What is the cost to serve a mission?

[pam]

Well I want to go for the experience of helping social skills, and the window of opportunities that former missionaries talk about, because I want to become a police officer down the line possibly.

So I kind of feel a little guilty for going because I want blessings for myself. I would love the blessings I get later, but going around tracting all day and answering the same questions over and over sounds kind of like a drag to me.

Sounds to me as if it's all about you...As Elgama said you are doing those you should be serving a complete disservice.

You are right...serving the Lord is such a drag. Heaven forbid we should do some tracting. Heaven forbid we should bypass someone that just might be looking for what a missionary might have to teach.

Edited December 26, 2008 by pam

[Elgama]

I thought cut off was 26 for a mission? it was 10 years ago when we had 2 guys needed to go before they got to that point and I am sure thats why one Elder we had last year had to go when he did - it was possible to get special consideration upto 30 if you had a good reason for not going. Most missionaries go later than 19 from Europe and are in their 20s because of the way our education system worked its why it was changed so we didn't need to pay back our student loans before going that happened whilst I was at university.

Ken like I said in the previous post if you are not determind that you want to fight to go, and that you will love those you serve no matter how hard it gets, I have not seen a missionary like that since the bar was raised but when they were allowed out in the field it was horrible as a member in a small area to hear what our missionaries got upto or how they spoke to people etc. You'd be better off working towards your endownments, marriage and enduring to the end

A missionary to quote from President Hinckley's father needs to forget themselves and get to work or they will have a miserable time. If you can't forget yourself enough to go on a mission how are you going to do that after you have had urine thrown on you, spat on, dog chasing you etc

-Charley

[Palerider]

I thought cut off was 26 for a mission? it was 10 years ago when we had 2 guys needed to go before they got to that point and I am sure thats why one Elder we had last year had to go when he did - it was possible to get special consideration upto 30 if you had a good reason for not going. Most missionaries go later than 19 from Europe and are in their 20s because of the way our education system worked its why it was changed so we didn't need to pay back our student loans before going that happened whilst I was at university.

Ken like I said in the previous post if you are not determind that you want to fight to go, and that you will love those you serve no matter how hard it gets, I have not seen a missionary like that since the bar was raised but when they were allowed out in the field it was horrible as a member in a small area to hear what our missionaries got upto or how they spoke to people etc. You'd be better off working towards your endownments, marriage and enduring to the end

A missionary to quote from President Hinckley's father needs to forget themselves and get to work or they will have a miserable time. If you can't forget yourself enough to go on a mission how are you going to do that after you have had urine thrown on you, spat on, dog chasing you etc

-Charley

I believe it still is.....my son in law almost did not get to go because of his age...:)

[pam]

Like I said earlier...the one I knew was 30 was gosh...when I was 16. There was at least a couple of years ago. hahaha

[Elgama]

I believe it still is.....my son in law almost did not get to go because of his age...:)

lol I have spent too much time with missionaries they lived at my house when they were terrfied to take converts to church brought them here first etc, Mission President at the time had decided to send only the most experienced missionaries here which was great with instructions to do whatever kept them sane:lol: I ended up finding them service projects to do with friends and in the community or around the house if they had nowhere else to go. Ours was a very difficult area for so long think thats why we have been 6 months without.

But thats why I feel so strongly only strong men and women of faith should be allowed on missions as we had so many stirling missionaries fight depression here.

-Charley

[Elgama]

Like I said earlier...the one I knew was 30 was gosh...when I was 16. There was at least a couple of years ago. hahaha

it did used to be that I think First or Area Presidency could give a dispensation to missionaries who had been baptised later or ill etc but happened very rarely and I think has now stopped used to be missionaries here could leave at 18 because of the way the school years went but that changed to which is why several now go later.

I actually think the missionaries in their 20s are a huge asset they have more life experience and can offer great service etc

-Charley

[pam]

Why is it that way in your area Elgama? Just out of curiosity.

[pam]

it did used to be that I think First or Area Presidency could give a dispensation to missionaries who had been baptised later or ill etc but happened very rarely and I think has now stopped used to be missionaries here could leave at 18 because of the way the school years went but that changed to which is why several now go later.

I actually think the missionaries in their 20s are a huge asset they have more life experience and can offer great service etc

-Charley

If I remember correctly this missionary was a convert and ummmmm...very introverted. I saw great changes in him during the hours and hours he and other missionaries spent at our house.

[Elgama]

Why is it that way in your area Elgama? Just out of curiosity.

if someone in the UK finishes school at 18 they can be done with university by time they are 21 so tend to go first work for a couple of years at a better paying job then go on their mission. Not everyone many also go at 19, but there is also no cultural pressure to go at 19, you go when you are ready to serve a mission, 19 is when you are able to go rather than you have to go.

