Free resources about the New Jersey Morristown 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: New Jersey Cherry Hill Mission.
NJ Morristown Mission Address
Here’s a recent address for the Morristown Mission. We try to keep this information up to date, but it’s a good idea to check the address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office.
New Jersey Morristown Mission
5 Cold Hill Rd S Ste 10
Mendham NJ 07945
USA
Phone Number: 1-973-543-8122
Mission President: President Paul W. Hess
5 Cold Hill Rd S Ste 10
Mendham NJ 07945
USA
Phone Number: 1-973-543-8122
Mission President: President Paul W. Hess
New Jersey Morristown Mission Map
Here’s a link to the mission map for the New Jersey Morristown Mission (LDS). To access the official LDS.org map for the Morristown Mission:
Videos with Morristown RMs
Here are in-depth YouTube video interviews with returned missionaries from the Morristown Mission. We interview hundreds of returned missionaries each year, so check back regularly to see new RM interviews.
Videos about New Jersey
Here are LDS-friendly educational videos about New Jersey. We scoured YouTube to find the best quality videos about New Jersey, that are free from inappropriate music, immodesty and profanity.
Morristown Missionary Blogs
Here’s a list of LDS missionary blogs for the New Jersey Morristown Mission. This list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their blog was updated.
Morristown Mission Groups
Here are New Jersey Morristown Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the Morristown Mission.
- New Jersey Morristown Mission Group (978 members)
- New Jersey Morristown Mission (Parkinson) Group (309 members)
- Morristown Mission Reunion 2012 Group (138 members)
- Morristown LDS Mission 2014-17 Group (73 members)
- New Jersey Morristown Mission Moms (LDS) Group (28 members)
- Sisters of Morristown Mission Poulton & Schreiner Group (2 members)
- Morristown Mission (Workman and Davis) Group (1 member)
NJ Morristown Mission T-Shirts
Here are T-shirts for the New Jersey Morristown Mission!
Shirt designs include Morristown 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: Morristown missionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments.
*Click here to browse Morristown Mission gifts
Morristown Mission Presidents
Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Morristown Mission.
- 2017-2020, Paul W. Hess
- 2014-2017, Paul S. Taggart
- 2011-2014, John M. Jeppson
- 2008-2011, A. Lee Bahr
- 2005-2008, Stephen K. Parkinson
- 2002-2005, Merrill Rex Norman
- 1999-2002, L. Robert Webb, Jr.
- 1996-1999, Bruce A. Schreiner
- 1993-1996, Boyd R. Poulton, Sr.
- 1990-1993, Clinton D. Davis
- 1987-1990, Dan Workman
New Jersey LDS Statistics (2016)
- Church Membership: 33,352
- Missions: 1
- Temples:
- Congregations: 64
- Family History Centers: 20
Helpful Articles about New Jersey
Morristown Missionary Survey
Here are survey responses from New Jersey Morristown RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission.
When did you serve?
- 2014-2015 (Elysa)
- 2013-2015 (Andrew)
- November 2013-June 2015 (Brenda)
- 2013-2014 (Rachel)
- 2012-2014 (Alyssa)
- 2012-2014 (Tito)
- 2012-2014 (Austin)
- June 2014-December 2015 (Brittany)
- 2013-2015 (Matt)
- January 2013-January 2015 (Jacob)
- 2013-2014 (Elise)
- 1989-1991 (Paul)
- 1989-1991 (Michael)
- 2002-2004 (Britten)
- 2004-2006 (Tyson)
- 1991-2000 (Jose)
- 1995-1997 (Shelly)
- 1993-1995 (John)
Which areas did you serve in?
- Morristown, Lakewood. (Rachel)
- Sparta, Toms River, Caldwell, and Kearny. (Alyssa)
- Morristown, Short Hills, and New Brunswick. (Brittany)
- Jersey City, Bayonne, Morristown, Short Hills, and Boonton. (Elise)
- Irvington, North Plainfield, Landing, Trenton/Ewing, Neptune City, Sparta, Browns Mills/Fort Dix. (Paul)
- North Plainfield, Pemberton, Keyport, Piscataway, Rahway, and Lake Hathaway. (Michael)
- Morristown, Plainfield, Scotch Plains, Newark, Elizabeth, Roselle, Patterson, and Rockland County. (Shelly)
- All over New Jersey! (John)
- Paterson, Plainfield, Dover, and Fardal. (Jose)
- Union City. Red Bank/Hazlet. (Elysa)
What were some favorite foods?
