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Missions at 18?

Stoked said:
If I was him I'd go into the NBA instead of a mission. You do not need to serve a mission to get into heaven. The money and fame he could earn would open numerous doors for him to serve his fellow man if that was important to him.
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I think viewing a mission primarily as a qualifier or prerequisite for 'Heaven' tends to miss the mark to a great deal.
 
Surely said:
Haters gonna hate... I have noticed the same thing on the SLTrib site.
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Yep. I can't tell you how many posts I've reported on the Trib website. It's a shame the moderators let so much crap towards the LDS church get posted. If they didn't have good Jazz coverage I'd probably not ever go there. ;-)
 
Beantown said:
I always thought 19 was an odd number to choose. For most people I know that first year before the mission was crap anyways. Nobody takes their college serious or fully puts it off and you end up just being a bum because you know that soon enough you're gone and away from the world for two years.
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I dunno... I myself matured a lot during that first year of college--both emotionally and spiritually. I'm sure I was a much more effective missionary than I would have been had I gone straight out of high school. But others might be different.
 
default said:
One of the biggest downsides is the State of Utah Regents Scholarship. It currently allows a two year deferment only if you have already completed one year of college first. The State Legislature could potentially change this rule in the next legislative session running from late January to early March, but there will be some opposition. Currently, there is a significant financial hardship in that fund and politicians have been struggling with how to fund it. This could be their way out.
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Kids don't *have* to go when they are 18, now. The change in policy just gives them the option.
 
PearlWatson said:
So highschool sweethearts can come back at the same time and get married.
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You need to get the movie "The RM" and rethink this scenario.

I know most decent LDS youngsters won't like my views here, and Colton might squirm to have his kids exposed to my wacked-out reality, but judging from my own unguided youth, and ensuing experiences. . . . this is a huge mistake.

The whole reason for making the eligible age 19 in the first place was the vain hope that with a year out the door and on their own, hopefully, it would mean young men would think seriously BEFORE going on a mission, and thus be more prepared to take on the serious responsibilities of being "elders" teaching and counseling prospective new converts. . . . and maybe with a prospect of actually taking their own beliefs seriously. It was bad enough having parents trying to hijack the mission program for juvenile rehabilitation purposes as it was. . . ..

So here is a case of revelation coming from college athletics advocates, a real cart-before-the-horse case of twisted logic, if you ask me.

The LDS Church would have done better to make the eligible age 21 for both men and women. Sure a lot of kids would just wander off into some other life path of their own choosing, but the ones who still would choose to do a mission would actually be a credit to the faith.

As for the high school sweethearts having the chance to go off on missions and come back at the same time, I just think the worn out joke about "dear john" letters. . . . ummmm. . . . let's re-state that. . . . "dear elder" letters . . . . . is just going to get a new lease on life. . . .

My own high school "sweetheart" was pretty clearly just in it for the status dances. . . . .
 
infection said:
I think viewing a mission primarily as a qualifier or prerequisite for 'Heaven' tends to miss the mark to a great deal.
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There are people who do. My comment was directed at the belief I have that a mission is not right for everyone.
 
babe said:
You need to get the movie "The RM" and rethink this scenario.

I know most decent LDS youngsters won't like my views here, and Colton might squirm to have his kids exposed to my wacked-out reality, but judging from my own unguided youth, and ensuing experiences. . . . this is a huge mistake.

The whole reason for making the eligible age 19 in the first place was the vain hope that with a year out the door and on their own, hopefully, it would mean young men would think seriously BEFORE going on a mission, and thus be more prepared to take on the serious responsibilities of being "elders" teaching and counseling prospective new converts. . . . and maybe with a prospect of actually taking their own beliefs seriously. It was bad enough having parents trying to hijack the mission program for juvenile rehabilitation purposes as it was. . . ..

So here is a case of revelation coming from college athletics advocates, a real cart-before-the-horse case of twisted logic, if you ask me.

