Here are free resources about the California Bakersfield Mission:
- Mission address and phone number
- Mission map
- Missionary blogs
- Facebook groups
- LDS Mission t-shirts and gifts
- List of past mission presidents
- Cultural articles written by returned missionaries
- Survey with RMs
*Other Mission Pages: California LDS Missions.
Bakersfield Mission Address
Here’s a recent address for the California Bakersfield Mission. We try to keep this info up to date, but it’s a good idea to check the address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office.
California Bakersfield Mission
3512 Coffee Rd, Suite B
Bakersfield California 93308
Phone Number: 1-661-589-8900
Mission President: President Tim W. Layton
California Bakersfield Mission Map
Here’s a link to the mission map for the California Bakersfield Mission (LDS). To access the official LDS.org map for the Bakersfield Mission:
Bakersfield Missionary Blogs
Here’s a list of LDS missionary blogs for the California Bakersfield Mission. This list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their blog was updated.
California Bakersfield Mission Groups
Here are California Bakersfield Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the Bakersfield Mission.
- California Bakersfield Missionary Moms Group (237 members)
- California Bakersfield RMs Group (38 members)
- Bakersfield California Mission Facebook Group (2 members)
California Bakersfield Mission T-Shirts
Here are T-shirts for the California Bakersfield Mission!
Shirt designs include California Bakersfield Mission logo/emblem shirts and Called to Serve shirts. The shirts make great gifts for pre-missionaries, returned missionaries and missionaries currently serving. LDS Mission shirts come in all sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, up to 4XL. The mission designs are printed on white shirts and are shipped to you.
*Simply click on a shirt design to view the details and submit an order. The designs on mission t-shirts may also be printed on other LDS mission gifts, including: California Bakersfield missionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments.
*Click here to browse Bakersfield Mission gifts
Bakersfield Mission Presidents
Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the California Bakersfield LDS Mission.
- 2016-2019, Tim W. Layton
- 2013-2016, James M. Wilson
California LDS Statistics (2016)
- Church Membership: 773,762
- Missions: 20
- Temples: 7
- Congregations: 1,357
- Family History Centers: 222
Helpful Articles about California
Bakersfield Missionary Survey
Here are survey responses from California Bakersfield RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission.
When did you serve?
- 2016-2018 (Nicole)
- 2015-2016 (Beth)
- 2013-2014 (Anna)
- 2014-2016 (Sarah)
What areas did you serve in?
- Bakersfield, Arvin, Palmdale. (Nicole)
- Bakersfield, Lancaster. (Beth)
- Bakersfield, Tehachapi, Delano, Lancaster. (Sarah)
What were some favorite foods?
- Enchiladas, Posole, Taquitos,Tacos, Burritos. (Nicole)
- Authentic Mexican dishes and Dewars ice cream. Lots of members cook wonderfully in this mission! (Beth)
- ALL LATINO FOOD IS AMAZING!!!!!!! (Anna)
- Tacos, spaghetti, Chinese chicken salad, tostadas, potatoes. (Sarah)
What was a funny experience?
- Zone and district activities. (Nicole)
- From my companion: She and her trainer were tracting and they knocked on this one door. From inside they hear, “Who is it?” They responded and then they got this response, “No one is here. Beeeeeeeep.” (like an answering machine). (Anna)
- My companion and I were borrowing some of the elders’ bikes, and my companion slipped on some water, and flew off the bike! Her shoe went one direction, her bag another, and when she sat up, the first thing she asked if the bike was okay! I’m glad she was okay, and we had a good laugh about it, especially about the ice cream truck man who laughed at her as he was washing his truck, whose driveway she had landed in. (Sarah)
What was a crazy/dangerous experience?
