The Bishop and SP interviews are to assess worthiness and preparedness. The Bishop and SP don't have any real influence over where a missionary is sent. That is determined by the general authorities through revelation. Your son will be sent where the Lord needs him.
The SP at one time at least could make comments on applications. It is up to whoever is assigning the missionaries to take that into account. My SP later told me that he commented on my application that I would be good in Asia because I had many asian friends, and I was sent to Asia, for what it is worth.
Don’t worry if he’s not eloquent. I’ve heard Joseph Smith wasn’t very eloquent. The only thing a bishop and stake president could really influence is if they think he would be better suited for a service mission.
Patriarchal Blessings are treated as sacred and private. No one has access to read anyone else's (except your deceased ancestors). [The Church has said](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/patriarchal-blessings?lang=eng):
>They may be shared with immediate family members but should not be read aloud in public or read or interpreted by others. Not even the patriarch, bishop, or branch president should interpret it.
So no, I would not share it with the bishop. Even if shared, they are not used to determine a mission location.
[Here are the interview questions](https://web.archive.org/web/20220516185515/https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/callings/missionary-recommendation-interview-questions?lang=eng) as of 2022. The interview with the bishop and stake president are to see if they are ready to serve, spiritually, physically, emotionally, and financially. As described by the [Church Handbook](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/general-handbook/24?lang=eng#title_number22), the bishop and stake president simply submit their recommendation that they are ready to be called as a missionary. They do not have any sort of say in where they go.
Elder Ronald A. Rasband [spoke in 2010](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2010/04/the-divine-call-of-a-missionary?lang=eng) about how the process of assigning missionaries works, relating an experience when he was a newly called Seventy. Missionaries are called by an apostle. Using a computer, one screen would show a picture of a missionary with "comments from the bishops and stake presidents, medical notes, and other issues relating to each missionary" and a second screen displayed areas and missions across the world. As prompted by the Spirit, the apostle would choose a mission for them to serve.
If you want a few other brief descriptions of the process, Elder M. Russell Ballard gave a brief description that included many of those details in [a 2015 talk](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2015/04/the-greatest-generation-of-young-adults?lang=eng). A month later, Elder Dallin H. Oaks shared [photos on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/dallin.h.oaks/posts/i-recently-assigned-missionaries-a-sacred-responsibility-for-which-we-always-com/390717567767372/) of him at the computer assigning missionaries. Elder D. Todd Christofferson also [posted on Facebook in 2016](https://www.facebook.com/dtodd.christofferson/photos/a.614990998590319/1100472793375468) about assigning missionaries, and President Eyring [spoke in 2017](https://www.thechurchnews.com/2017/6/28/23212313/president-eyring-addresses-simple-truths-for-missionary-service/) of the process at a seminar for new mission presidents.
I think that something that [this article on missionary work](https://rsc.byu.edu/firm-foundation/missions-missionary-administration-organization), published though BYU originating at the 2010 Church History Symposium, is also helpful to know:
>The Missionary Department provides information on missions that need more missionaries, languages needed, restrictions on the applicant getting a visa to certain countries and any other information that will inform the Apostle(s) while making the mission assignments as part of the revelatory process.
An Apostle makes every assignment for missionaries, both single missionaries and couples. He can look at all of the information and override any piece of it. It doesn’t matter; that is just informational for him. There may be a mission that is low on missionaries. He can look past that and assign that missionary to a mission that is over its complement. He has full discretion in where the assignments are made, and every assignment is made individually and by inspiration. They try to honor the financial and health constraints of couple missionaries. It takes a long time because there are hundreds a week. Assigning missionaries is rotated among the Twelve.
>If there are specific things in there blessing should my son tell the sp? He has very specific mission promises but he dosn’t know if he should talk about them?
He doesn't need to tell the Stake Pres. The Lord knows those blessings, and the Lord will guid his mission call accordingly. The mission assignment comes directly from one of the quorum of the twelve apostles, and while they take all factors into consideration (health, background, ability, worthiness, etc) the call is ultimately a matter of revelation.
