BYU students have many options when they choose classes to fulfill 14 required religion credits. Options range from classes that study world religions to Church history, temples, living prophets, and even missionary preparation. Missionary preparation is a two-credit class, in which students learn skills that will help them if they decide to serve a full-time mission, as well as be a member missionary for the rest of their lives.
"Our program is a support to the training that the Missionary Training Center gives," said Brent L. Top, chair of the Church History and Doctrine Department at BYU. "The Missionary Training Center has the primary responsibility of training full-time missionaries. We help prepare students for the MTC and the mission field by using Church Educational System manuals and auxiliary materials."
The Church History and Doctrine Department of BYU reported that in 2010 there were 3,552 students who enrolled and took missionary preparation classes.
Randy L. Bott has taught mission preparation at BYU for 18 years and focuses on teaching his heavily-attended classes eight key principles of the gospel: The Atonement, resurrection, judgment, faith, repentance, baptism, the Holy Ghost, and to endure to the end.