-Charley

[pam]

But why did they have to fight depression in your area?

[Palerider]

if someone in the UK finishes school at 18 they can be done with university by time they are 21 so tend to go first work for a couple of years at a better paying job then go on their mission. Not everyone many also go at 19, but there is also no cultural pressure to go at 19, you go when you are ready to serve a mission, 19 is when you are able to go rather than you have to go.

-Charley

when I served in England I remember a few going at 19 and a few waiting for the reasons you mentioned...

[Elgama]

But why did they have to fight depression in your area?

oh lol - its a tough area anyway in terms of teaching people as it ranges from the completely non religious to the very pious with very little in between. That was compounded by an incident in 1986 where a Bishop had an affair with his counsellors wife, which led to huge divisions, hatred, anger and a unit that turned against each other and nearly destroyed itself over a period of about 20 years. It got to the point where no one spoke to anyone, people gave investigators they didn;'t like the silent treatment, or were rude to new people moving in and you needed a Kevlar Jacket to attend Relief Sociey, I managed to not realise there were any problems until I was called as Primary President and was caught right up in it.

Missionaries didn't like taking investigators - in our area its tough enough to find one but you had to be sure they were solid before taking them. However we have a new Stake President (well he is now 6 years down the line) and Branch President (5 years in place) and its a cracking branch growing a lot through people moving in. And even without missionaries new converts that are sticking longer than a few weeks. We have actually just inherited members from 2 small branches that have been closed one of which sadly was I think the second longest continual surviving unit the church has.

-Charley

[pam]

Thanks Elgama. I was just curious. I do remember now you mentioning some of this before.

[Elgama]

Thanks Elgama. I was just curious. I do remember now you mentioning some of this before.

it hit me badly I was very desperate to leave church, and I kind of disappeared into myself and lost all my confidence over it, has been a long journey back. Having said that I set a date by which things had to change or we would move to the US, as soon as we could. 2 days beforehand an emergency Branch Conference was called - my husband was called as Branch Clerk and an exceptional branch president called, what is amazing is the branch is working with all the same people it had before with just a few moving in.

Our branch and stake president are truly amazing men. But I also feel weird as things started to change when the missionaries came to me and said mission president was thinking of pulling missionaries out of the area, I suggested a couple would work better, and next week we had the most amazing couple there, they had hard time too, but mission president was up at least once a month to visit with them (I only found that out when I called round one night) and I think that was the start of things changing.

-Charley

[eternalpromise516]

And by the way, saying uhhh... get a job, is insulting, and because they don't know me is why.

How do you know what kind of bills I have to pay, or how much I make doing the job?

way to go captain obvious, of course we don't know you physically LOL! people respond based upon what information they have, and if you don't give us the entire picture, then what do you expect us to do, be psychic? i think not.

i don't care what kind of job(s) you may or may not actually have, all i was doing was giving you advice. you came on here asking for it, but yet you continue to bash it and us when we attempt to help you. if you don't want to here what we have to suggest, then don't ask. i've gone back and read a small portion of your previous posts as FunkyTown has suggested, and you have the same crappy attitude whenever you bring the mission subject up and ask for opinions, excusing my french.

another thing, i never wanted to know what kind of bills you have or how much money you make, never asked or said anything about that!! go back and re-read, because you've obviously missed what i was trying to help you with. being young myself, i know where you're coming from, i honestly do. nearly 10k is a LOT of money at our age. since we weren't given sufficent background info on the situation, i just went on what i know both from experience and observations of other young adults, which is why i suggested setting up a budget because that seems to be one of the most popular issues in our similar age group. i wasn't really trying to assume i knew anything about you :)

perhaps if you don't want to serve a full-time mission and put out as much money as is needed and wanted to stay closer to your friends and family, maybe a part-time local mission would be a good option for you to consider. mull it over in your head a little longer, and make sure to speak with your bishop and family to gather their opinions as well and see what they have to say.

Edited December 27, 2008 by eternalpromise516

[BenRaines]

Once a young man has turned 26 they are not allowed to put in papers to go on a mission. I am sure that there are exceptions made but that is the rule. Back when I served men could go at any age, even widowers. Now days it is up to age 25 for single men. Other than that for men to serve full time missions they must serve with their wife as a couple. Sisters can serve any time after 21 and they can serve as single sisters or widows and not have to remarry to serve.

A mission is not for everyone. With the raising of the bar there are a number of medical situations that will keep a young man from being able to serve. Depression is one of them. Before spending any more time worrying about should I go you might want to check and see if you are able to go.

