Casualness: The Quiet Mission Risk

Q: "Why does dressing and grooming matter so much on a mission?"

One quiet risk on a mission is casualness that creeps in over time. A missionary who lets grooming and dress slide (the unshaven, untucked, tie-askew look) slowly loses some of the dignity and trust their message deserves.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught that it matters little to the adversary whether we become sensual or casual — either way, we are lost to the things of the Spirit. Looking the part isn't vanity; it's respect for the calling, and it tells members and investigators that the work is serious.

Sharp, well-kept clothing that holds up for two years makes it easy to keep looking like a missionary rather than a tired traveler.

Tip: Easy-care clothing (washable, wrinkle-resistant) makes it easier to stay looking sharp on a busy schedule.

"If you're not a full-time missionary with a missionary badge pinned on your coat, now is the time to paint one on your heart—painted, as Paul said, 'not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God.'"

— Elder Neil L. Andersen, "It's a Miracle" (April 2013)