Salt Lake City, Utah was founded in 1847 when Mormon pioneers first settled the area, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been headquartered there ever since.
Whether or not a person goes on a mission is a personal decision for the individual to make after thoughtful consideration and prayer, though there is a greater expectation for young men to serve a full-time mission than for young women.
There has definitely been a shift in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints over the last several years to a “kinder, gentler” view of LGBT people.