MAJOR Gender MIlestone in LDS Missionary Work

[_Craig Paxton]

For the first time in LDS History...Female missionary candidates will out number male candidates at the Provo MTC. This milestone will be reached within the next few weeks according to a source. The impact this will have on the overall make up of the missionary force, if it is a trend and continues, will be significant. What it says about young Mormon males is also telling...fewer males are choosing to go on missions.

I have a close family member currently in the MTC. Per this person's letters, in the next couple of weeks, the MTC will for the first time have more women than men in residence. I cannot confirm the statement and the only evidence I have is the word of a family member who is a current missionary. I am interested​ in anyone out there who can confirm or refute this statement.
My family has been discussing it as a neat little fact and how great it is that women are serving missions. I on the other hand only heard it as confirmation that the church has horrible retention of young men and that the already existing demographic disaster in Utah is going to get worse. The number of missionaries are already at the low levels they were at when the age was lowered; if half those missionaries are women the church is in big trouble.
For comparison, in my mission of 200+ missionaries in 1997 there were at one point a total of 9 sisters and never more than 15 during my entire two year tenure (admittedly I was in a Latin American country just barely emerging from a decade of civil war and non-host nation sisters were not being sent to the missions there). However, even when I was in the MTC there is no way that women represented more than 10% of missionaries. I realize a big culture shift has occurred with expectations of women serving missions, but it is still a major problem if the church is back down to pre-change total numbers yet the percent male is now at or near 50%.

[_Dr Exiled]

Bring back polygamy .... now the apologetic that polygamy was to merely marry the widows, etc. will have some teeth. They must bring back polygamy because there aren't enough worthy elders to continue with the silly one male one female arrangement. Hugh had it right ..........

[_AmyJo]

It may also mean that more young LDS men and women are postponing marriage - indefinitely.

Women are admonished to go on missions only if they have no marriage prospects.

More telling to me that the times they are a'changin. There may be as many men to women ratio.

But there are fewer men ready to get married post-mission, (and as well the young women may be postponing it for other reasons besides a lack of prospects, but that is the #1 reason why women are discouraged from going on missions historically.)

[_Markk]

President Thomas S. Monson speaks to young people about missionary service...

"First, to young men of the Aaronic Priesthood and to you young men who are becoming elders: I repeat what prophets have long taught—that every worthy, able young man should prepare to serve a mission. Missionary service is a priesthood duty—an obligation the Lord expects of us who have been given so very much. Young men, I admonish you to prepare for service as a missionary. Keep yourselves clean and pure and worthy to represent the Lord. Maintain your health and strength. Study the scriptures. Where such is available, participate in seminary or institute. Familiarize yourself with the missionary handbook Preach My Gospel.

A word to you young sisters: while you do not have the same priesthood responsibility as do the young men to serve as full-time missionaries, you also make a valuable contribution as missionaries, and we welcome your service."

https://www.lds.org/youth/video/a-pries ... y?lang=eng

The next prophet will have to change this message for sure. Also, I see more guilt trips coming to the LDS youth.

Bednar will have to modify this talk also...

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/ ... y?lang=eng

[_Dr. Shades]

I on the other hand only heard it as confirmation that the church has horrible retention of young men and that the already existing demographic disaster in Utah is going to get worse. The number of missionaries are already at the low levels they were at when the age was lowered; if half those missionaries are women the church is in big trouble . . . it is still a major problem if the church is back down to pre-change total numbers yet the percent male is now at or near 50%.

I don't think there's any reason for the church to panic. If the numbers are back to normal, who cares what percent are male vs. female? A missionary is a missionary. If a greater percentage are women, then that means they're picking up the slack for the lack of males, so the church has been "rescued."

Net gain/loss = 0.

[_DrW]

I on the other hand only heard it as confirmation that the church has horrible retention of young men and that the already existing demographic disaster in Utah is going to get worse. The number of missionaries are already at the low levels they were at when the age was lowered; if half those missionaries are women the church is in big trouble . . . it is still a major problem if the church is back down to pre-change total numbers yet the percent male is now at or near 50%.

I don't think there's any reason for the church to panic. If the numbers are back to normal, who cares what percent are male vs. female? A missionary is a missionary. If a greater percentage are women, then that means they're picking up the slack for the lack of males, so the church has been "rescued."

Net gain/loss = 0.

Not necessarily. Same numbers of missionaries as before the surge, but half as many males, means half as many potential faithful families to produce little tithe payers going forward.

With convert baptisms in Europe and North America in steep decline, the Church might well be in for a period of low growth, followed by no growth and then negative growth, falling behind the rate of increase in overall population.

[_sunstoned]

I wonder how this changing demographic will affect the organizational structure of the missions. Will ZL's and DL's continue to be filed by elders or will there be leadership opportunities open up for the sisters?

[_RockSlider]

One step closer to priesthood for the women eh?

[_sock puppet]

Bring back polygamy .... now the apologetic that polygamy was to merely marry the widows, etc. will have some teeth. They must bring back polygamy because there aren't enough worthy elders to continue with the silly one male one female arrangement. Hugh had it right ..........

Hugh has been an apostle much longer than any of the FP/12.

[_Dr. Shades]

Not necessarily. Same numbers of missionaries as before the surge, but half as many males, means half as many potential faithful families to produce little tithe payers going forward.

Pardon my contrarian-ness, but we could just as easily say that five times the number of females means five times as many potential faithful families to produce little tithe payers going forward.

Again, this is my way of saying that as long as the raw numbers remain the same, then the missionary program--and, by extension, the church--has nothing to fear, unconventional demographics within those numbers notwithstanding.