How to Be a Member Missionary

Yesterday I received an email from a old high school buddy. Hmmm...maybe I should rethink that word "old." She was organizing an elementary school reunion and trying to track down friends she had lost contact with over the years. She was looking for a particular person who she remembers was Mormon and since she knows I'm Mormon she was hoping I'd know her. Kind of like asking someone from the gigantic state of Texas "Oh, if you're from Texas then you must know so and so." Well, I thought it was cute, but I was sorry to tell her I didn't know her former gal pal.

I DID know how to help find her and I thought I'd pass this information along should you ever be in a similar situation. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known as the Mormons, has a resource for locating members all over the world. It's a process that allows for privacy and security. You can simply call the Member and Statistical Records Division at the church office building at 801-240-3500. Request a copy of the "Membership Contact Form" and you will receive it by mail. Remember snail mail? Currently there is no electronic version of this form.

Fill out two forms, which ask for information about the person's name, age, birthplace, and other facts that might be helpful in locating the one you are trying to reach. You also have to write a brief statement about why you want to contact the person. Return both forms to the address provided at the top of the forms. One of those copies will be sent to the person you are trying to locate, who then can decide whether or not to contact you. If the Church can't find the person you will be notified.

This service is especially helpful if you're trying to find a woman who may have married and changed names. You can also write to this department, rather than call, at this address:

It's always fun to reconnect with old friends and I suspect that we'll be spending a good amount of time in eternity just hugging and catching up with dear ones. At least I hope so!

I just discovered mission.net! It is THE place to go on the net to learn about every mission ever organized in the Church since 1837! You can spend quite a bit of time exploring the site and learning about the 350 missions currently operating in 162 nations. It has helpful links to mission web sites where newly-called or returned missionaries can register and reconnect with companions and friends where they served.

You can click anywhere on the map of the world and read about the missions in that area. Most of the mission "alumni" sites include photos, reunion information, statistics, updated news, and message boards. If you've served a mission, be sure to register in the alumni database so others can find you and you can receive important notices. Last year I spent countless hours trying to track down missionaries where I served so I could invite them to a special 20th anniversary reunion. Our mission president was from France and was coming to the United States for the first time and we didn't want any of our old companions to miss it! That reunion was one of the greatest nights of my life...but I'll tell you about that another time.

Another service I really love about this site is that it offers a glossary of terms where non-members can get accurate information about what a mission or the Missionary Training Center is. It's a great site to point your non-member relatives and friends to when you or a loved one gets a mission call!

Finally, another cool feature this site offers is the "Mission of the Day." Every morning a different mission is randomly selected and featured on the home page. Today, for example, is the Swiss mission. A friend of mine served there years ago, but it looks like the boundaries have changed since he was there. Looks like they have a new stake called the St. Gallen Stake too.

It's so much fun to browse the pages and see what's happening in the Church all over the world! It just makes my heart sing to see the growth of the Church on the earth and makes me feel like even my small efforts help build the kingdom. What an honor and a privilege to live in the dispensation of the fullness of times!