Elder and Sister Swain serve as senior service missionaries at Deseret Industries (DI). Every day they get to help associates at Deseret Industries gain job skills, find employment, and reach their goals.

The Swains get to use their skills to help others, and their dynamic and transformative work helps DI associates build better lives. Sister Swain conducts training on HR and orientation, and Elder Swain helps people get reestablished in employment, which is something he did in his professional career as well.

Senior service missionaries like the Swains play a critical role in helping associates enrolled in the training program at Deseret Industries. One example of an associate who has been helped by senior service missionaries is Lupita. One of Lupita’s goals is to learn English. She studies English for an hour every day at work, and senior service missionaries come to her home once a week to help her practice speaking English. Her goal is to one day own a restaurant, and the language skills she’s learning with the help of senior service missionaries are invaluable to her future success.

Serving a senior service mission is a great option for people who want to help others and need a flexible schedule. Senior service missionaries live at home and choose a schedule that fits their needs. Typically they provide 8 to 32 hours of service each week for 6 to 24 months.

Here are a few things senior service missionaries serving at DI might be a part of:

• Classroom instruction: Senior service missionaries occasionally teach GED, ESL, or other classes. They may also facilitate workshops for job-search skills to help associates learn job skills and behaviors.
• One-on-one tutoring: Senior service missionaries often have the opportunity to meet with associates and provide extra help with coursework from classes, certification programs, or workshops.
• Mentoring: Senior service missionaries serve as mentors to associates. As mentors, senior service missionaries help associates follow through on their plans and goals. They work alongside associates and act as an example for them.
• Job-search coaching: When associates are ready to find new employment, senior service missionaries help associates build résumés, learn about networking, and refine their interviewing skills.
• Networking in the community: Senior service missionaries also help associates network with businesses in the community, which includes developing business partnerships for associates in their chosen vocational fields.

Being a senior service missionary is about changing lives and providing inspiration to associates who need support. At Deseret Industries and Development Counseling Services offices, hundreds of senior service missionaries are needed every year to serve. If you are interested in serving as a senior service missionary at DI, talk to your bishop or a development counselor in your area. Check out the Church’s senior missionary website or watch a video about the Swains and their experience for more information.