- Colombian food and Dominican food. (Brenda)
- Pizza, Philly Cheesesteak, Tortillas, Tacos, Flautas. (Rachel)
- Pansit, egg rolls, pasta, pizza!!! Gina’s pizza in Harrison to be specific! Hamburgao in Kearny. Papusas. (Alyssa)
- In the Portuguese part of Newark, there were several Brazilian restaurants. Some had this amazing burger called a Xix-Tudo, which included beef, ham, an egg, corn, little mini French fries and a lettuce and tomato. (Tito)
- Baked Ziti, Pork Roll, Jersey Pie. (Austin)
- Baeladas (Honduras), pupusas (El Salvador), lomo soltado (Peru), pizza, and bagels. (Brittany)
- Rice and beans, platanos (plantains), mangu, tacos (real tacos), mole, Latin food…you name it, they have it. (Matt)
- Anything Brazilian. Whether it was fast food or barbecue. And New Jersey is known to have the best Italian food outside of Italy. And the best pizza pies in the world! (Jacob)
- Guatemalan beans, pizza, hole in the wall Chinese restaurants, Rita’s, and tamales. (Elise)
- Calzones, 16″ cheese pizza (which could be had in any town for $3 in those days); baked ziti. (Paul)
- Anything Italian. (Michael)
- Peruvian! (Britten)
- Tapajos in the Iron bound part if Newark had a great platter of rice, black beans, fries and meat. Anything Haitian like suspua and legumes. (Tyson)
- Home-cooked dominican, Casanova ‘s Pizza in Plainfield, Tapajos River in Ironbound, and our own concoction “pizza bread” in our apt in Rockland. Basically you could walk into any “hole in the wall” in any city and have an amazing meal- it’s a melting pot of food! (Shelly)
- Chicken & Rice, Jersey-style Pizza, Mac n’ Cheese. (John)
- Fufu from Ghana, tostones from Dominican Rep., arroz con pato from Peru, Pizza from Joes in Plainfield. (Jose)
- Pupusas. (Elysa)
What was a funny experience?
- Contacting in the rain. (Brenda)
- It snowed so much that we were snowed in for three days. It was a lot of fun going out in the complex and shoveling the area and using our Preparation Day to play in the snow. We fell over a lot and were soaked to the bone. (Rachel)
- I was in a trio and my companions and I were driving in the car. My companion in the back had her window down and all of a sudden she started freaking out. She yelled, “I think a rock just flew in my eye!” She was a very dramatic girl. I was laughing so hard I pulled over at a Taco Bell. We tried to help her get the rock out but eventually she had to go in the bathroom and flush her eye out with water. It was so hilarious! Not because she was in pain, just the situation. She was laughing too so it was ok. 🙂 (Alyssa)
- One time my companion decided that we would give some bread a member had given us (she had given us a lot) to someone homeless. We walked around and just when we thought we wouldn’t find one, a drunk, seemingly homeless person walked up to us. He seemed to be Hispanic. We talked for a bit, and I asked him something in Spanish. He just looks at me and asks if I’m from Guatemala. Turns out he was from there too. Even in his drunkenness, he recognized one of his own, so we hugged. (Tito)
- It’s Jersey, every day has funny experiences! (Austin)
- Just meeting all the crazy “Jeseyites” and listening to all of their experiences! (Brittany)
- There were so many. Once, a vegan fanatic turned a contact into a teaching moment…where it was him teaching us about veganism! He was of the opinion that the fruit that Adam and Eve ate in the Garden of Eden was not a banana. (Matt)
- Our mission culture was just plain hilarious. So district meetings were pretty funny. One time we were given some West African food that was spiced with pepe. It was really hot. My companion and the host wouldn’t stop laughing at me! (Jacob)
- Tracking in Trenton my comp and I were both rather big (He was 6’3″ and I am 6’1″ and both over 225 lbs at the time 🙂 ) and the residents would hide thinking we were the cops due to our size and over coats. My companion and I were in Dell (Springsteen’s town at the time) and we decided to do some door knocking and wonder over to the Springsteen home when we were greeted by a few rent-a-cops who in no small way told us to leave. (Michael)
- Knocked on a door in East Rutherford and a teenage kid threw the door open and yelled “We’re not Catholic,” and then slammed it shut. (Tyson)
- My companion and I used to visit a lady for service in Cranford that lived in the kitchen of her home, which used to be the premiere doll hospital in its day. We had so many fun, laughable, not do thrilling, unexpected adventures each week that now when I think about it, all I can do is smile. (Shelly)
- Too many to count! We had an inner-city gang watch our car for us while we taught a discussion on Prince St. in Newark! (John)
- Playing basketball in the hood. (Jose)
- Being confused with the Queen of Columbia. (Elysa)
What was a crazy/dangerous experience?
