Illinois Peoria Mission

Here are free resources about the Illinois Peoria Mission:

Mission address and phone number
Mission map
Video interviews with returned missionaries
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: Illinois LDS Missions.

Illinois Peoria Mission Address

Here’s a recent address for the Illinois Peoria Mission. We try to keep this information up to date, but it’s a good idea to check the mission address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office.

This mission does not currently exist.

Phone Number: N/A
Mission President: N/A

Illinois Peoria Mission Map

Here’s a link to the mission map for the Illinois Peoria Mission (LDS). To access the official, up-to-date LDS.org map for the Illinois Peoria Mission

*Mission does not currently exist. (Browse LDS.org mission maps)

Videos with Illinois Peoria RMs

Here are in-depth YouTube video interviews with returned missionaries from the Illinois Peoria Mission. We interview hundreds of returned missionaries each year, so check back regularly to see new RM interviews. Coming soon..

Videos about Illinois

Here are LDS-friendly educational videos about Illinois. We scoured YouTube to find the best quality videos about Illinois, that are free from inappropriate music, immodesty and profanity.

Illinois Peoria Missionary Blogs

Here’s a list of LDS missionary blogs for the Illinois Peoria Mission. This blog list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their mission blog was updated.

*Send your missionary a gift (mission-specific shirts, ties, Christmas stockings/ornaments, pillowcases, etc.)

none found yet

Illinois Peoria Mission Groups

Here are Illinois Peoria Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the mission.

Illinois Peoria Mission – Dean R. Sorensen Years Group (83 members)
Illinois Peoria Mission 1986-1989 (under President Visick) Group (64 members)
Friends of Illinois Peoria Mission with President Fenton P. Burgess Group (24 members)
Illinois Peoria Mission, Stephen W. Lundgreen Group (7 members)
Illinois Peoria Mission. Presidents Visick and Burgess Group (2 members)

Illinois Peoria Mission T-Shirts

Here are T-shirts for the Illinois Peoria Mission!

Shirt designs include Illinois Peoria 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: Peoria missionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments.

*Click here to browse Peoria Mission gifts

Illinois Peoria Mission Presidents

Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Illinois Peoria LDS Mission.

2010, Mission combined with other missions.
2007-2010, Lynn G. Erickson
2004-2007, Brent LaMar Top
2001-2004, Stephen Walter Lundgreen
1998-2001, F. Weldon Thacker
1995-1998, Dean Sorensen
1992-1995, Kenyon Udall
1989-1992, Burgess
1986-1989, H. Hal Visick
1983-1986, Brent Reed Rigtrup

Illinois LDS Statistics (2016)

Church Membership: 56,920
Missions: 3
Temples: 2
Congregations: 128
Family History Centers: 39

Helpful Articles about Illinois

Coming soon..

*Are you interested in becoming a lawyer in Illinois? Learn about the Illinois bar exam

Illinois Peoria Missionary Survey

Here are survey responses from Illinois Peoria RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission.

*Click here to take a survey to help pre-missionaries going to your mission.

When did you serve?

2009-2011 (Sarah)
1998-1999 (Rebecca)
2003 to 2005 (Greg)
2004 – 2005 (Rorie)
2008-2010 (Mary)
1990-1992 (Brian)
1991-1993 (Stacey)
1988-1990 (Todd)
1986-1988 (Rob)
1992-1994 (Jeff)

What areas did you serve in?

Champaign, Peoria, Jacksonville, Carthage, Cedar Falls-Iowa. (Sarah)
Litchfield, Springfield, Effingham, Paris. (Rebecca)
Washington, campaign Urbana, Princeton, Jacksonville, Quincy. (Greg)
Normal IL, Nauvoo IL, Champaign IL, Burlington IA, Normal IL. (Rorie)
Jacksonville, IL. Peoria, IL. Tuscola, IL. Carthage, IL. Bloomington, IL. (Mary)
Pontiac, Sullivan, Decatur, and SEVERAL OTHERS. (Brian)
Galesburg, Peoria, Pekin, Macomb, and Springfield. (Stacey)
Hannibal MO, Mattoon, Decatur, Peoria. (Todd)
Decatur (twice), Peoria (Twice – bike area, and the Office), Champaign/Urbana. (Rob)
Charleston, Decatur, Springfield, Ft. Madison, Pekin, Burlington. (Jeff)

What were some favorite foods?

Horseshoes- French fries and meat and cheese sauce! (Sarah)
Microwaved potato, Chinese food. (Greg)
Texas Sheet Cake, Quick Pickles, Green Beans. (Rorie)
Pony shoe from a little restaurant in Carthage, IL. Be prepared for a heart attack. Avanti’s Italian Restaurant. Their bread is amazing. When I went back to visit, I bought 5 loaves. (Mary)
Members’ casseroles! (Brian)
Mexican. (Stacey)
Mr. Donut – right next to our apartment. 😉 (Rob)

What was a funny experience?

