Missionary Age Lowered to 18 for males, 19 for females

[_Stormy Waters]

The church has openly admitted they have trouble retaining young people and It has caused them to make policy changes before.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/51700209-78/lds-single-ballard-lake.html.csp

[_TrashcanMan79]

Although you would think that it would cause an overflow in the MTC right after high school graduation.

I suppose that whole kerfuffle earlier this year over the MTC expanding to 9-stories (or whatever number it was) was in anticipation of this very thing.

[_why me]

But that was already the case outside of the US, Monson himself just said so. Therefore, that part was not really an annoucement.

In many countries with military service it was still 19. Thus, the policy is now world wide. Also, this doesn't mean that young men need to serve at 18. They can still go at 19. But now the choice is available.

[_Stormy Waters]

Although you would think that it would cause an overflow in the MTC right after high school graduation.

I suppose that whole kerfuffle earlier this year over the MTC expanding to 9-stories (or whatever number it was) was in anticipation of this very thing.

I think this is likely the case. Also the number of missionaries in the MTC could vary wildly now. It will be at capacity after gradation and pretty much empty early in the year.

[_why me]

The church has openly admitted they have trouble retaining young people and It has caused them to make policy changes before.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/51700209-78/lds-single-ballard-lake.html.csp

I think that this would refer to guys who have returned from a mission. 19 is still a young age to fly south or north and 18, well...not many have left home or if they did, they have head out to points all over the USA for school. But when they return from a mission....well.....much can happen.

[_AdamFord]

Well it's good to see that the oracles are alive and well in the church. To now have verified that the channels between God and the Leaders of his Church are vibrant and active!

Yes a momentous revelation that will affect every man, woman and child in the church.

It is sad to me that a simple policy change on the age at which we allow missionaries to serve is seen as evidence of divine oracles and vibrant and active communication between God and Church leaders. I think we have no idea what it was like to live with Joseph Smith or Heber C. Kimball or even Joseph F. Smith. This is wonderful, but it isn't a "momentous revelation".

I agree that it will be viewed as such by those the sycophants who deify modern Church leaders.

[_lulu]

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.

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

But that was already the case outside of the US, Monson himself just said so. Therefore, that part was not really an annoucement.

In many countries with military service it was still 19. Thus, the policy is now world wide. Also, this doesn't mean that young men need to serve at 18. They can still go at 19. But now the choice is available.

But one is entitled to a US centric view of the change (which was your criticism of some of the posts here) because the change was already in effect outside the US and thus affects the US only, not non-US countries.

[_sansfoy]

It is sad to me that a simple policy change on the age at which we allow missionaries to serve is seen as evidence of divine oracles and vibrant and active communication between God and Church leaders. I think we have no idea what it was like to live with Joseph Smith or Heber C. Kimball or even Joseph F. Smith. This is wonderful, but it isn't a "momentous revelation".

I agree that it will be viewed as such by those the sycophants who deify modern Church leaders.

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

[_why me]

But one is entitled to a US centric view of the change (which was your criticism of some of the posts here) because the change was already in effect outside the US and thus affects the US only, not non-US countries.

I think that I told you that the change was not in effect in many countries with military service, ie, in europe and in russia. Now it is all over the world. It doesn't just affect the US but all of europe, and russia among other places in the world.

[_why me]

It is sad to me that a simple policy change on the age at which we allow missionaries to serve is seen as evidence of divine oracles and vibrant and active communication between God and Church leaders. I think we have no idea what it was like to live with Joseph Smith or Heber C. Kimball or even Joseph F. Smith. This is wonderful, but it isn't a "momentous revelation".

I agree that it will be viewed as such by those the sycophants who deify modern Church leaders.

Who has claimed this? It seems that it was introduced as something practical since a couple of countries had the policy already and did well. At least this is how it was explained.