A grainy snapshot of Elder Dallin H. Oaks, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve for the LDS Church, sitting in front of a computer screen may have seemed insignificant, but in reality it was highly insightful for past, present and future missionaries.

The apostle posted on Facebook Wednesday morning:

[pullquote]”To those of you who have served or will serve missions, thanks for your willingness to serve. We pray that the Lord will bless you in and for your missionary labors.” —Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Quorum of the Twelve[/pullquote]

“I recently assigned missionaries, a sacred responsibility for which we always come fasting. I assigned 240, my share of the 1,047 (which includes young missionaries, senior couples, and senior sisters) whose papers were ready for assignment last week. We are assisted in this sacred experience by a member of the Missionary Department staff, who keeps records and manages the computer screens on which we view the essential information on elders and sisters and the needs (including languages) of our more than 400 missions in the world.

“These pictures show Dwayne Saviano and I at work in that missionary assignment meeting.

“To those of you who have served or will serve missions, thanks for your willingness to serve. We pray that the Lord will bless you in and for your missionary labors.”

Missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are required to fill out an application to prove they are spiritually worthy and physically adequate to serve a mission. Once the application is completed, it is submitted to the Church. Members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles take turns assigning missionaries to one of the 406 missions across the world.

Missions last for a year and a half for young women, two years for young men and vary in length for senior couples.

Members of the LDS Church have heard stories shared about missionary assignments being given, but apostles have never shared pictures of the process.

In his April 2015 general conference talk, Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve shared what his experience assigning missions was like after expressing his regrets that general authorities can’t interview every missionary face-to-face.

“Your photograph comes up on a computer screen, together with key information provided by your bishop and stake president. When your picture appears, we look into your eyes and review your answers to the missionary recommendation questions. For that brief moment, it seems as if you are present and responding to us directly.

“As we look at your photograph, we trust that you have cleared in every way the ‘raised bar’ required today to be a faithful, successful missionary. Then, by the power of the Spirit of the Lord and under the direction of President Thomas S. Monson, we assign you to one of the Church’s 406 worldwide missions.”

In a 2010 general conference talk, Ronald A. Rasband, a member of the Quorum of the Seventy, told about his experience helping President Henry B. Eyring, a counselor in the First Presidency, assign missions. He shared how computer screens were set up in a room for President Eyring where pictures and information about the missionary applicant were displayed. On another screen, the missions were shown from around the world. Elder Rasband explained that as President Eyring was prompted by the Spirit, he assigned missionaries to their full-time missions.

“At the end of the meeting Elder Eyring bore his witness to me of the love of the Savior, which He has for each missionary assigned to go out into the world and preach the restored gospel,” Elder Rasband said. “He said that it is by the great love of the Savior that His servants know where these wonderful young men and women, senior missionaries, and senior couple missionaries are to serve. I had a further witness that morning that every missionary called in this Church, and assigned or reassigned to a particular mission, is called by revelation from the Lord God Almighty through one of these, His servants.”