Missionaries Currently, some 60,000 Latter-day Saints are participating in proselytizing missions around the world. Approximately 75 percent of the Church's proselytizing missionaries are young men between the ages of 19 and 26. Each elder or sister missionary accepts an assignment from Church leaders to serve in a specific mission. Health specialists and doctors go to developing countries where the Church's health services program teaches preventive care. Craftsmen, artisans and construction supervisors train members in local building projects.
Agricultural experts train people to produce food more effectively and economically.
Other mission assignments include education, family history research and leadership training. The missionaries or their families donate money to the Church to pay for their personal expenses. When his or her assignment is completed, the missionary returns to home to pursue vocational, academic or other personal goals. Before leaving on a mission, each missionary is assigned to one of 15 missionary training centers around the world. Those required to learn another language spend eight weeks in training before traveling to their assigned mission.