So much for a big announcement being a rumor!

[_Yoda]

President Monson just announced...men can now serve a mission at 18, and women can serve a mission at age 19.

Thoughts?

Also...he did not look like he had Alzheimer's to me.

[_Jason Bourne]

Good move for both. For boys at 18 it will likely help increase those going and help retention. Monson looked fine to me too.

[_lulu]

President Monson just announced...men can now serve a mission at 18, and women can serve a mission at age 19.

Thoughts?

Also...he did not look like he had Alzheimer's to me.

He struck me as a little goofy before he started reading from the teleprompter. The look on his face when he talked about empty seats, late arrivals and his mother wishing he had continued to learn to play the piano. I was wondering if he would go off.

His expression and voice changed when he started to read. Then he seemed really steady.

[_The Erotic Apologist]

His expression and voice changed when he started to read. Then he seemed really steady.[/color]

A couple dozen milligrams of doctor-prescribed dextroamphetamine can work wonders...for a while.

[_zeezrom]

Wow. Graduate from high school and go straight on a mission. How would it have been?

Missionaries will be even more green than they already are. From the mouth of babes...

[_sock puppet]

Wow. Graduate from high school and go straight on a mission. How would it have been?

Missionaries will be even more green than they already are. From the mouth of babes...

More green, yes.

Less leakage of potential missionaries from HS graduation until age 19, yes.

Leave less opportunity for these groomed-from-birth units from choosing their own path in life, why, yes, indeed.

Next up will be allowing calls home the last 6 months of a mission, to one's girlfriend/boyfriend, if and only if to make plans for one's temple wedding to occur within 6 weeks of the completion of the mission.

Keep 'em smothered, don't let 'em think.

[_consiglieri]

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

[_zeezrom]

Less leakage of potential missionaries from HS graduation until age 19, yes.

Leave less opportunity for these groomed-from-birth units from choosing their own path in life, why, yes, indeed.

I have to agree with you. My freshman sociology class at the U was *not* faith promoting.

[Guest]

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

Especially since girls mature more quickly than boys.

With this change, you are going to see a sudden bump in the number of missionaries, then a sudden drop. They want to intensify missionary efforts, with the Mormon Moment in the political scene.

[_zeezrom]

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

Especially since girls mature more quickly than boys.

I thought it was to prevent the kids from dating. What guy wants to date an older woman. ;) OK, well... uh.. hmmm... ahhh..