The drunk college students, hitting on my companion. (Rorie)
It was so cold one day and my companion had tracting planned all day that we had begun to lose our minds. Although in the white handbook it says to maintain a professional disposition, my companion and I started quoting random movie quotes that applied to the Book of Mormon. We came across one that cracked us and we started laughing our heads off to the point of being paralyzed. We were standing in the middle of the street, laughing our heads off. So, to be obedient to the white handbook we ran behind a tree and continued laughing our heads off. Little did we know that every neighbor in the cul-de-sac had been watching us. It made for a great ice breaker but in the end it was good because we became relate-able to all these strangers. (Mary)
My 1st member meal with family. I spilled my drink. After that meal, each drink was served IN A CHILD’s SIPPIE CUP! (Brian)
Playing jokes on the elders. (Stacey)
Riding our bikes back to our apartment in a torrential down pour. We were on the home stretch, rounding the last turn. I glance back at my companion just in time to see him go down, and his shoe fly straight up in the air. Coming around that last turn, he accelerated, shearing off his pedal, and causing the crash. (Rob)

What was a crazy experience?

Tornadoes went through two towns I was in. Washington and Jacksonville. (Greg)
One time while we were street contacting, we had a goal of talking to 100 people and we came across a group of 10 teenage boys about to get into a brawl. I probably shouldn’t have but it was 10 people! So, we ran over before it got physical and introduced ourselves. Immediately every single one of them looked down in embarrassment and listened respectfully as we taught them about the Book of Mormon and how God is aware of each of his children. Two let us take their numbers and the boys who had been hiding in the house came out to listen to the lesson and one of them took our pass along card. Suffice it to say, they didn’t fight that night but just stared at each other with a look of, “What just happened? And what do we do now?” (Mary)
Tempted to HOP one of the MANY TRAINS. However, never did. (Brian)

What was a spiritual experience?

Visiting Nauvoo, Illinois and Carthage, Illinois. Teaching the gospel. Serving people. 🙂 (Rebecca)
Finding people who know there was more to life than what the world had shown them and seeing a desire to learn to understand what they were missing. (Greg)
Every zone conference. The 40 day fast in Normal. (Rorie)
One of our investigators had degenerative spinal disorder and was slowly dying painfully. We asked the elders to come over and give her a blessing and as we sat there, I witnessed boys become men and the Spirit filled the room that no one could deny the power they felt. She was pain free for a week and was able to come to church that week and make lasting friendships with members of the ward. (Mary)
Watching our Mission President share the Gospel with our bus driver. On our way to Nauvoo. (Brian)
Going to Nauvoo. (Stacey)
Being a part of teaching the Yi family in Champaign/Urbana, IL. What a great family, and hoping they are still doing well. You could not ask for a sweeter and kinder family to teach. (Rob)

What are some interesting facts about the Illinois Peoria Mission?

Kraft Macaroni and Cheese was made in Champaign and every Tuesday as we were out and about we knew they were making the cheese powder because the whole area would smell like cheese powder. (Sarah)
Springfield, Illinois is the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln. (Rebecca)
The decendance of the people who killed Joseph Smith. (Greg)
Citizens of Carthage who weren’t LDS saw the jail as a sacred place for them as well as it was the place a lot of them went to seek solace and solitary peace when their lives were going crazy. (Mary)
I remember asking my father WHAT humidity is and he told me I will know the minute I step off the plane…He was right! I caught my first FIREFLIES. (Brian)
Enjoy going to Nauvoo and Carthage for mission zone, with half the mission. (Stacey)
Corn and soybean processing plants in Decatur, had an aroma all its own. 😉 (Rob)

What was the weather like?

Springs and Falls are beautiful! Perfect temperatures, green trees. Winter and Summer’s have high humidity and can be very extreme in their temperatures. (Sarah)
Four seasons. Cold and snowy in the winter. Rainy in the spring, with beautiful pink trees (blossoms). Hot and humid in the summer. Beautiful fall colors. (Rebecca)
Cold. (Greg)
Wonderfully humid. (Rorie)
Freezing or hot! There was maybe 4 weeks of nice weather between the transitioning months from summer to winter. (Mary)
When it rains…Get out of it’s way! (Brian)
Humid, Snow, rain, sun. (Stacey)
Crazy both summer and winter because of the humidity. (Todd)
Cold in the winter (bitter cold), and hot/humid in the summer. (Rob)

Any things you really like about the area/people?