- One time I got hit by car and lived to tell about it. (Andrew)
- Being stalked by a drunk man. (Brenda)
- We were walking down the main street of one of the towns and it was dark (almost time to head back to the apartment). My companion and I both stopped walking at the exact same moment, looked at each other, and turned the other way in sync. To this day, I’m convinced that someone was watching us and planning something bad (I can only imagine what). (Rachel)
- We met a lady in Kearny who asked us if we were preaching Hitler when we tried to contact her. We ran into her a lot after that and usually tried to avoid her because she was kind of crazy. She told me once that when I pray I am possessed, she could see it in my eyes. She was definitely very interesting! (Alyssa)
- One time we were returning home slightly late, and through the part of town that was not so safe. We had two experiences where people went out of their way to tell us we shouldn’t be there so late. We were never there that late, but we hate to think of what would have happened. (Tito)
- Our apartment got broken into. (Austin)
- My mission was really safe. The only thing was when I got in trouble with the cops while tracting. (Brittany)
- Feaster park in New Brunswick is known for drugs etc. It’s an interesting experience walking through there. (Matt)
- Once the condo building next to ours caught fire and burned to the ground! Well there are always those certain areas that are more dangerous than others. You can be threatened, have knives and guns pulled on you. But as a missionary none of those things even really mattered. Most people in the “dangerous” areas knew who we were and that we had a job to fulfill. So they either participated with us or kept out of our way. (Jacob)
- In North Plainfield, my first area, we were out past dusk on our bikes when the police came behind us and told us to keep going they were escorting us home so we wont get hurt. The told us not to be in that area after dark if we didn’t want to get hurt. (Michael)
- Walking back to our apartment in jersey city at night. (Britten)
- Walked into a project building with an older Elder who was part of a senior couple. There were 15 or so guys standing around holding metal pipes. This elder tried pushing through them before one of the men stopped him and said “You done wanna go up there. We bout to beat some !&#&#,”So then he turned around and walked back to the car. When he got in the car he turned around and said “I didn’t know thst was going to be dangerous. They looked like such nice boys.” (Tyson)
- We did a lot of walking, alot. One area that we walked a ton was in the projects of East Plainfield. One day, we passed the daughter of one of our investigators, chatted a minute but didn’t think much about the group behind us, because people are out all the time on the streets. Once she passed us, and met up with the group behind us, they jumped her. My companion asked what we should do, I replied, “keep walking”. Even though I felt bad for not coming to her aid ourselves, I knew the Spirit had told me to keep moving, not to be involved, it was not our place. (Shelly)
- Lots… Guns, knifes and lots of drugs in the ghettos. Fortunately, we were kept safe from harm. (John)
- Almost getting jumped by a bunch of teenage punks in Paterson during the Winter. (Jose)
- Being cornered by a gang. (Elysa)
What was a spiritual experience?
