Missionary age: How does this change things in your family?

[Suzie]

Jenna, there are exceptions. But seriously, I think they need to mature a little more.

[dahlia]

Something is wrong with me. When I heard the announcement, I just welled up with tears. I think many more sisters will go, which will be a blessing for all the single women who want to investigate but have a problem finding another man to be with the missionaries when they visit. Now there will be more sisters in the field who can reach this group more easily.

Also, and maybe this is just Utah stuff, but more than 1 person has told me that the only reason girls go on mission is that they are 21 and not married. Maybe now more young women will consider a mission and that it doesn't mean that they are not marriageable.

I heard the newscast during the break and was thrilled to hear that one reason for decreasing the age was that there were requests from the field to send more missionaries. How wonderful that people all over the world are ready to hear the Gospel and investigate the Church!

I hope parents do not pressure every boy to go on a mission at 18. Some will be ready - just as some are ready to go into the military - and some won't. PLEASE, from a former investigator, don't send an immature, flighty boy who won't study and be serious about the Gospel and the people he's meeting, into the mission field. Many a silly boy at 18 is a good candidate for college, military, or a mission at 19 or 20. Another year or two of maturing won't hurt and may help both the elder and the people he meets in the field.

Edited October 7, 2012 by dahlia
eta - read some other posts

[JustSimplyMe]

Something is wrong with me. When I heard the announcement, I just welled up with tears. I think many more sisters will go, which will be a blessing for all the single women who want to investigate but have a problem finding another man to be with the missionaries when they visit. Now there will be more sisters in the field who can reach this group more easily.

Also, and maybe this is just Utah stuff, but more than 1 person has told me that the only reason girls go on mission is that they are 21 and not married. Maybe now more young women will consider a mission and that it doesn't mean that they are not marriageable.

I heard the newscast during the break and was thrilled to hear that one reason for decreasing the age was that there were requests from the field to send more missionaries. How wonderful that people all over the world are ready to hear the Gospel and investigate the Church!

I hope parents to pressure every boy to go on a mission at 18. Some will be ready - just as some are ready to go into the military - and some won't. PLEASE, from a former investigator, don't send an immature, flighty boy who won't study and be serious about the Gospel and the people he's meeting, into the mission field. Many a silly boy at 18 is a good candidate for college, military, or a mission at 19 or 20. Another year or two of maturing won't hurt and may help both the elder and the people he meets in the field.

You're not crazy, I said the word whoa and started to tear up. Honestly, I don't think it is a Utah thing. I'm from Maryland and I've said to myself that I wouldn't serve a mission if I was engaged, married, or in a relationship that is serious. My seminary teacher also told us those 3 reasons are reasons why a girl shouldn't serve. Most 19 year old's aren't married yet, but usually are in a 18-21 time frame. I was reading some Facebook posts where girls said they are considering on going on a mission now.

[Echo2002]

I hope parents aren't going to start fretting over the change and start pressuring their boys to start getting jobs at earlier ages to go at 18. I think Pres. Monson made it clear that it was not a mandate, it was just an option open for those who wish to go earlier and have the means to go early.

[Wingnut]

I never considered sending my daughters into the mission field...

Not until today.

Why not?

Men 18 - 25

Women 19 - 30 ish

I don't think there is a cutoff for women. I think that as long as they're still unmarried, they can serve. We had a 38- or 39-year-old sister serving in my mission, with all the younger sister missionaries, not as a "senior."

Something is wrong with me. When I heard the announcement, I just welled up with tears.

If there's something wrong with you, there's something wrong with me. As a returned sister missionary myself and a former ward YW president, I feel very personally attached to this announcement and I'm just so happy that many more women will take the opportunity to serve, and I'm happy for the lives that will be affected by that -- their own, their families, their future families, those they teach...

I think many more sisters will go, which will be a blessing for all the single women who want to investigate but have a problem finding another man to be with the missionaries when they visit. Now there will be more sisters in the field who can reach this group more easily.

I hadn't even thought of this, but you're right!!

Also, and maybe this is just Utah stuff, but more than 1 person has told me that the only reason girls go on mission is that they are 21 and not married. Maybe now more young women will consider a mission and that it doesn't mean that they are not marriageable.

Ugh, I hate this stigma. Many women choose to serve missions for no other reason than that they want to. Many young women prepare themselves from a young(ish) age. Heck, I knew a higher percentage of sister missionaries who had someone waiting for them than elders who did! And the guy waiting usually waited the whole time, too -- far fewer Dear Jane letters than Dear John ones.

I hope parents to pressure every boy to go on a mission at 18. Some will be ready - just as some are ready to go into the military - and some won't. PLEASE, from a former investigator, don't send an immature, flighty boy who won't study and be serious about the Gospel and the people he's meeting, into the mission field. Many a silly boy at 18 is a good candidate for college, military, or a mission at 19 or 20. Another year or two of maturing won't hurt and may help both the elder and the people he meets in the field.

I definitely agree with this. The first few years will definitely be a bit of a transition, but after about five years or so, the young missionaries in the field will have been preparing from an earlier age, and will have had a longer mindset in working toward 18, rather than 19, so hopefully they will have a surer foundation and understanding of the gravity of the call.

[Echo2002]

I think some couples are too young to get married already. Let's hope the marriage age doesn't drop, I think if it does we will see a lot more divorces.

[mikbone]

Why not?

Dunno, I appreciated the sisters when I was out on a mission. I got married 6 months after my mission. And any mormon boy not married by the age of 27 is a menace to society - Brigham Young. Lots of LDS young ladies get married before they turn 21 years old.

I never visualized my daughter with a missionary tag until today...

I don't think there is a cutoff for women. I think that as long as they're still unmarried, they can serve. We had a 38- or 39-year-old sister serving in my mission, with all the younger sister missionaries, not as a "senior."

Yeah thats why I wrote 30ish. No cut off was given.

[skippy740]

[slamjet]

I have one daughter now thinking hard about it, and we have one year less to prepare our boy. It's not even on the radar of my other girls because they're concentrating on school.

[Jenamarie]

That young man's face was *classic*!!!

[tcage]

Talk to your bishop and let him determine how well your ward can help. As far as I know, the Church won't turn away anyone from missionary service for lack of personal finances.

Not true, unfortunately....

[skippy740]

Care to back up that assertion with a personal experience?

[Guest]

My husband's bishop asked missionaries to raise half the cost of their mission, which I think is more than fair. He didn't leave right at 19 but he worked hard and paid for his whole mission and even had some money left over. I think as a rule we better appreciate things that we have to work a bit for.

[candace717]

So exciting! I'm hoping a byproduct will also be increased sales at my webstore sistermissionaryclothes.com :)

[pam]

Eowyn how did you beat me? Why is your name there when I was doing it? hahahahaha

[Vort]

My Son will not have any money for his mission, so I do not how much of a difference it will make. Recently in my ward, there are young men that took forever getting their paperwork submitted because they did not have enough money saved up. We WERE going to be able to pay for his mission because at 19 ONE of my husband's student loans will be paid off.... And my son was planning on working for nine months to save up for it. Now I have no idea how this is going to work...any idea? If he leaves at the earliest he can physically go, it would be right after graduation this spring.

-sunshine

My oldest worked part-time for two years, and full-time for the last six to eight months, before he left. He has been out almost eight months. My second son will be eligible to go in about four months, and will likely leave in about eight. He is working part-time and has plans that he thinks will make him enough money by then. We'll see...

[pam]

My Son will not have any money for his mission, so I do not how much of a difference it will make. Recently in my ward, there are young men that took forever getting their paperwork submitted because they did not have enough money saved up. We WERE going to be able to pay for his mission because at 19 ONE of my husband's student loans will be paid off.... And my son was planning on working for nine months to save up for it. Now I have no idea how this is going to work...any idea? If he leaves at the earliest he can physically go, it would be right after graduation this spring.

-sunshine

Then he leaves at 19 instead of 18. Nothing is saying they now have to go at 18. It's just an option.

[Vort]

Whether it's BYU or anywhere else, in or out the Church... 20 year old folks getting married? I hope they won't.

My wife was 20 when we married. Worked out very well for us.

[tcage]

Care to back up that assertion with a personal experience?

No problem...cause it was mine.

