Finally Someone Asked the Question..."Are Missionaries Safe"

[_Bazooka]

The LDS Church bends over backwards to make missions as safe as possible.

Kevin, I'd like you to explain what it is, specifically, that the Church does that constitutes "bending over backwards to make missions as safe as possible."

[_Quasimodo]

The LDS Church bends over backwards to make missions as safe as possible.

Kevin, I'd like you to explain what it is, specifically, that the Church does that constitutes "bending over backwards to make missions as safe as possible."

In even the smallest villages in England there is usually a monument that lists the names of all the young men from that region that died during the first world war.

There should be a plaque at the entrance to City Creek Mall listing the names of all the young boys and girls who died on missions.

It should start "We honor all those who gave their lives to make this Mall possible."

[_Runtu]

The LDS Church bends over backwards to make missions as safe as possible.

Not in my mission, they didn't. I look back at how completely unprepared we were for what we would encounter, how bad the living conditions were, how our healthcare was left completely up to us, and if we didn't have money to go to the doctor, we just didn't go. And we lived and worked in very dangerous places without a second thought. It's a wonder more missionaries weren't killed in my mission than there were.

[_madeleine]

Of course, all the planning and training in the world won't prevent that one terrible accident. But to say the LDS Church has no responsibility, is irresponsible. Can't just throw your hands up in the air and say "s*** happens" or "statistics happen".

The LDS Church bends over backwards to make missions as safe as possible. That doesn't change the fact that, no matter how safe you make it, life is fragile, and things can happen anywhere to threaten it. I don't think anyone can criticize the LDS Church for deaths of missionaries, when there was a higher chance they would have died had they not gone on missions than there was if they had.

I have only know one couple who served as mission presidents, and they were in comfy cozy Oregon. They had a lot of missionaries on bikes and worried constantly over their safety. Yeah, about the same odds.

But, to say a young man going to school in Utah, or serving a mission n Oregon, is less safe than one who lives for two years in a third world country? That is wishful thinking.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Well, I knew of some missionaries who got their asses beat in Houston for their bikes. Pretty brutal smack down.

No, a former moderator here didn't do it.

- Doc

[_Kyle Reese]

The LDS Church bends over backwards to make missions as safe as possible.

In what ways?

I'd love it if that were true.

[_son of Ishmael]

The LDS Church bends over backwards to make missions as safe as possible.

Not in my mission, they didn't. I look back at how completely unprepared we were for what we would encounter, how bad the living conditions were, how our healthcare was left completely up to us, and if we didn't have money to go to the doctor, we just didn't go. And we lived and worked in very dangerous places without a second thought. It's a wonder more missionaries weren't killed in my mission than there were.

Same here. We worked in some pretty bad areas and I am sure there were even worse ones that ours. The water was bad, the sanitation was bad, and I fought diarrhea constantly. Two guys wacked me upside my head with a large chain. They did not rob me they just did it for craps and giggles. I still have a small scare on my neck. I used to think that God had protected me from getting my skull cracked open and now I just figure I was lucky.

[_madeleine]

Well, I knew of some missionaries who got their asses beat in Houston for their bikes. Pretty brutal smack down.

No, a former moderator here didn't do it.

- Doc

Apparently some people in Oregon find it entertaining to run missionaries on bikes off the road. Which happened, and no helmet on the elder boy.

[_SteelHead]

Missionaries live in hovels. Mission Presidents live in high rises and in a couple cases mansions.

See any disconnect? The church loves its self paid sales force.

[_maklelan]

I am not sure whether the right comparison is being used. One should not look at death rates for young US men in general, but at death rates for young white middle-class men who do not smoke, drink, or do drugs, and live in places like Provo. Sending someone like that to walk the streets in Guatemala, or in a Chicago housing project, is likely to be a substantial increase in risk compared to their normal life at home or college. And they are getting younger ...

How many of the world's 75,000 missionaries do you believe are young white middle-class men who live in places like Provo?