Mission Call Party Ideas: How to Host a Call Opening

Why a call opening party is worth it

A mission call arrives once. The moment a future missionary reads where they'll serve for the next 18 months or two years is one the whole family will retell for decades. A call opening party turns that moment into a shared memory instead of something that happens alone in a bedroom at midnight.

It doesn't need to be big or expensive. The best call parties have three ingredients: the right people, a little suspense, and a way for everyone to feel part of the reveal. Here's how to pull that together.

Who to invite

Start with the people who have been part of the missionary's journey so far:

• Family, including grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.
• Close friends and roommates, especially anyone who has already served.
• Ward and stake leaders, seminary teachers, coaches and mentors who helped them prepare.
• Far-away loved ones who can join by video (more on that below).

Keep the in-person list to a size where everyone can see the missionary's face when they read the call. That expression is the whole point.

Build suspense with a guessing game

The most popular call party activity by far is letting everyone guess where the missionary will serve. Paper maps with push pins work, but a shared online game is easier and includes people who can't attend.

With MissionCallGuess you create a free game page in about 30 seconds, then share the link a week or two before the call arrives. Friends and family tap a real mission boundary on a world map, add a note of encouragement, and watch everyone else's guesses appear live. When the call is opened, you enter the actual mission and the site ranks every guess by distance and crowns a winner.

A few ways to make it even more fun:

• Put the game on a TV so guests can see the map fill up as they arrive.
• Offer a small prize for the closest guess: a treat, a framed map, or bragging rights until the missionary comes home.
• Ask guests to leave an email with their guess so the missionary can add them to their weekly email list.

Not sure where to guess? Browse every mission or see which missions get guessed most.

Food themes that fit any call

You don't know the destination yet, so plan food that celebrates the whole world or can pivot quickly:

• Around-the-world potluck: ask each family to bring a dish from a country they hope the missionary is called to.
• Passport snack table: label bowls by region (Asia, Europe, South America, United States) and let guests "travel" between them.
• Dessert after the reveal: keep sprinkles, flags or toppings ready so you can decorate cupcakes in the colors of the country once you know it.
• Classic comfort food: pizza, tacos or a taco bar are crowd-pleasers when the guest list is large.

Decorations on a budget

A world theme is easy and inexpensive:

• A large printed world map on a wall, with sticky notes or pins for in-person guesses.
• Paper airplanes hanging from the ceiling, or a string of small flags.
• A photo board of the missionary through the years.
• A chalkboard sign: "Where will they serve?"

Keep the main space clear so everyone can gather close for the reading.

Include family who live far away

Mission calls are delivered digitally and read on a phone or computer, which makes it easy to include anyone, anywhere. Set up a video call on a laptop or tablet facing the missionary, and test the audio before guests arrive. Share the guessing game link with remote family ahead of time so their pins are already on the map when the call is opened.

Ask one person to be in charge of the video call so the missionary can focus on the moment.

A simple timeline for the day

1. One to two weeks before: pick a time, invite guests, and create the guessing game. Share the link in family group chats.
2. Day of, early: charge the phone or laptop the call will be read on, set up the video call, and check the Wi-Fi.
3. Guests arrive: food, mingling, and last-minute guesses on the map.
4. The reading: gather everyone, start recording, and let the missionary read the call aloud.
5. The reveal: enter the mission on your manage page and pull up the results to see who guessed closest.
6. Afterward: photos, dessert, and plenty of hugs.

For a printable version of these steps, see our mission call opening checklist.