I see a day in the future where there will not only be a physical exam for missionaries to go out but a written exam as well. If they do not know the basics of the gospel they will not be sent. The church does not need uninformed, testimony barren representatives out doing the Lord's work.

Ben Raines

[Elgama]

I see a day in the future where there will not only be a physical exam for missionaries to go out but a written exam as well. If they do not know the basics of the gospel they will not be sent. The church does not need uninformed, testimony barren representatives out doing the Lord's work.

Ben Raines

Completely agree as the world they are teaching becomes more educated and informed nothing reflects worse on the church that missionaries that are just that - also as world changes think our missionaries and discussions need to change as I know here I need to be borrowed when someone other than a Christian is taught.

-Charley

[john doe]

Well I want to go for the experience of helping social skills, and the window of opportunities that former missionaries talk about, because I want to become a police officer down the line possibly.

So I kind of feel a little guilty for going because I want blessings for myself. I would love the blessings I get later, but going around tracting all day and answering the same questions over and over sounds kind of like a drag to me.

Ken, you did not ask what you were supposed to do, you asked how a 19-year-old was expected to pay for a mission. I answered the obvious thing. I guess it's possible that he could stand on a street corner begging for it, but I think a job would be more effective and less degrading. Don't tell me that kids that young can't save up that kind of money, I see lots of kids driving around town in cars worth what a mission would cost.

A young man who wants to go on a mission should expect to spend his adolescent years working to earn money to go. I figure that at today's rates, a young man will need to sock away around $12,000 to finance it when you factor in the necessary clothing and other expenses.

Ken, I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but the more I see you write about how hard it would be for you and how inconvenienced you would be to give up things in order to serve the Lord, the more impressed I am to tell you not to go. You seem to want to go for selfish reasons, but at the same time you don't want to go for different selfish reasons. Every time you talk about this subject, you make it all about you. You have never talked about how you want to submit yourself to God and His will. A mission president doesn't need a missionary who won't fully commit himself to the work. A good missionary doen't deserve to have a companion like what you have projected your attitude to be. He shouldn't have to deal with your depression problems, or your lack of desire to share the gospel. Nobody, including investigators, wants a missionary who does not want to be there 100% for the right reasons. You have shown none of those attributes in your time posting here. Good luck to you Ken, but I hope you decide against a mission if your attitude towards it remains the same as it is today.

[Palerider]

Once a young man has turned 26 they are not allowed to put in papers to go on a mission. I am sure that there are exceptions made but that is the rule. Back when I served men could go at any age, even widowers. Now days it is up to age 25 for single men. Other than that for men to serve full time missions they must serve with their wife as a couple. Sisters can serve any time after 21 and they can serve as single sisters or widows and not have to remarry to serve.

A mission is not for everyone. With the raising of the bar there are a number of medical situations that will keep a young man from being able to serve. Depression is one of them. Before spending any more time worrying about should I go you might want to check and see if you are able to go.

I see a day in the future where there will not only be a physical exam for missionaries to go out but a written exam as well. If they do not know the basics of the gospel they will not be sent. The church does not need uninformed, testimony barren representatives out doing the Lord's work.

Ben Raines

I agree with what you are saying Ben......I have always wondered if they raised the bar back when I went on my mission would I have been able to go.....I was one of those who found his testimony after he went into the field within my first week of being out...

[pam]

So let me ask this. A widower who is retired can no longer serve a mission? What about older single sisters? If older single sisters are why is a widower who is retired not able to?

[pam]

I'm not trying to be insulting or put the Church down...I really want to know. Mwahahahahahaha

[pam]

But seriously. I really don't know the answer to this.

[skippy740]

Ken,

You're whining.

In God's Army, there is NO whining. You are there to SERVE and LOSE YOURSELF in the work.

Talk to your Bishop. THEN evaluate your finances IF he recommends that you prepare yourself for missionary service.

Bishop FIRST.

Finances SECOND.

Don't put the cart before the horse.

No desire to serve = no money needed to save!

Desire to serve for the RIGHT reasons... the money will be found - because YOU will want to find it.

[Palerider]

But seriously. I really don't know the answer to this.

I thought a single sister could serve a mission....a sister from this area who is single completed a mission in the Family History Center in Salt Lake

[BenRaines]

For sure single sisters can serve a mission at any age. Single men can't after 25. We had a couple of older men, widowers, in my mission. It just didn't work putting a 19 or 21 year old young man with a 70 year old man. There are lots of widowed single sisters serving missions. No widower, single men. I know of some men who were motivated to remarry after wife died so that they could serve. Seems like a high price to pay. :)

Ben Raines