- Investigators with shady proposals and walking down alleys after dark, plus being tackled by dogs. (Nicole)
- In Lancaster there is a church called Lancaster Baptist, and they collectively hate our church, teaching anti-Mormon classes, sending out their youth, in pairs, dressed like our Elders and Sisters to spread anti- material, etc. As a brand new Sister I was leery of these people but knew they needed the gospel just as much as anyone else! My first week my trainer and I are out tracting and she asks me to try taking the lead on the next door we knocked. We get up to the door (there was a gate then small area in front of the door). Once inside the gate I felt the Spirit leave and a horrible feeling all over me, as soon as I raise my hand to knock, the door flings open and this huge man is standing there, shaking, giving us this death-glare. I’d never before seen such hatred in the eyes of a stranger, I managed to squeak out who we were before he yelled at us that we needed to leave, right then, that we were not welcome. I honestly thought he was going pull us inside and/or hurt us, luckily we scurried off his property really quickly, but as we walked past his car in the driveway we noticed a Lancaster Baptist sticker. Super scary! (Beth)
- My companion and I were almost eaten by a drugged-up pit bull. (Anna)
- My companion and I were riding our bikes at night in a more sketchy part of town, and we passed a barber shop full of gang-bangers, and they stared at us as we passed (not hard since we were white girls riding bikes in skirts). We pedaled home quick and got our car instead. (Sarah)
What was a spiritual experience?
- Seeing the power of Elijah testify of family history to our recent converts. (Nicole)
- I was transferred into a new area (where we would cover two wards) and was training for the first time. I was terrified and once I picked up my greenie, I was feeling as if I couldn’t handle the weight of two areas that I was unfamiliar with, training for the first time, or even manage to get us to our apartment from transfer meeting. We find a planner left with an appointment scheduled for the next day and once we arrive, we meet the most incredible, sweet, golden investigator you’ll ever meet. She hadn’t met with the missionaries before, but had received a Book of Mormon. She brought it out and it was full of notations and questions, and she had a notepad with 3 pages, front and back just covered in her thoughts, questions and desires to learn more. The Spirit was in abundance as we taught that lesson. My greenie had the best first lesson ever! This Sister was baptized, received her Patriarchal blessing, has gone through the temple, serves multiple callings and is one of the most devoted members to family history I have ever seen. It was the most incredible day of my mission. (Beth)
- Twice while we were out tracting, we would knock on a door and when the door opened, whether or not we could see their face, we could see/feel light coming from the person on the other side of the door. So incredible!!!! Truly amazing! The light of Christ is real!!! (Anna)
- My companion and I both had an extremely similar dream one night about someone that was ready to receive the Gospel. The house in our dream was yellow, and so that day, and the next three days we tracked it our area especially every yellow house. On the 3rd day of looking, we found a yellow house, but nobody was home. So, a little discouraged we tracted that street. We happen to knock on the door of a man named Moises. He answered, listen to a brief version of the restoration, and we tried to set up a return appointment. When we went back, he didn’t answer the door. We tried many more times, and then after about two weeks, and a transfer meeting, we went back, and caught him at home. He was so receptive to the gospel, and he got baptized just days after I got transferred out of that area. He is still a lifelong friend, and I talked to him often! (Sarah)
What are some interesting facts about the Bakersfield Mission?
- Really hot in the summer and really windy in the winter, most Spanish speakers are from Mexico. Members are great and you’ll get well fed. Mission culture. (Nicole)
- The people make it! If you serve anywhere in Bakersfield itself, you’ll never really see the sky, there’s a dense cloud of smog that just sits over top of the valley, it’s so gross! When I first got there I thought it smelled (because of the smog) but I adjusted. It’s nothing like the typical California you think of since you’re in the desert, but it has its own beauty; The farm fields, the mountains, and if you get to serve up in Bishop (or even Tehachapi), you could see snow in the winter! (Beth)
- There are a lot of fields in Bakersfield. Some of the most common are almond trees, orange trees, and grape vines. When it’s grape season, everyone tries to get rid of grapes, so you end up collecting lots of bags of grapes. (Anna)
- They have some of the best taco trucks ever! Bakersfield originally was a field owned by someone with the last name of Baker. It also used to be a swamp at one point, even though when you get there it won’t seem like it. (Sarah)
What was the weather like?
