Every week, close to 500 young men and women between the ages of 19 and 25 from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints leave families, friends, school and careers and travel to one of 15 missionary training centers (sometimes referred to as MTCs) around the globe.
Before departing to a training center, missionaries receive a letter of assignment from the president of the Church in Salt Lake City telling them where they will serve for two years (for young men) or 18 months (for young women).
About 80 percent of missionaries are trained at the Church's largest training center in Provo, Utah. It is home to an average of 2,700 missionaries at a time or 24,000 over the course of a year.
At training centers, missionaries receive religious instruction and language training and learn teaching skills. They also develop a respect and cultural understanding for the areas and countries where they will serve before traveling to destinations in more than 120 countries. Training lasts from three weeks to three months, depending on language needs.
See also Missionary Program