were in the room with us. Elder Eyring would then greet the missionary with his kind and endearing voice: “Good morning, Elder Reier or Sister Yang. How are you today?”

He told me that in his own mind he liked to think of where the missionaries would conclude their mission. This would aid him to know where they were to be assigned. Elder Eyring would then study the comments from the bishops and stake presidents, medical notes, and other issues relating to each missionary.

He then referred to another screen which displayed areas and missions across the world. Finally, as he was prompted by the Spirit, he would assign the missionary to his or her field of labor.

From others of the Twelve, I have learned that this general method is typical each week as Apostles of the Lord assign scores of missionaries to serve throughout the world.

Having served as a missionary in my own country in the Eastern States Mission a number of years ago, I was deeply moved by this experience. Also, having served as a mission president, I was grateful for a further witness in my heart that the missionaries I had received in New York City were sent to me by revelation.

After assigning a few missionaries, Elder Eyring turned to me as he pondered one particular missionary and said, “So, Brother Rasband, where do you think this missionary should go?” I was startled! I quietly suggested to Elder Eyring that I did not know and that I did not know I could know! He looked at me directly and simply said, “Brother Rasband, pay closer attention and you too can know!” With that, I pulled my chair a little closer to Elder Eyring and the computer screen, and I did pay much closer attention!

A couple of other times as the process moved along, Elder Eyring would turn to me and say, “Well, Brother Rasband, where do you feel this missionary should go?” I would name a particular mission, and Elder Eyring would look at me thoughtfully and say, “No, that’s not it!” He would then continue to assign the missionaries where he had felt prompted.

As we were nearing the completion of that assignment meeting, a picture of a certain missionary appeared on the screen. I had the strongest prompting, the strongest of the morning, that the missionary we had before us was to be assigned to Japan. I did not know that Elder Eyring was going to ask me on this one, but amazingly he did. I rather tentatively and humbly said to him, “Japan?” Elder Eyring responded immediately, “Yes, let’s go there.” And up on the computer screen the missions of Japan appeared. I instantly knew that the missionary was to go to the Japan Sapporo Mission.

Elder Eyring did not ask me the exact name of the mission, but he did assign that missionary to the Japan Sapporo Mission.

Privately in my heart I was deeply touched and sincerely grateful to the Lord for allowing me to experience the prompting to know where that missionary should go.

At the end of the meeting Elder Eyring bore his witness to me of the love of the Savior, which He has for each missionary assigned to go out into the world and preach the restored gospel. He said that it is by the great love of the Savior that His servants know where these wonderful young men and women, senior missionaries, and senior couple missionaries are to serve. I had a further witness that morning that every missionary called in this Church, and assigned or reassigned to a particular mission, is called by revelation from the Lord God Almighty through one of these, His servants.