- Inviting an investigator to baptism and feeling the Second Comforter’s presence in the room. (Brenda)
- After a lot of work, prayers, friendships and faith, we went to the Manhattan Temple with one of our less-active sisters and were able to watch her receive her endowment. We also saved another less-active member’s life simply by leaving “heart attack” notes on his door on a whim. (Rachel)
- We had been teaching an investigator named George a few times and this particular time we were teaching about he plan of salvation. As someone who has had a parent die, I have a strong testimony of this plan. George has had family members die as well and he had questions about what happened after this life. I remember teaching the plan of salvation and bearing testimony then we invited him to pray to know if it was true. After he prayed we asked him how he felt. He said he felt good. I was able to bear witness to him that the feeling he felt was the Spirit telling him it was true. The Spirit was there so strong and my heart was so warm. It was amazing. (Alyssa)
- There were thousands, but one of them was when we had prepared a scripture to share with an inactive member whom we didn’t know. When we shared it, he got emotional and asked God to bless us and the people who had sent us, because that was the scripture that he needed in his life! The Spirit confirmed to me that I would not want to be anywhere else but there, helping that man out. (Tito)
- Baptisms! (Austin)
- Going all day long in the cold and having nothing left to do than to put your trust in the Lord. (Brittany)
- We fasted and prayed with a family so their son in Ecuador could get papers to come over here. Right after we finished the fast, they received word that he passed entrance requirements and would be on his way over in a few months. (Matt)
- Once at a district meeting, we were practicing teaching. To help us not become rote or bored with the teaching, we pretended that instead of teaching our investigators, we were teaching a friend or family member from home. This made everyone cry, except, of course, my companion, he doesn’t cry. (Jacob)
- Our monthly high for baptisms was 41 until April 1990, just prior to President and Sister Workman’s release at the end of June 1990. They committed us to sanctify the mission, and many of us sent our distractions home and lived the mission rules with exactness. We baptized 109 people that month! Although my companion and I missed it by six days on both sides (we had one on March 25th and one on May 6th), we felt a part of that because we lived the mission rules exactly. (Paul)
- Wither family baptism. (Britten)
- Nothing specific but sharing your testimony every time. (Tyson)
- So many! There are hard days, and not every experience feels spiritual in the moment, but when you have a moment to reflect, they come and they come and they come- recognizable for years after. (Shelly)
- One Christmas we ran out of food, and prayed for help finding some. After serving in a soup kitchen, we were offered more food then we could take home! (John)
- Meeting people from all over the world to present a message. Caroling around the city during Christmas. (Jose)
- Testifying of Christ to someone who was full of anger and seeing their heart soften and a flame wash over them as the Spirit confirmed what we said was true. (Elysa)
What are some interesting facts about the Morristown Mission?
- Every area is different! (Brenda)
- The Statue of Liberty is in New Jersey, not New York. Nearly the entire top of New Jersey is all state/federal parks/land. From several places in New Jersey, Manhattan is only 10 minutes away. There are so many highways it’s not even funny — the only “freeway” is the turnpike (and it’s a toll). Nearly every highway in the US connects in New Jersey (hence the turnpike). There are not many fast food restaurants; almost every “restaurant” is a diner. And it’s delicious. New Jersey roads are “pothole central.” This is particularly bad in the winter when they are filled with snow and you don’t know how deep they are. We have a unique mission song from the hymn “In our Lovely Deseret”. It’s called “In our Lovely Garden State.” New Jersey uses “Jug handles” to turn. You may hate them at first but they start to grow on you. New Jersey drivers use their flashing emergency lights as “non-accountability lights” to stop wherever they like. (Rachel)
- New Jersey is the diner capital of the US and maybe the world. There is a large amount of diners, you should go to one. You’re not allowed to pump your own gas. Gas station employees do it for you. (Tito)
- New Jersey has the least amount of members of any state. (Austin)
- Our mission touches the ENTIRE world. There are people literally from everywhere. (Brittany)
- One third of the units are Spanish-speaking. New Jersey is the #1 most densely populated state in the country. (Matt)
- We have the most car accidents of any North American mission. Our mission is a melting pot of cultures from around the world. Our mission has 4 official languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Korean. Only the best missionaries are called here. We are the greatest mission! (Jacob)
- It was primarily created from the New York New York Mission and the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission, so there were some who resented being “stuck” in New Jersey, but for those of us who were called to it, it was the greatest mission in the world. I taught (and bore my testimony to) people from nearly every country in the world! (Paul)
- Got to track in celebrities’ neighborhoods like Springsteen and Bon Jovi also got to see Billy Joel’s home. (Michael)
- It’s really not the “garden state” the people are humble. (Britten)
- Been a long time. I was held up 3 times. (Tyson)
- The Statue of Liberty is actually in Zone 3 of the mission- not in NY! (Shelly)
- The church has been in NJ for a long time. There are also many famous celebrities living in our mission… John Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, and many others. The Short Hills ward is the most wealthy in the church. (John)
- Mission of excellence. Strict dress attire. (Jose)
- Union City is so densely populated that the football field is on the roof of the high school. (Elysa)
What was the weather like?