- 110+ in the summer and 30ish in the winter. (Nicole)
- HOT (and thankfully dry) summers, mild winters, but it’s still pretty chilly when you’re out tracting! You want the lightest, most breathable clothing you can find for the summer, you’ll sweat like crazy, so make it as easy on yourself as you can. (Beth)
- Hot!!!! When it rained: freezing. (Anna)
- Extremely dry, extremely hot in the summer, fairly warm the rest of the year, and not super cold in the winter. Although some areas do get some snow, and some areas are extremely windy, like Lancaster and Palmdale. (Sarah)
Any things you really like about the area/people?
- I loved and people and how much they cared and loved us even those who weren’t interested. The Bakersfield Mission is a unique place you get the best of both worlds you get to experience the city, the desert, the mountains, the fields and much more. I loved how humble people are. (Nicole)
- The people are genuine. There is so much diversity, I worked in government housing developments and neighborhoods at the same time that I was serving a ward where everyone lived in multi-million dollar houses. You will meet people from all walks of life. It is truly a blessing to serve here! (Beth)
- Latinos are the best. They are so kind and loving. They show their love by giving you food. Women kiss each other on the cheek in greeting. (Anna)
- To be quite honest, that area itself isn’t all that pretty. There’s quite a bit of smog in Bakersfield itself, so there isn’t much to see. The best part about Bakersfield is the people. It’s very diverse, and you find people with very strong testimonies in and out of the church. The people there are very welcoming, and the members love missionaries. (Sarah)
Any packing/clothing advice?
- Bring sweater you’ll need it and really try bot to accumulate stuff even though members will give you things it can be a hazel to transport it especially when you go home. It’s worth spending a little more money in high quality shoes. Grooming standards are enforced. (Nicole)
- I was one of those Sisters that didn’t listen to the advice of packing light and I so regretted it. Don’t bring anything that you don’t absolutely love to wear, because you’re going to grow to hate the clothes you do like, so you know you won’t wear anything you already don’t like. You will accumulate stuff/clothing/etc. over time, so starting out with less helps. You’ll want tights and a coat for the winter, but the rest of the year you won’t even need a jacket. You can always have winter clothes sent to you then send them back after the season. (Beth)
- Wear shoes that you can walk a lot in without getting blisters. Bring plenty of warm-weather clothes, but also a warm jacket for the winter. (Anna)
- Bring shoes you’ll actually like. The ugly sister missionary shoes that almost everyone brings, nobody ever wears. Just by flats that are both comfortable, and stylish. You’ll be happier with your choice and you’ll spend less money. Also, just plan on ending up buying clothes in the mission field as well, because you do get tired of your wardrobe. Just make sure you donate some clothes that you won’t ever wear again, so that you don’t end up with more than you can take home. Also, it is extremely hot, so make sure you bring breathable clothes. Also, do your best to bring colorful outfits, but make sure that most of your clothes will coordinate with each other so you have the maximum amount of combinations. (Sarah)
What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?
- Developed so many Christ like attributes, learned life-long lessons, made life long friends, my family grew stronger and I learned to recognize the promptings of the spirit and was able to bless the life of others. (Nicole)
- Serving, when I did, where I did, was the greatest blessing I have ever received thus far in my life. As I dedicated myself to the work and truly attempted to put myself aside and put those I was meeting, teaching and growing to love first, I learned, in the smallest way, how the Savior must feel about our Heavenly Father’s children. You are able to gain a better perspective of your life, you can feel the Spirit constantly (as you’re worthy), and you learn to be a conduit for the Spirit to teach and more importantly to listen, to the Holy Ghost and to those around you. No matter how dark the day or whatever happened, my mission was worth it in every way. (Beth)
- The people I met. The ability to serve the Lord and bear testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ and His restored gospel. The ability to speak Spanish. Learn how to serve, meet people, and work well with others. Forced into situations where you learn to rely on the Lord. (Anna)
- I gained a better, and deeper testimony of the Atonement, and just HOW much Christ and Heavenly Father love us. I gained life long friends in my companions, and members in my areas. I also happened to meet my husband, and have been extremely blessed by our temple marriage, and sweet baby boy. (Sarah)
What are some skills you gained?