Very friendly people! (Sarah)
This mission involved a lot of rural areas and the people were salt of the earth, good people. (Rebecca)
Open corn fields and soy beans. Small towns and mostly friendly people. (Greg)
Every single moment was wonderful. The people were so kind and loving. There place was magical and so green. (Rorie)
The skies were absolutely gorgeous! And it was so green. I miss it. I loved the people because a lot of them were faith based and sincere. So, when we’d be in the ghetto, semi-dangerous place, we had representatives from other churches who had been preaching on the corner tell us that because we were sisters in the faith that they’d watch our backs while we tracted and make sure we were safe. (Mary)
Most friendly on earth! (Brian)
Take in local history site in my mission. (Stacey)
Humble and teachable, friendly and inviting. (Rob)

Any packing/clothing advice?

Bring lots of leggings for winter under your skirts. Light shirts/blouses for summer. I wore Borne shoes and Hush puppies my whole mission. They had really good soles. (Sarah)
Get a warm coat for the winter. (Rebecca)
Long johns and ugly ties. (Greg)
Forget the rain coat, it’s not needed. Think of light weight clothes for the summer and multiple layers for the winter. Sisters have some floor length skirts to wear in the winter and put on pants underneath where no one can see them. Roll your clothes instead of folding you can fit more in a smaller space. (Rorie)
Buy clothes there to prepare for the weather because they are already set with it there instead of guessing. For sisters, invest in leggings and well made boots. Thermal garments are nice if you’ll be outside most of the day but as soon as you go into an appointment be prepared to sweat it out. (Mary)
Plenty of under Garments! You’ll sweat a lot. (Brian)
By your winter clothes in the mission field.(Stacey)
Pack a good winter overcoat, ear muffs are also helpful. (Rob)

What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?

I grew closer to my Savior. I learned the importance of charity. I hungered and thirsted after knowledge. (Rebecca)
Humility. Deeper understanding of the gospel. (Greg)
A stronger testimony and a determination to do the Lord’s will. Have me a greater desire to find happiness in my life no matter what may happen. (Rorie)
A close relationship with the Spirit. People skills even though I have always been good with people, the mission taught me to be more compassionate with people I’m involved with in my everyday life, like a companion or struggling family member. Humbled me that I was not the center of the universe and I needed to be aware of that. I have a bigger respect for the priesthood and men in general. (Mary)
Strengthened testimony and knowledge. My parents got a lot SMARTER, while I was away serving…lol. (Brian)
Still keeping in contact with mission companions. (Stacey)
A strong testimony that Jesus is the Christ, and that His atonement is infinite and he is always there waiting with open arms to receive you. (Rob)

What are some skills you gained?

Conflict Resolution, communication, talking when it’s tough. (Sarah)
Juggling. Talking to people. (Rebecca)
Talking to strangers. Relating to people quickly and getting people to become comfortable quickly. (Greg)
To not be scared and to have greater trust in my ability to lead and teach. Be more flexible. Journal more. (Rorie)
Cooking, speaking, and companion communication. (Brian)
Better teaching. (Stacey)
The Spirit will guide you where needed. (Todd)
The ability to talk to people openly, and freely about the gospel. Also, in general, interpersonal communication skills, and conflict resolution. Can’t emphasize those enough. I continue to use those on a daily basis. (Rob)

What do you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?

Realized that a mission isn’t about stats. It’s not about how many people you baptize or Books of Mormon you place. It’s about being willing to put yourself out there and share what you know to be true. (Greg)
The Mission President does NOT bite. (Brian)
More confidence. (Stacey)
I wish I had a stronger testimony before I left. (Todd)
How to recognize the Spirit and how it communicates with me. (Rob)

Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries going to Illinois Peoria?

Study as much as you can. Read as much of the Bible and other standard works as you can. Learn to recognize the promptings of the Spirit. Go out with the missionaries serving in your area if possible. (Rebecca)
Be yourself. You will draw in certain people that relate to you alone. Don’t try to be a certain type of person, be yourself as a missionary. (Greg)
You will be tested and tried. Stay CLOSE to The Lord and seek HIM always! (Brian)
Work with missionaries before you leave. (Stacey)
Get ready NOW. (Todd)
Love your companion, and love the people you are called to serve in each of your areas. I was blessed with wonderful companions who taught me so much. Be teachable. When I left on my mission, the new missionaries were called “Greenies”. We defined those greenies as “teachable”, that is what made them “green”. Just my advice, stay a “greenie” your whole mission. It is a great way to live and love, and you will draw nearer to your Savior as you do. (Rob)

What was a funny language mistake?

We had a Spanish family and I was definitely not called to speak Spanish but I was trying so hard to learn. And as I was bearing my testimony for the first time to the family, I ended up calling them beautiful pigs. (Mary)
No MISTAKES. However, we were teaching a young girl who’s parents were not active. When we would show up TO TEACH, she took our manuals AND TAUGHT US. She really wanted to be baptized. (Brian)