Applying to be a Sister Missionary!

[mechelie]

I am a prospective sister missionary and have started the application process to go. I want to leave at the very end of the year. I have been attending church for almost five years now so I did not grow up in the church (my family has been inactive for as long as I can remember). I decided a year ago during my first year of college to go on a mission.

Because of all that, I don't know much about the application process. I was wondering if anyone had any tips or advice. What would you have liked to know when you were applying?

Also, I have a meeting with my bishop this upcoming Wednesday to discuss some questions, but it would be nice to know more before I go. One big question I have is: When is the earliest that I can turn in my papers? How can I get help to pay for my mission? I have been saving for it since I decided to go, but that doesn't amount to much.

PS. Please no negative comments about sister missionaries. I have heard a lot of it already, and I still know that I want to go.

[Hemidakota]

Are you 21-years old? Six months out if not. You can receive financial support for a mission.

[pam]

No negative comments from me. I think it's great that you want to go. There were some sister missionaries I got to know 20 years ago and I am still in contact with some of them.

[Wingnut]

The earliest your papers can be submitted is 90 days prior to your 21st birthday. I would recommend starting 6 months before your birthday, so that you have time to get medical and dental issues taken care of without feeling rushed.

[mechelie]

My 21st birthday is the beginning of December. I want to get the application finished before I go back to college for one more semester so I can get it done in my home ward. So the earliest I can turn in my papers would be at the end of September then. What happens after I turn in my papers? How long will it take to get my call? Thanks for all of the quick posts!

[tubaloth]

Talk with your bishop (which you are doing). He well know everything to do, and the time frame to do it in.

After you turn your papers in you wait by the mail box. Once you get a big envelope from the (Church headquarters). You wake everybody up in your family really really early. Have everybody around you as you open it, and read it aloud. If you want to be funny (usually for your mom) you have some strange country ready to play a joke on everybody.

How long it takes actually depends on how long from the time you send in your papers to when you said you would leave. Mines took a week, they sent my papers in (through internet on a Tuesday night) I got the call the next Wednesday. I had a month to get ready, but I was going from Utah to Spokane.

If you go on a foreign mission you have more time to get things ready (like 3-4 months).

[Hemidakota]

My 21st birthday is the beginning of December. I want to get the application finished before I go back to college for one more semester so I can get it done in my home ward. So the earliest I can turn in my papers would be at the end of September then. What happens after I turn in my papers? How long will it take to get my call? Thanks for all of the quick posts!

Depends on you. My daughter took almost four months of paperwork, medical, dental, and so forth before being called to Canada.

[candace717]

Did you decide to go? When are you turning in your papers? Do you have any more questions about the process- I'm a RM and can help if you do.

Also, I have an online store for sister missionaries called Sorella Bella- check it out at Sister Missionary Clothes

[mechelie]

I did decide to go. Sorry it took a while to respond. I leave next week for the Provo MTC! I am there for three months because I will be reporting Kobe Japan!