When 21-year-old Samuel Smith was called as the first missionary in 1830, there was no anticipated mission call opening, no preparation, no designated language or anticipated length of service. His brother Joseph Smith set him apart to preach the gospel, and Samuel took a stack of copies of the Book of Mormon and went. So how did mission calls evolve over the years and how was the traditional “18 months to 2 years” established? While there is little official documentation, we can find a bit about the changing landscape of missions since the Church’s organization. Let’s take a look at how things have been adjusted over the years.