- Sunny. (Andrew)
- Super humid. (Brenda)
- The summer can be really warm. I really liked the caranessa and mesh (top only) garments but others liked the cotton and silk garments. It gets really humid and hot in the summer and really humid and bone-deep cold in the winter, so plan accordingly. NJ definitely has every season. (Rachel)
- The weather is humid all the time. Summer and winter. In the summer it’s very warm and hot. Sometimes when I’d step outside my skin would immediately feel clammy and sticky. In the winter it is very cold. Be sure you have good coats, gloves, leggings/tights, scarves and hats. Very important! Spring and fall are the best times of year. The leaves are gorgeous in the fall and the flowers are amazing in the spring. (Alyssa)
- It is pretty humid, and the summers will feel hot. My first winter was pretty mild, but the second one was one of the worst seen in New Jersey in the last 20 years. Snow for days! (Tito)
- Humid in the summer, and super cold in the winter. (Austin)
- HOT and HUMID in the summer and FREEZING and humid in the winter. (Brittany)
- Humid in the summer. It’s sweltering heat with spontaneous rain, and in the winter it is freezing, terrible snow. New Jersey weather in one word: UNPREDICTABLE. (Matt)
- Spring is short lived and warm with a high pollen count. Summers are long, hot, and miserable. The high humidity make everything sticky and muggy. You’ll sweat just standing there. The fall is short but beautiful…high pollen count. Also hurricane season. The winter is long and harsh. The humidity makes it a cold, wet winter. Lots of ice and freezing rain. (Jacob)
- Colder than the Arctic in the winter, hotter than the Philippines in the summer, and heaven in the spring and fall… Except for hurricane season. (Elise)
- Humid! In the summer, it was always muggy, and in the winter, the cold cut right through, so you wore layers. However, the temperatures were typically more moderate than where I’m from (Utah), ranging between 15-90 degrees, typically. (Paul)
- I grew up in CA so it was way different. I had never seen “Freezing Rain” until I got to Jersey. The sudden rain showers in the middle of the summer took some getting use to as did the humidity. (Michael)
- Hot in summer, cold in winter. (Britten)
- Humid and hot in the summer. Can rain any time so keep an umbrella with you at all time. Winters could be super cold with lots of wind and snow. (Tyson)
- Coldest I’ve ever been, and the hottest and sweatiest I’ve ever been! (Shelly)
- Very humid… Year round. Lots of rain, and some snow in the winter. Beautiful sunrises on the ocean! (John)
- All 4 seasons. Freezing in the winter and hot and muggy in the summer. Beautiful in the Fall. (Jose)
- Hot, humid summers. Freezing and humid winters. Lovely but wet spring and perfect fall. (Elysa)
Any things you really like about New Jersey/the people?
- The diversity. (Brenda)
- I LOVED the people and New Jersey. It may sound dull or boring or gross and you know, there are places that are. But you will fall in love with New Jersey. The sunsets, the beautiful greenery and landscapes and the clouds are all amazing. As a missionary, you get to love the people in a way you wouldn’t love them otherwise and you start to see their potential and the way God loves them. You won’t be disappointed unless you make yourself be disappointed. (Rachel)
- I love New Jersey because of its diversity. There is a little bit of everything there and you get to know some of the most amazing people from incredible backgrounds. (Alyssa)
- Parts of it were actually very beautiful and picturesque!There is a huge amount of diversity in New Jersey. The lifestyle is really up tempo, and sometimes not too conducive to Gospel living, but they are very genuine and pretty hilarious. (Tito)
- Everyone is from a different country! (Austin)
- The Hispanics are the nicest people you will ever meet. You get to know SOOOOO many people and different cultures!! (Brittany)
- There is so much diversity and culture. You will meet people from all over the world, and if you’re Spanish-speaking, you will likely meet people from every single Spanish-speaking country in the world. That’s an experience you just don’t get in most other places. Jersey people are sometimes blunt and rough around the edges, but they have heart and they are real about life. Many of them truly have a deep spiritual understanding. (Matt)
- I loved how they were from all over the world! (Jacob)
- They were absolutely crazy. They were so up front but had such good hearts. (Elise)
- There was always someone to teach – you just had to find them. (Paul)
- Rockland County New York was my favorite place in my mission. There were so many people from Haiti I loved them. So friendly and their food was amazing. (Tyson)
- Everything! Melting pot of the world right there! (Shelly)
- The people in the ghettos are very humble. Most people we met were willing to listen to our message. (John)
- Everything. Diversity, crazy people. (Jose)
- It’s easy to meet people from more than 50 countries in a month. (Elysa)
Any packing advice?
