Each autumn for three years in a row, a multitude of young men and a scattering of young women in the Magna and Hunter regions have packed the chapel of a local meetinghouse with their leaders for a unique gathering.

Conceived and planned by Elder James H. Pingree, regional representative, the meetings are called "returned missionary firesides," something of a misnomer since they are not really directed toward returned missionaries.True, the firesides feature a panel of returned missionaries discussing their experiences and perspectives. But they are directed especially toward young men struggling with the decision of when - or even if - they themselves should serve a mission, particularly those who have passed age 19, the customary mission age for a young man.

A few, Elder Pingree found, had the mistaken impression that if they did not go on a mission at age 19, they missed their chance. At each meeting he has been careful to correct that misconception, offering his own case as an example. He departed on his mission to Scotland in 1962, after he had already reached age 27, finished college and medical school and become a physician and surgeon.

The tone at the two-hour gatherings has been upbeat, decidedly "pro-mission," but high-pressure tactics are studiously avoided. The underlying message is simple and persuasive: find out for yourself through prayer whether you should serve a mission.

"Heavenly Father loves you," Elder Pingree said at the October 1992 gathering in the Magna Utah Central Stake center. "He wants you to do the right thing at the right time. And if you're concerned about whether you should serve a mission, you need to ask your Heavenly Father and just level with Him about your feelings. I absolutely know that He'll let you know when it's right for you to go. You will not go on a mission not wanting to go.

"As you get closer to the time when it's appropriate for you to go on a mission, and you're asking your Heavenly Father about a mission, you'll start thinking more and more positive things concerning a mission. Pretty soon, it will seem right to you, and you will go wanting to go. You never have to worry about going on a mission not wanting to go, or for the wrong reasons, provided that you ask your Father in Heaven."

Bolstering Elder Pingree's messages at each meeting has been the panel of returned missionaries, most of whom left months or even years after they reached age 19. Being just a bit older than the young prospective missionaries attending the firesides, they are in an ideal position to offer advice. They have dealt with and overcome similar concerns, indecision and frustration.

In 1991 and again this year, Elder Pingree included returned missionaries on the panel who began their missions without delay, as soon as they were old enough.

Together, Elder Pingree and the returned missionaries answer questions submitted anonymously on index cards. The questions have dealt with such topics as preparation, worthiness, finances, the daily schedule, companions, girlfriends and testimony.

At the 1991 meeting, one of the panel members was Mike Scott, son of Elder Richard G. Scott of the Council of the Twelve. Mike had eagerly anticipated his mission call at age 19, but was somewhat surprised when he was called to serve in the Sweden Stockholm Mission. With his family, he had lived in Central and South American countries and thought he might be called to a Spanish-speaking mission.

But he said he knelt in private prayer soon after he received his call.

"I told my Heavenly Father I was going to give it all that I have," he said at the fireside, a month and a half after he returned home. "I immediately received a testimony of my call. I just knew I was supposed to go to Sweden, that the Lord had called me there. Since that day, my mission was wonderful."

Commenting at this year's fireside on Mike Scott's experience, Elder Pingree said it is evidence that missionary assignments are truly received by prophecy.

"Otherwise, he would have gone to Central America, because his dad was on the Missionary Committee [and in a position to influence mission calls if he chose to do soT," Elder Pingree speculated.

At the 1991 fireside, Bryce Doman, now a receiver on the BYU football team, responded to a question about whether physical disabilities hinder one from serving a mission. He said he had grown to love a missionary companion he had who was blind.

He told of studying the scriptures with his companion, who read them in Braille. He said his companion was moved to tears at the account of Christ in Gethsemane in Mark 14.

"He said to me, `Elder Doman, you and I need to say a prayer.' We knelt, and he said, `Heavenly Father, thank thee so much for Jesus Christ, that some day I'll be able to look Him in the face and I'll be able to thank Him for what He has done for me.' I felt pretty darn dumb by then, because I was so concerned with myself, and all he cared about was being able to some day look into the eyes of the Savior. It was incredible."

At this year's fireside, John Huber, a member of the Magna Utah East Stake and a former University of Utah football player who served in Japan, responded to a question about helping a younger brother reach the decision to serve a mission.

"The thing I learned is that the time and place to prepare for a mission is not in Japan when you are already serving; the time and place to prepare to preach the gospel is in Magna, before you go. So in trying to encourage someone to go on a mission, I don't think you stress going on a mission tomorrow. I think you say, `Hey, prepare and think about it now, so that when you get out in the mission field, you are a missionary from Day One and not Day 365."

Greg Jensen of Holladay, Utah, who returned from the West Virginia Charleston Mission, responded to a question about overcoming bad habits that might hinder one from being worthy to serve a mission. As a comparison he pointed out that the righteous Nephites found it easier to prevent the warring Lamanites from occupying their city in the first place than to drive them out after they had already invaded. He compared that to the Savior's words in 3 Ne. 12:29, regarding lust: "Behold I give unto you a commandment, that ye suffer none of these things to enter into your heart. . . . "

"As we fill our time with good things, wholesome activities with friends and spiritual activities like prayer and scripture study, we'll be able to overcome temptations," he said.

It may be difficult to gauge the impact of Elder Pingree's firesides. Typically several factors influence a young person's decision to serve a mission, of which the firesides may be only one. But the meetings continue to attract large congregations. Decisions for some potential missionaries take longer than for others; some of those attending this year's meeting came to the first one in 1990.

But stake presidents in the regions feel the firesides have led to success, influencing those who were wavering in their decisions as well as solidifying the resolve of others.

Thirty-eight missionaries are serving from the Salt Lake Hunter Central Stake, for example. "We would not have this many were it not for the firesides," said Pres. Grant H. Taylor.

"The first year, we didn't have a missionary result," he said. "But the next year we did. One young man in particular, Greg Westover, about 20 years old, was brought to the meeting in 1991 by his bishop, Ronald Barker. That meeting impressed him so much, particularly the things Bryce Doman said, that a few minutes after the bishop took him home, he called the bishop and said he wanted to come and start filling out his mission papers right then."

Elder Greg Westover is now serving in the Arizona Tuscon Mission.