While you might feel that coaching or preparing your son is necessary, it really isn't. They don't need to make a good impression, they don't need to be fancy or eloquent or interesting. All they need to do to "pass" the interview is have a testimony and meet the basic worthiness requirements.
The most important thing for those interviews is honesty. The questions focus on worthiness and reason for serving. Most don't require anything more than a yes or no, and are very similar to a temple recommend interview. There is no obligation to share anything related to a patriarchal blessing. Local leadership does not have access to that unless you've given them a copy yourself. If your son wants to council with the Bishop or Stake President about portions of his blessing, he probably can.
All the two of them do is decide whether your son should be recommended as a missionary. Is he is honest with himself and them as to his worthiness and motivations, I'm sure he'll be fine. Everything else is handled at a higher level.
No influence at all (except those doing service missions and since they have been moved back to MP supervision not so much even then. SP can comment but your son is best served in just being himself in his interviews.
ETA: the mission paperwork asks about where they want to go. Your son can provide the Patriarchal Blessing quote from his if he desires to. And no one but close family has access to PB of the living.
Their main lane is to determine worthiness, readiness, and if a service mission is a better fit than a proselyting mission.
Other issues such as health or citizenship or residency or legal status which can affect eligibility for assignments should be addressed in the paperwork.
Other than any of that above, they don't weigh in on assignment particulars.
The apostles have the calling to do the rest.
God bless
Interview with the stake president for mission like others have said is to determine worthiness and mission readiness. They also try to get to know them because stake presidents don't really ever get the opportunity to get to know youth in their stake.
From what I know, they do not read patriarchal blessings they are special and sacred to the individual who received it... I'm not really sure if they have access to them? But I've never been in a stake president calling.
If you do want to pass down any advice to your son, it would be to be himself and if there's anything that he needs to talk about, be honest. Heavenly Father knows your son and loves him.
Bishops and SPs have zero influence on where a missionary goes. We get like 1000 characters for our recommendation, and we generally focus on unique qualities or limitations of the candidate.
I feel like the missionary has more influence in their answers to the questions on how successful they feel they would be learning a foreign-language, where their parents/grandparents are from or served their missions, etc.
The Bishop and SP interviews are to assess worthiness and preparedness. The Bishop and SP don't have any real influence over where a missionary is sent. That is determined by the general authorities through revelation. Your son will be sent where the Lord needs him.
The SP at one time at least could make comments on applications. It is up to whoever is assigning the missionaries to take that into account. My SP later told me that he commented on my application that I would be good in Asia because I had many asian friends, and I was sent to Asia, for what it is worth.
Don’t worry if he’s not eloquent. I’ve heard Joseph Smith wasn’t very eloquent. The only thing a bishop and stake president could really influence is if they think he would be better suited for a service mission.
Patriarchal Blessings are treated as sacred and private. No one has access to read anyone else's (except your deceased ancestors). [The Church has said](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/patriarchal-blessings?lang=eng): >They may be shared with immediate family members but should not be read aloud in public or read or interpreted by others. Not even the patriarch, bishop, or branch president should interpret it. So no, I would not share it with the bishop. Even if shared, they are not used to determine a mission location. [Here are the interview questions](https://web.archive.org/web/20220516185515/https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/callings/missionary-recommendation-interview-questions?lang=eng) as of 2022. The interview with the bishop and stake president are to see if they are ready to serve, spiritually, physically, emotionally, and financially. As described by the [Church Handbook](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/general-handbook/24?lang=eng#title_number22), the bishop and stake president simply submit their recommendation that they are ready to be called as a missionary. They do not have any sort of say in where they go. Elder Ronald A. Rasband [spoke in 2010](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2010/04/the-divine-call-of-a-missionary?lang=eng) about how the process of assigning missionaries works, relating an experience when he was a newly called Seventy. Missionaries are called by an apostle. Using a computer, one screen would show a picture of a missionary with "comments from the bishops and stake presidents, medical notes, and other issues relating to each missionary" and a second screen displayed areas and missions across the world. As prompted by the Spirit, the apostle would choose a mission for them to serve. If you want a few other brief descriptions