The LDS Church would have done better to make the eligible age 21 for both men and women. Sure a lot of kids would just wander off into some other life path of their own choosing, but the ones who still would choose to do a mission would actually be a credit to the faith.

As for the high school sweethearts having the chance to go off on missions and come back at the same time, I just think the worn out joke about "dear john" letters. . . . ummmm. . . . let's re-state that. . . . "dear elder" letters . . . . . is just going to get a new lease on life. . . .

My own high school "sweetheart" was pretty clearly just in it for the status dances. . . . .
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This is ridiculous. Sure, 19 and having a year off was great when no one went to college. Now, it is very disruptive. I went to a year of college then a mission. My goal was to become a doctor. When I returned from my mission, I basically had to redo all the science courses I took the first year because I didn't remember it well enough to compete.

If you believe that the weak and unlearned things will bear strong testimony and convert non-members, then an extra year is a moot point.

Revelation coming from college athletics? Are you serious? That is ridiculous.

Making the age 21 would drastically cut down on the number of missionaries. There is no way, with the way college is and how competitive it is, I could have left at 21, especially when at the point the decision would have been going into a doctorate program or going on a mission. It isn't logical, or reasonable.

As far as sweethearts, if they listened to the counsel of the prophets, they wouldn't have loves waiting for them anyways. The church has been very clear on that issue. Basically every prophet has said you can't serve a full time mission to the best of your abilities AND have a love at home. It isn't possible. Males should not have serious girlfriends until after their missions. Girls shouldn't until they are ready and prepared to get married. For some reason, this is a bit of guidance that members love to look the other way with (I think a lot of it has to do with moms who like to hang out with the boy's girlfriends and do the care package thing with them every week. Helps them relive their glory days).
 
babe said:
You need to get the movie "The RM" and rethink this scenario.

I know most decent LDS youngsters won't like my views here, and Colton might squirm to have his kids exposed to my wacked-out reality, but judging from my own unguided youth, and ensuing experiences. . . . this is a huge mistake.

The whole reason for making the eligible age 19 in the first place was the vain hope that with a year out the door and on their own, hopefully, it would mean young men would think seriously BEFORE going on a mission, and thus be more prepared to take on the serious responsibilities of being "elders" teaching and counseling prospective new converts. . . . and maybe with a prospect of actually taking their own beliefs seriously. It was bad enough having parents trying to hijack the mission program for juvenile rehabilitation purposes as it was. . . ..

So here is a case of revelation coming from college athletics advocates, a real cart-before-the-horse case of twisted logic, if you ask me.

The LDS Church would have done better to make the eligible age 21 for both men and women. Sure a lot of kids would just wander off into some other life path of their own choosing, but the ones who still would choose to do a mission would actually be a credit to the faith.

As for the high school sweethearts having the chance to go off on missions and come back at the same time, I just think the worn out joke about "dear john" letters. . . . ummmm. . . . let's re-state that. . . . "dear elder" letters . . . . . is just going to get a new lease on life. . . .

My own high school "sweetheart" was pretty clearly just in it for the status dances. . . . .
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I sent a letter telling my girl not to write or wait for me because I didn't need her crap. Cold blooded.
 
Stoked said:
I sent a letter telling my girl not to write or wait for me because I didn't need her crap. Cold blooded.
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My gf and I both agreed that she would date while I was gone and if she was around when I got home, great. If not, great. I didn't want her sitting around not dating while I was gone. We still wrote each other every week and she would go to my parent's house for Christmas phone calls, etc. She sent me packages. We've now been married 12 years.
 
bigb said:
My gf and I both agreed that she would date while I was gone and if she was around when I got home, great. If not, great. I didn't want her sitting around not dating while I was gone. We still wrote each other every week and she would go to my parent's house for Christmas phone calls, etc. She sent me packages. We've now been married 12 years.
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That is awesome. Sometimes it works. I'm glad yours did.
 
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