As far as I know, MLS missionaries have been around for a while, but everyone is still trying to figure out what they do exactly. The answer is we can do anything. We’re superheroes!

MLS missionaries will never be told what they will be doing in the mission field before they get there. And if you ask them, they’ll just laugh. This has been a pretty good joke during our time in the MTC. When an MLS missionary couple arrives in the field, they can be given assignments from the mission president, a bishop or branch president, or a stake president. Sometimes, all three. They are there to support, help out where needed, and make themselves available.

While we were in the MTC, it sounded like the powers that be were trying to be a little more concise with the definition of an MLS missionary. We were taught that our best characteristic might be to have initiative. Sometimes, no one knows what to do with you, so you have to be creative. They told us about one couple that came back from their mission having sat around not doing much the entire length of their mission. They were waiting for someone to give them direction.

Here is a list of all the things we might be asked to do, and we were semi-trained on many of them:

• Track down inactive ward members
• Serve in local callings
• Monitor, support and help younger missionaries
• Mentor and support local leaders (attend ward council, other meetings as needed)
• Facilitate and publicize Self-Reliance classes
• Help promote BYU-Pathway or start classes such as: Family History, Temple prep, English Connect, Life Help, Marriage and Family Relations
• Help in the community, find ways to connect community resources with church resources
• Use social media (Facebook) to spread the Gospel.

Did you even know the church had so many helpful programs? We our outfitted to provide help in any area of distress, and I think that’s amazing. We likely won’t do ALL of these different things, but we might do any of them. Basically, we need to be familiar with all the programs of the church. That isn’t as scary as it sounds.

• First of all, you are there to support these programs. That means, you may suggest that a ward begins using a certain program as needed. You would help organize the ward members to set things up, train, teach, and carry it all out. There may be opportunities to teach, but only if that’s what you want to do. You might simply act as publicity, or sit at the registration table, or whatever you feel comfortable doing.
• Second, it’s all about the people. And that is the best part. Meeting new people, making friends, seeing them progress by any measure.

These are the things we were prepped for, but we were warned that our mission could go in any direction, so come flexible and ready to work; most importantly, be prayerful and creative in taking initiative, and deciding where you can be the most helpful.

One very important thing to remember though:

You will only be there for 12-23 months. What happens to the program when you leave? That’s why you are strictly there as support, even though it may have been your idea to begin with. Ward members have to be running the program for it to really take off.

You can catch up on our journey here.

You can continue along with us on our journey here.