- Get ready for all 4 seasons. (Brenda)
- Bring WARM winter clothes, including fleece tights. I didn’t like them before NJ and I don’t love wearing them anymore but they saved my life out there. Same with my big huge coat. And definitely bring a couple of umbrellas, one to keep in the car and one to keep in your apartment and one just in case of something else. Invest in a really good rain jacket. Oh, and pack as light as you can. Moving all of your stuff from transfer to transfer is exhausting if you have a lot of stuff. Bring a travel scale too (one that hooks onto the handle of your suitcase to lift it and weigh it). This saved a lot of heartache and hassle with myself and a lot of other people that used my scale. (Rachel)
- Be sure to have warm clothing for the winters and light breezy clothing for the summers. Be sure to have good shoes, you may be walking a lot. (Alyssa)
- Bring an umbrella, haha. (Tito)
- Good tracking shoes for the winter. You will be walking in snow and rain. (Austin)
- Only bring lightweight clothes for the summer and sweaters for the winter. SISTERS- I promise the only thing you’ll wanna wear is dresses. You think you’ll want skirts cause they are more versatile, that’s a lie. I thought so too and regretted it everyday! Get comfy dresses that you can move in. (Brittany)
- Bring short sleeved white shirts for the summer. A good coat and sweater for the winter. You need layers for winter protection. Also bring a scarf or two and gloves. Bring one or two pairs of service clothes, these would be “normal clothes”. Jeans and shirts. We do a lot of service in this mission.Light and heavy clothing. Like I said, the weather is unpredictable. (Jacob)
- Pay good money for shoes that will last that will keep your feet dry in snow and rain and flooding… I had echo boots that saved me. (Elise)
- Layers and thermal underwear for winters, short sleeves and slacks that “breathe” and launder well for the summers. (Paul)
- COTTON it keeps you warm in the winter and soaks up the sweat in the summer. (Michael)
- Be prepared for the winters. (Britten)
- Follow the mission rules. Get some good walking shoes- maybe a couple, that look good with a dress! (Shelly)
- Take extra white shirts and shoes. (John)
- Pack good socks, comfortable shoes, pack light, you will acquire a lot of stuff along the way. Take lots of ties, work on your basketball game. (Jose)
- Warm thick tights. Have a down jacket/puffer to wear under heavy winter coats or alone in the fall. Rain coat! Good long lasting boots. (Elysa)
What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?
- I have a greater perspective of the Gospel as not only part of my life but it being my life! I understand and know what I want to achieve.. and I want an eternal family and be able to serve in every way I can. (Brenda)
- I met some of my best friends on the mission. I learned so much more about the why’s of the gospel. My testimony was strengthened immensely. I learned how to trust in the Lord more. (Alyssa)
- My life is changed forever. I truly got to know my Savior, and I learned the tools I need to continue my conversion and always be of service to others and to God. (Tito)
- There are wayyyy too many to count. I feel like I have better understanding of helping people (i.e. At work), a better love for the Savior, a higher desire to serve, I now speak Spanish, I am more tolerant and patient, there are just too many to name! (Brittany)
- Too many to describe. I would emphasize the skills that I gained (see below), the people I met, taught, and worked with, and the spiritual feelings and testimony-building experiences. (Matt)
- An understanding of the Atonement. (Elise)
- My testimony grew, and I got to see many others grow and develop testimonies of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Resurrection. (Paul)
- Every blessing I have received I attribute to my mission. (Britten)
- So many! But the main thing was that it prioritized my life towards the gospel. I had so many plans for my life, but my mission had me gain the perspective to live a gospel-centered life and why it’s the number one thing of importance in life. (Shelly)
- It’s impossible to calculate. Since returning home I married my beautiful wife and have 6 wonderful children. I also have lifelong mission friends, companions and people who we taught that are still a part of my life. My testimony of Jesus Christ and of the plan of salvation was dramatically increased during my mission. (John)
- Meeting my wonderful wife and having a son. (Jose)
- An overwhelming love of all Gods children and an undeniable testimony. (Elysa)
What are some skills you gained?