- To work in unity, take leadership, organization, good study habits. (Nicole)
- I learned to open my mouth! To be confident in sharing what I knew to be true, to not be scared, afraid or ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You are given so many opportunities to develop many of the Savior’s attributes. It is amazing! (Beth)
- Social skills. Teamwork skills. Spanish-speaking. How to meet people/what to say skills. (Anna)
- The ability to relate to almost every one, and listen to the Spirit on what that person needs. (Sarah)
What do you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?
- It’s never easy but it’s rewarding no matter what other missionaries do you must always do what you know to be right. Obedience truly bring forth the blessings of heaven. Don’t beat yourself about things but make sure to try everyday. (Nicole)
- It’s not about you! You’re not the one teaching, you’re not in charge, you really play a small part (an important one, yes!); you are responsible for being worthy of having the Spirit present, so He can teach these people and testify of the truths you share. The sooner I learned to forget myself and get to work, the more joy I found in my life, and I came to love everything about my mission. (Beth)
- Every little thing’s gonna be alright!!! (Anna)
- Not get so discouraged so easily. It’s hard, but if you can find a way to get along with even the most difficult of companions, it makes the hard days better. (Sarah)
Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries going to Bakersfield?
- Your mission will transform you in way you didn’t know were possible and will shape your life for the best as you let the atonement of Jesus Christ do that for you, the love you’ll feel for people and the joy and satisfaction you’ll feel from your service is greater than anything ever experience. Missions are never about yourself but about everyone else yet you’ll be blessed beyond measure for your sacrifice and consecration. (Nicole)
- You are here, in this mission, for specific reasons. The Lord needs you right where you are, with the companion, ward, and community that you are with. Put the people first and do all that you can to follow the white handbook, the schedule, and the rules set forth by your mission President, a man set apart and called to help and assist you in this work. It is a privilege and honor to serve. Enjoy and relish in the time that you have; it is so precious and goes by WAY too quickly! (Beth)
- Know that the Book of Mormon is true before entering the MTC. God loves you. You are never forsaken. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is real and it can heal you from all pain if you let it. (Anna)
- Just remember that you can find no matter where you go, you just have to be more creative in wealthier areas. The more excited you get the members about sharing the Gospel, the better chance you have of finding, retaining new members, and reactivating less-actives. (Sarah)
What was a funny language mistake?
- Saying embarazada (pregnant) in an attempt to say embarrassed in Spanish. (Nicole)
- Not funny, but a warning. Do NOT use the word “estupido”. It does not translate the same. It akin to a cuss word and is extremely insulting. (Anna)
Cierra (California Bakersfield Mission)
–Paraphrased from Cierra’s mission interview–
For Future Missionaries
Receiving a mission call is beautiful! It’s such a great experience, and it’s all yours. You’ll learn the things that the Lord wants you to whether you want to or not! I know that the church is true, and I know that missions change lives. As a convert, I’m a testimony of that. Your mission will be a wonderful experience, AND it will be hard, but you will grow.
I’ll always miss and love my mission. What you go through will be especially for you, even though there will be moments where you really don’t want to be a missionary. Despite everything, you will learn to feel the love of Christ for those you meet. Changing your life is hard, and living with someone you don’t know is really scary, but, it’s remarkable. You’ll learn so much about yourself and about the Savior. If you stay humble and stay obedient, things will work out the way they need to and I know that to be true. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen