Why can't young married couples serve missions?

[tcrab]

I was wondering why young married couples cannot serve a mission together. I guess I better back up. When I first applied to go on a mission at 19, I was told to wait a year because of my physical and mental health. During my year wait I had major surgery which prompted me to pray about going on a mission which I was prompted that it wasn't the right time and my bishop and steak president excused me. I then got sealed with my wife, and we have been married for about three years. I still have the desire to serve, and now that my health have become more stable I wish I go out and do what I couldn't when i was younger. I think it would be great experience that would strengthen both my and my wife's testimony and commitment with each other.

[estradling75]

The answer to you question is quite simple...

A mission can be of great benefit this is true...  But once you make the choice to get married your priorities must change.  Your priority now is to be the best Husband and Father you can.  Of course no one starts off as their best, they need to learn.  The church knows this... the church supports this.  You need to accept this as your role now and throw yourself into it

Also the church will not allow people with dependent kids to serve full time mission... this includes people (couples) who might gain dependent kids while serving.  While your details of your situation is known only to you, learning how to be a father (and having dependent kids) is what is in front of you now.

Clearly your desire to serve is good... but there are lots of ways that you (and your wife) can be a missionary without signing up for a full-time mission.

[NeedleinA]

7 hours ago, tcrab said:

I still have the desire to serve, ... I wish I go out and do what I couldn't when i was younger. 

Dear Tcrab's Bishop,

You have a very eager volunteer to be your next Ward Mission Leader. 
He is really excited to serve, please give him a calling asap! At a minimum, please assign he and his wife to be Ward Missionaries.

Thank you,
A guy who is swamped with serving inside his own Ward.

Edited July 8, 2016 by NeedleinA

[NightSG]

7 hours ago, tcrab said:

I was prompted that it wasn't the right time and my bishop and steak president excused me.

My area is so poor, we only get a hamburger presidency.  

6 hours ago, estradling75 said:

But once you make the choice to get married your priorities must change.  Your priority now is to be the best Husband and Father you can.

But what if one cannot be a father for some reason?  Certainly, one can be the best husband possible while serving a couple's mission together, or the whole concept fails.

IMO, if that situation arises, the local leadership should pass it up the ladder and see if the FP will grant an exception.  Maybe even encourage such for couples who can't have children.

Edited July 8, 2016 by NightSG

[estradling75]

1 hour ago, NightSG said:

 

But what if one cannot be a father for some reason?  Certainly, one can be the best husband possible while serving a couple's mission together, or the whole concept fails.

IMO, if that situation arises, the local leadership should pass it up the ladder and see if the FP will grant an exception.  Maybe even encourage such for couples who can't have children.

Like I said in my post "While the details of his situation are known only to him"

He is married to being a good husband is already on his To Do list...  Becoming a Father should also be on his To Do list...  And it is fully possible that simply isn't doable in a biological sense...  But that usually takes some effort to figure out and run down the alternatives...  Even then there is the option to adopt which also takes time and effort...

And maybe even after years of effort they will still wind up with no children... that is sad... but still entirely the way he should be focused...  He should not be delaying what he should be doing now, trying to get a redo on what he couldn't do in the past.

And if he really and truly wants to go on a couples mission... well that is an awesome goal for them to do together, after the short time widow of raising kids has passed (and hopefully fulfilled).

 

[NeedleinA]

6 minutes ago, estradling75 said:

Like I said in my post "While the details of his situation are known only to him"

He is married to being a good husband is already on his To Do list...  Becoming a Father should also be on his To Do list...  And it is fully possible that simply isn't doable in a biological sense...  But that usually takes some effort to figure out and run down the alternatives...  Even then there is the option to adopt which also takes time and effort...

And maybe even after years of effort they will still wind up with no children... that is sad... but still entirely the way he should be focused...  He should not be delaying what he should be doing now, trying to get a redo on what he couldn't do in the past.

And if he really and truly wants to go on a couples mission... well that is an awesome goal for them to do together, after the short time widow of raising kids has passed (and hopefully fulfilled).

 

Si! Es muy correcto!

[Guest MormonGator]

11 minutes ago, estradling75 said:

 

And if he really and truly wants to go on a couples mission... well that is an awesome goal for them to do together, after the short time widow of raising kids has passed (and hopefully fulfilled).

 

Amen.

My first missionary experience was with an older missionary. Growing up in Northern, rural NH you just don't see many missionaries. I spoke with a retired missionary at the Prophets birthplace in Sharon, Vermont. It was amazing. 

[Sunday21]

My stake pres gently inquired if he could goon a mission and was told no. He is about 45. Guess lots of people have to wait!

[NightSG]

On 7/9/2016 at 7:23 PM, estradling75 said:

Becoming a Father should also be on his To Do list...  And it is fully possible that simply isn't doable in a biological sense...  But that usually takes some effort to figure out and run down the alternatives...

Not necessarily.  I have a good friend who knew from the time she was 14 that she would never be able to have kids, and another who learned at 17 that he would never be a (biological) father.  He wasn't comfortable with adoption until well into his 30s, and had been married about 10 years at that point, so there would have been plenty of time for a couples mission in there.

[estradling75]

1 hour ago, NightSG said:

Not necessarily.  I have a good friend who knew from the time she was 14 that she would never be able to have kids, and another who learned at 17 that he would never be a (biological) father.  He wasn't comfortable with adoption until well into his 30s, and had been married about 10 years at that point, so there would have been plenty of time for a couples mission in there.

If it takes 30 - 50 - 90 or even 10,000 years for a person to accept what God has in store for them that is what it takes... But their unwillingness to accept it does not change what it is, nor does it excuse them from it.

[anatess2]

You can still serve a mission... every Ward (not sure about Branch) has a Ward Mission Program.  Please sign up to be a Ward Missionary and make it the best running Mission in the entire Church...

Raising kids is also a mission.  Even if it's not your own kids.  If the Ward Mission Program is not enough (they don't have to teach on Sunday - they just attend Gospel Principles in case investigators show up) - serve in Primary.  I suggest a scouts calling in addition to Sunday nursery teacher.

Just my thoughts... as somebody who is a convert so never had a chance to serve a mission but has served in the Ward Mission Program and scouts and nursery as well as primary chorister and ctr teacher....