- Listening to people and feeling Christ-like love. (Brenda)
- I learned how to be patient with myself. I learned how to have fun and I learned how to speak Spanish with a native accent. I learned so much about loving others from my companions and I learned how to live with someone 24/7 and enjoy it. This helped me especially with my new marriage in enjoying each other even with he drives me crazy. (Rachel)
- Better understanding of how to have effective scripture study. I learned how to work better with other people and to let the little things go. I learned a lot about delegating and leadership skills. I also learned a great deal more about accountability and responsibility to ourselves and to God. (Alyssa)
- Leadership and people skills. (Austin)
- I can help people better with their problems and help them find solutions, better work ethic, and more spiritually in tune. (Brittany)
- Fluency in Spanish. A testimony strengthened 100 times over. Knowledge of culture and people. Experiences that I will cherish forever. Lifelong friendships (or friendship making I guess, for a skill). (Matt)
- I’m not shy of people anymore. Plus learning how to schedule and function in a fast-paced environment and still find time for personal leisure is an amazing talent to have. (Jacob)
- How to trust God, how to serve those who frustrate you and have a good attitude, how to set boundaries and bring up issues in a productive way. (Elise)
- Public speaking and fearlessness; ability to speak (or perform in other ways) extemporaneously. (Paul)
- How to deal with people who were always in a hurry and were not afraid to tell you. (Michael)
- Learned how to talk to people and not be nervous doing so. (Tyson)
- Leading music. (Shelly)
- Speaking, teaching, time management, studying, and getting along with others. (John)
- Working under pressure, people communication skills, and testimony. (Jose)
- Planning. Staying connected with people. Leadership. (Elysa)
Is there anything you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?
- Talk to everyone. (Brenda)
- I wish I understood better that it was okay to not be the “perfect missionary.” As long as I did my best, the Lord made up for the mistakes I made. I also wish that I hadn’t been so focused on doing everything “right” or the “best way” but instead had more fun. I don’t mean being reckless and not doing the work; I mean enjoying the work. It was such a great opportunity and I didn’t see it until I was done. I wish I had been the companion that was excited about the work and motivated others to be excited no matter how difficult some weeks were. (Rachel)
- I wish I would have understood how fast it was going to go by. I wish I wouldn’t have spent as much time being stubborn and trying to change my companions rather than changing myself. I encourage all missionaries to be exactly obedient. Not just kind of obedient or ALMOST exactly obedient. Just be obedient and blessings and miracles will follow. (Alyssa)
- That people are complex and will require a lot of effort, dedication, thought, and prayer. (Tito)
- What the Gospel of Jesus Christ really is. (Austin)
- I wish that I would’ve not held anything back and not have been nervous. Dive deep into the gospel and let the Lord take over. TRUST HIM, YOUR COMPANION, AND YOURSELF. (Brittany)
- Be humble. You will be humbled no matter what, but it’s easier to be humble in the beginning. (Matt)
- That my trainer knows best, even if it doesn’t look like he does. (Jacob)
- I wish I had known how important detailed journal keeping is. (Elise)
- A person could always be more prepared. I wish I had more knowledge of things I thought were obscure questions from the Bible (that were actually quite common), such as who is YAHWEH, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (and the Book of Revelation, in general), and other doctrines which were prevalent among people who were seeking and had dabbled in some other religions. (Paul)
- The scriptures (Britten)
- Wish preach my gospel was out before I got out. (It came out a month into my mission). (Tyson)
- How hard it would be to come home. (Shelly)
- I wish I knew that a mission would be a difficult experience, but a very rewarding experience. I would have studied my scriptures more and prayed more sincerely. (John)
- Take more pictures, started a journal. (Jose)
- Don’t talk like a robot. It’s okay to admit you don’t know something, but you know how to learn/come to know. (Elysa)
What’s a principle particularly helpful to missionaries?
- In Preach My Gospel chapter one where it talks about being a successful missionary. If we could all learn that success doesn’t depend on baptisms or lessons, but on the commitment we show to being the best we can be and doing what Heavenly Father wants us to do. Numbers definitely play a big part in that, but it’s more about how many times you felt like you had done the Lord’s will. (Tito)
Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries going to New Jersey?