I'm an adult convert (joined at 19 1/2), so I didn't have the advantage of preparing and saving for a mission like the born-members (nor do my parents have the means to support a missionary, not that I would ask that burden of them for somehing they didn't believe in anyways). I had wanted to go a few years back, and was even encouraged by several members (who had revealed to me in confidence that they had made large donations to the ward mission fund recently, so help was available).

The response from my Bishop was "we have other potentials we are saving that money for. Maybe in the future, but you are on your own." It was very spirit crushing (more so when their "potentials" didn't end up going).

Now I am in better financial and physical shape (I got sick shortly after).....but alas at 27 I have "aged out". that's the part that frustrates me about this whole thing today.... We want more born-in-the-church YM to serve missions, let's lower the age...... but older adult converts, you still are unwanted

[Guest]

There are a lot of non-traditional mission opportunities available. When was the last time you talked to your bishop about it?

[skippy740]

No problem...cause it was mine.

I'm an adult convert (joined at 19 1/2), so I didn't have the advantage of preparing and saving for a mission like the born-members (nor do my parents have the means to support a missionary, not that I would ask that burden of them for somehing they didn't believe in anyways). I had wanted to go a few years back, and was even encouraged by several members (who had revealed to me in confidence that they had made large donations to the ward mission fund recently, so help was available).

The response from my Bishop was "we have other potentials we are saving that money for. Maybe in the future, but you are on your own." It was very spirit crushing (more so when their "potentials" didn't end up going).

Now I am in better financial and physical shape (I got sick shortly after).....but alas at 27 I have "aged out". that's the part that frustrates me about this whole thing today.... We want more born-in-the-church YM to serve missions, let's lower the age...... but older adult converts, you still are unwanted

I'm sorry to hear that. There shouldn't be "preferences" for the Bishop - only a willingness and worthiness to serve - particularly because the funds are under the Church's stewardship, not the Bishop's alone.

If that were me, and I truly wanted to serve, I probably would've gone to the Stake President.

[slamjet]

What I'm afraid of happening is a stigma now being created for any young man who goes at 19 and not 18. That wouldn't be right.

[J-DawgFluffy]

. i think the maturity level will drop on the mission field for sure.

HA! You haven't spent time at the MTC. It's already pretty low there

Do a mini-mission and you'll see what what I mean. (Former/current AP/ZL don't count. They've usually been out long enough to know how to behave.)

Note- This may be skewed as I am now older than most missionaries. My ward has two elders and two sisters. I'm older than all four of them.

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

Now I am in better financial and physical shape (I got sick shortly after).....but alas at 27 I have "aged out". that's the part that frustrates me about this whole thing today.... We want more born-in-the-church YM to serve missions, let's lower the age...... but older adult converts, you still are unwanted

Tcage, so sorry you had this experience. The Lord knows your heart and that you were/are willing to serve.

I think it must be left to each Bishop's discretion. I remember when I first approached my Bishop about going on a mission, and he was all about "how are you going to pay for it?" I was barely getting by financially (no help from family), but I decided to try and save.

Then for completely unrelated reasons, I moved to another city. When I had a "met and greet" meeting with my new Bishop. I casually mentioned that I was trying to save money to go on a mission. He asked me if I was spiritually ready to go. I assured him that I was and that I was anxious to serve. He said, "You don't serve when you are financially ready, you serve when you are spiritually ready. We'll get some assistance for you."

So I went :). After I came home, there was one year that I had a raally good paying job. During that year, I gave money to the missionary fund monthly and paid a very generous fast offering...to help others in the position that I had been in.*

I think it is good for young men to earn at least some of the money for their missions, but for me (a woman), but there may be some who are converts (as Tcage) or financially disadvantaged that won't be able to go unless they get some assistance.

L

*I must have passed some sort of financial test, because I haven't been "blessed" financially since then. :)

Edited October 7, 2012 by LiterateParakeet

[daboosh]

He said, "You don't serve when you are financially ready, you serve when you are spiritually ready. We'll get some assistance for you."

that is awesome and that is how the standard should be. whilst it is my personal belief that we should be encouraging young men to save money for the mission (you get more more out of what you put in), money should never be a hurdle.