Wow who knew picking a year early would mean more (link)

[_Drifting]

What does "missionary applications" mean?

In English?

In Mormon context?

(You know, I have language defects...)

Its the old noun apposition pattern:

"An XY" where X and Y are both nouns is a Y conditioned by the preceding Z.
Thus "A bomb shelter" is a shelter designed to protect you from bombs. You can have more than two nouns in the chain: "A fallout survival shelter" is a shelter that promotes survival in the presence of [nuclear] fallout.

So "missionary applications" are applications (in the sense of written requests) that pertain to missionaries.

Yes, but, is it an 'application' when it is started, or does it only become an application once it has been completed and sent off?

[_Chap]

Yes, but, is it an 'application' when it is started, or does it only become an application once it has been completed and sent off?

Valid question, but not a grammatical one!

[_ludwigm]

I've given up.

Thanks.

[_Jaybear]

I am sure anyone who thought about it knew.

Females had to wait till 21, likely the female was married thus no mission. At a younger age the female is less likely to be married or even considering marriage. Now the female can serve a mission and return with honor and not think herself an old maid for being single.

For males, who just party about for a year after highschool, and party before applying, then younger age allows them to apply while they are still likely not partying.

So all in all just thinking it through would have lead some to know a dramatic spike in applications.

The dramatic short term spike occurs, because the pool of eligible missionaries had previously expanded week to week by only those who turned 19/21 in the past week. One week after the announcement the pool expanded by the number young men who turned 18 in the past year, and the pool of eligible women expanded by the number of women who turned 19 in the last two years.

I would also guess that enrollment for BYU's/Rick's spring semester will drop significantly, as all virtually all freshmen men, and virtually all sophmore and junior women just became eligible to serve a mission, and many will apply after the fall semester.

They could have reduced the spike, by lowering the age in gradual increments.