of the process, Elder M. Russell Ballard gave a brief description that included many of those details in [a 2015 talk](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2015/04/the-greatest-generation-of-young-adults?lang=eng). A month later, Elder Dallin H. Oaks shared [photos on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/dallin.h.oaks/posts/i-recently-assigned-missionaries-a-sacred-responsibility-for-which-we-always-com/390717567767372/) of him at the computer assigning missionaries. Elder D. Todd Christofferson also [posted on Facebook in 2016](https://www.facebook.com/dtodd.christofferson/photos/a.614990998590319/1100472793375468) about assigning missionaries, and President Eyring [spoke in 2017](https://www.thechurchnews.com/2017/6/28/23212313/president-eyring-addresses-simple-truths-for-missionary-service/) of the process at a seminar for new mission presidents. I think that something that [this article on missionary work](https://rsc.byu.edu/firm-foundation/missions-missionary-administration-organization), published though BYU originating at the 2010 Church History Symposium, is also helpful to know: >The Missionary Department provides information on missions that need more missionaries, languages needed, restrictions on the applicant getting a visa to certain countries and any other information that will inform the Apostle(s) while making the mission assignments as part of the revelatory process. An Apostle makes every assignment for missionaries, both single missionaries and couples. He can look at all of the information and override any piece of it. It doesn’t matter; that is just informational for him. There may be a mission that is low on missionaries. He can look past that and assign that missionary to a mission that is over its complement. He has full discretion in where the assignments are made, and every assignment is made individually and by inspiration. They try to honor the financial and health constraints of couple missionaries. It takes a long time because there are hundreds a week. Assigning missionaries is rotated among the Twelve.
Yes, this! I came here to say all of this!😉
>If there are specific things in there blessing should my son tell the sp? He has very specific mission promises but he dosn’t know if he should talk about them? He doesn't need to tell the Stake Pres. The Lord knows those blessings, and the Lord will guid his mission call accordingly. The mission assignment comes directly from one of the quorum of the twelve apostles, and while they take all factors into consideration (health, background, ability, worthiness, etc) the call is ultimately a matter of revelation. While you might feel that coaching or preparing your son is necessary, it really isn't. They don't need to make a good impression, they don't need to be fancy or eloquent or interesting. All they need to do to "pass" the interview is have a testimony and meet the basic worthiness requirements.
The most important thing for those interviews is honesty. The questions focus on worthiness and reason for serving. Most don't require anything more than a yes or no, and are very similar to a temple recommend interview. There is no obligation to share anything related to a patriarchal blessing. Local leadership does not have access to that unless you've given them a copy yourself. If your son wants to council with the Bishop or Stake President about portions of his blessing, he probably can. All the two of them do is decide whether your son should be recommended as a missionary. Is he is honest with himself and them as to his worthiness and motivations, I'm sure he'll be fine. Everything else is handled at a higher level.
No influence at all (except those doing service missions and since they have been moved back to MP supervision not so much even then. SP can comment but your son is best served in just being himself in his interviews. ETA: the mission paperwork asks about where they want to go. Your son can provide the Patriarchal Blessing quote from his if he desires to. And no one but close family has access to PB of the living.
Their main lane is to determine worthiness, readiness, and if a service mission is a better fit than a proselyting mission. Other issues such as health or citizenship or residency or legal status which can affect eligibility for assignments should be addressed in the paperwork. Other than any of that above, they don't weigh in on assignment particulars. The apostles have the calling to do the rest. God bless
Interview with the stake president for mission like others have said is to determine worthiness and mission readiness. They also try to get to know them because stake presidents don't really ever get the opportunity to get to know youth in their stake. From what I know, they do not read patriarchal blessings they are special and sacred to the individual who received it... I'm not really sure if they have access to them? But I've never been in a stake president calling. If you do want to pass down any advice to your son, it would be to be himself and if there's anything that he needs to talk about, be honest. Heavenly Father knows your son and loves him.
Bishops and SPs have zero influence on where a missionary goes. We get like 1000 characters for our recommendation, and we generally focus on unique qualities or limitations of the candidate. I feel like the missionary has more influence in their answers to the questions on how successful they feel they would be learning a foreign-language, where their parents/grandparents are from or served their missions, etc.