Missionary Age Lowered to 18 for males, 19 for females

[_Elphaba]

They explained the age difference at the press conference. They said it works better when the women are slightly older.

Would you mind expounding on this? What is "it" that works better when women are slightly older?

[_Yoda]

They explained the age difference at the press conference. They said it works better when the women are slightly older.

Would you mind expounding on this? What is "it" that works better when women are slightly older?

He kept very vague. I am assuming he meant the general mix of male and female missionaries in the field.

[_Elphaba]

He kept very vague. I am assuming he meant the general mix of male and female missionaries in the field.

Okay, thanks.

I looked online for an answer to my question, and didn't find one, but I did find the following Holland quote in the Trib's story about the change:

He also said leaders considered extending the length of missions for women to two years, like that of their male counterparts, but decided to see how the lower age goes first before possibly taking that step.

I just thought that was interesting.

[Guest]

This announcement is an amazing coincidence. Why, just the other day, I was thinking that while it's good to be told how to live your life and raise your family by kids who have never been married, never had children, never had a career, and whose brain development has not reached adulthood, somehow we need said kids to be even more callow and naïve.

What a blessing that the Lord is making my dream a reality.

How great is the day when we can address an 18 year-old boy as "Elder."

[_Mercury]

Can't have them out in the real world for a year after HS. Nopw, can't do it. THey might get corrupted with things like facts and adult life.

[_Darth J]

I can still see that you guys are still american centered. It is a world wide church. Many countries require a draft into the service, especially in europe. This age drop helps them since they will finish their mission at 20, still plenty of time to serve in the military and then go to university or vocational school. Likewise for other parts of the world.

When I was on my mission in Italy, I had three different companions who were from Italy. There were many other Italian missionaries there, too. Italy has compulsive military service. And yet kids who wanted to go did go. So you seem to have come up with some great speculation about a non-problem.

You sure seem to know a lot about what it's like to be a missionary, though. Where did you serve your mission, Why Me?

Oh, now I remember. Your were called to the "Nowhere, Never" mission.

Lets try to think world wide and not just from Utah.

So, when do you think the Church will start construction on a multi-billion dollar mall in Brazil or Ghana? Soon?

[_sansfoy]

AdamFord, I had no idea you were here. I first heard about this from your post on the same subject on Facebook.

Who is this? I have only made two (now three) posts here. Don't really know this place yet.

I don't want to out myself, but...go Red Devils.

[_just me]

I think lowering the age boy missionaries can go on missions from the arbitrary age of 19 to the arbitrary age of 18 (so long as they have graduated from high school) is less than stunning. I also feel little in the way of inspiration in this decision. The plain fact is lots of boys have been hanging around for a year killing time after high school before they turn 19. This could have been dealt with a long time ago. I'm glad they finally got around to correcting this problem with a predictable policy change, but it is not earth shattering.

I also feel that we have dumbed down expectations to the point this type of policy change is announced with fanfare at conference and treated as the latter-day equivalent of the King Follett Discourse.

More important is that girls can now go on missions at age 19.

But I could not help thinking that regardless of the change, girls still need to understand that are not on an equal playing field.

Why on earth couldn't they just make it the same for girls, just like the boys?

Where would be the harm in saying girls can go on missions at 18 if they have graduated from high school, too?

I am left to think it is an intentional decision to make sure women do not get the idea they are equal to men.

Just my two cents.

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

This to the power of a thousand.

As a parent of active children I am not happy to hear this. I hope I can get at least my younger two out of the church before they have time to contemplate a mission.

[Guest]

I think that there are several reasons why the Mormon church did this, as outlined in my previous post. I think that the main reasons though are to increase the size of the missionary pool and to increase retention among young adults.

No doubt, but that doesn't explain the sexist age gap.

They explained the age difference at the press conference. They said it works better when the women are slightly older.

I thiinnk they are tryiing to discourage romance in the mission field, but I don't think the year difference willl really do that.

It just means they're slightly cougars.

[_Doctor Scratch]

Can't have them out in the real world for a year after HS. Nopw, can't do it. THey might get corrupted with things like facts and adult life.

That was similar to my first thought. By doing this, they are keeping Mormon youth--well, the boys, at least--away from post-secondary education.