- Your mission is the MTC for the rest of your life! Work your hardest but also have fun and love everyone! (Brenda)
- The mission is hard. Just go into it with your whole heart and remember that you are not perfect but that God will move His work along just fine even with your imperfections. When you are trying your best, remember that He can make up for everything you can’t do. Love what you’re doing and you will get the most out of it. (Rachel)
- Heavenly Father is in the details of your mission. The areas you serve in, the companions you have, and especially the trials you go through, all are designed to help you come closer to Him. It might not always be the most fun you’ll ever have, and you might go through a lot of hardships, but those moments when you feel His love and see others affected by His love, make it all worth it and make it so you forget the bad times. (Tito)
- Have faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement and fix any unworthiness issues before you get into the MTC. (Austin)
- Heavenly Father has trusted you with the people that I have come to know and to love. I know that you will do everything you can to help them, and that is my prayer. I know that there are prepared people in New Jersey waiting specifically for you! Don’t give up when it feels like it’s 500 degrees outside, or even when it’s -12. God knows who you need to talk to and they’re probably on that last door. Trust in the Savior. There are NO bad areas- just bad attitudes. Work hard, be obedient, love the people, and the Lord will provide the rest. (Brittany)
- You have no idea how much you lucked out. I’m not going to compare New Jersey Morristown Mission to other missions. I’m not going to say it’s the best mission in the world. It’s out of this world. You can’t compare it with any other mission or place. It’s in a league of its own. The experience you have in New Jersey will change your very nature and influence your life in powerful ways. If you get out there and serve for the whole time with all of your heart, you’ll be immensely blessed and New Jersey will become one of the most special places in the world to you. (Matt)
- If you can give God anything give him your heart, and he will change you completely from the inside out. (Elise)
- Be worthy when you go, and stay worthy. You always need to have the Spirit with you to be effective, so time spent without the Spirit’s presence is wasted time. (Paul)
- Prepare now, don’t take seminary/ mission prep lightly. (Britten)
- Don’t drink cheap soda. It will make you more thirsty. Keep a water bottle with you. (Tyson)
- Learn to play the hymns on the piano. Study, study, study the gospel and live worthily so that a mission is your choice, not a backup plan. (Shelly)
- Do everything you can to be prepared to serve a mission. You should read, study and pray everyday, and try to be the best person you can be before you start your mission. This way you can hit the ground running. If you have any vices or bad habits try to resolve them before you start your mission so that you can have the Spirit with you the entire time. (John)
- Dive in. (Jose)
- People will see the light of Christ glow around you. Always be thinking of how Christ would look at the person in front of you. Pray for charity. (Elysa)
What was a funny language mistake you or another missionary made?
- One time I said spa but my companion thought I was trying to say spaghetti and we got into a whole argument about it and we laughed for days. (Andrew)
- We were in a zone meeting during one of my very first transfers and I was asking the Zone Leaders for a “Cheat Sheet” (in English). All of the native Spanish speakers in the room heard “Chi chi” which is a sort of crude slang for a woman’s breasts. Everyone who knew Spanish much better than I were laughing and I didn’t understand what was so funny. I was embarrassed at the time, especially being a new missionary, but it’s funny looking back on my innocent mistake. (Rachel)
- I speak English, we lived in a Brazilian neighborhood. So ordering food was very difficult for me. I accidentally ordered the wrong things all the time! (Jacob)
- I was talking about doing the dishes and I asked if they put the dishes in the “trasero” (bum) instead of the “trastero” (drying rack) (Brittany)
- My companion and I were English-speaking Elders but lived with a set of Spanish-speaking Elders, and we sometimes went on splits with them if they double-booked appointments. It was funny that the Latino kids all called me “flaco,” and I kept them entertained (even though we couldn’t understand each other) while the other missionary taught the parents. (Paul)
- We made contemporary songs more LDS oriented like Montel Jordan’s, lets go some where we can get it on tonight….we would “somewhere we can teach a BOM tonight” lol Elder Kendall you was a fool ha! (Jose)
- Instead of saying “who would you like to baptize you” I said “who wants to be baptized”. (Elysa)