The Utah Salt Lake City Headquarters Mission focuses on supporting church operations, family history work, and community service while providing missionary opportunities in a unique headquarters setting.
Mission Overview
The Utah Salt Lake City Headquarters Mission, officially established on January 1, 2017, is the 422nd mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is the largest in terms of the number of missionaries, with approximately 1,200 serving at a time mymission.com. Unlike geographically expansive missions, it is one of the smallest in area, second only to the Temple Square Mission, reflecting its focus on service within the church’s headquarters and local community.
Mission Purpose and Activities
Missionaries in this mission engage in a variety of roles beyond traditional proselytizing. Key activities include:
- Family History and Church History Work: Assisting patrons at the Family History Library and Church History Library, helping individuals trace their ancestry using FamilySearch, and supporting archival and historical projects FamilySearch.
- Church Operations Support: Serving in departments such as the Temple Department, military relations, security, building maintenance, and administrative offices.
- Community and Member Service: Senior missionaries may be assigned to local branches to teach the gospel, provide service, and assist priesthood leaders in Salt Lake City.
Many positions require no prior experience, though professional skills in areas like administration, IT, accounting, archives, or museum work are valuable. Language skills may also be needed to assist diverse patrons at the Family History Library.
Leadership
The mission is led by a mission president and counselors. Currently, Ronald L. Craven and Rebecca L. Craven serve as mission president and companion. At its inception, President Warren G. Tate served as mission president, with Presidents Clark Larson and Randy Hansen as counselors. Leadership oversees assignments, training, and coordination with church departments to ensure missionaries contribute effectively to both church operations and community service.
Location and Context
The mission is based in Salt Lake City, Utah, the headquarters of the Church, which is culturally and historically significant for its focus on family, community, and religious education. The city’s headquarters, including the Church Office Building, provides a central hub for global church administration, media production, temple coordination, and missionary support including templesquare.org.
Summary
The Utah Salt Lake City Headquarters Mission is a unique mission that combines traditional missionary service with specialized support for church operations, family history, and community engagement. Its focus on service within the headquarters environment allows missionaries to contribute to the Church’s global mission while assisting local members and visitors in meaningful ways.