Mission rules are now just suggestions.

[alas]

But are they really suggestions?

Sure they are. Like wearing a suit to meetings is a suggestion. Like females having only one set of earrings and males having none is a suggestion. I'm sure there are a lot of examples of "suggestions" that are actually treated as God's own very strict commandment, and disobeying of such will send you to hell.

And, you know, like you can vote opposed without getting in trouble.

After all, the Word of Wisdom is a suggestion. In a church that is all about obedience, disobedience to the suggestions is a cardinal sin.

[StarbucksMom]

I wonder if this is a response to the fact that 50% of returned missionaries are leaving the church or becoming inactive or that 1/3 or missionaries come home early, mostly for mental health reasons and for "health" reasons that are often cover stories for underlying depression or anxiety.

I also wonder whether loosening up the rules will have the effect of keeping missionaries in the field and in the church, or will give them a little more mental space to distance themselves earlier.

Wow Hagoth, I didn’t know it was that bad. 50% RMs going inactive & a full 1/3 missionaries coming home early? I have definitely seen the early returns, but 50% going inactive, trying to think of those I know. I know of 1 who came home early and stopped going, but that’s it. Then again, lots go off to college etc and I have been on an extended FB break so maybe I just don’t see it.

Are these stats from Jana Reiss??

Do you all think it’s because missionaries (worldwide now) are being asked about the history that people read on the web? And missionaries are having poor “success”(baptism rates) so they google the stuff while out or once home?

[Spicy McHaggis]

I wonder if this is a response to the fact that 50% of returned missionaries are leaving the church or becoming inactive or that 1/3 or missionaries come home early, mostly for mental health reasons and for "health" reasons that are often cover stories for underlying depression or anxiety.

I also wonder whether loosening up the rules will have the effect of keeping missionaries in the field and in the church, or will give them a little more mental space to distance themselves earlier.

Wow Hagoth, I didn’t know it was that bad. 50% RMs going inactive & a full 1/3 missionaries coming home early? I have definitely seen the early returns, but 50% going inactive, trying to think of those I know. I know of 1 who came home early and stopped going, but that’s it. Then again, lots go off to college etc and I have been on an extended FB break so maybe I just don’t see it.

Are these stats from Jana Reiss??

Do you all think it’s because missionaries (worldwide now) are being asked about the history that people read on the web? And missionaries are having poor “success”(baptism rates) so they google the stuff while out or once home?

I've heard the same number, that 50% of RMs eventually go inactive. It may be a case like mine where it took several years after the mission, but eventually 50% go inactive. I don't have a source to cite on that though.

[Hagoth]

Are these stats from Jana Reiss??

The 1/3 coming home early statistic is from the Reiss article. I'm not sure where I got the 50% number (John Dehlin, It think), but I've heard it a couple of times.

[Hagoth]

I don't have a source to cite on that though.

Satan maybe?

[Exiled]

It's about time they lightened up. Some of the rules were nutty, like not being able to date your investigators (lol). Luckily I was in a mission where I didn't have a pres from the mormon homeland and he was pretty lax on enforcement. His attitude was that we should be trusted and that he wasn't too worried if we listened to non-religious music every once and a while.

[Spicy McHaggis]

I don't have a source to cite on that though.

Satan maybe?

Well duh. Another one of his lies.

[Random]

disobedience to the suggestions is a cardinal sin.

You've got that pegged right!

[Random]

Do you all think it’s because missionaries (worldwide now) are being asked about the history that people read on the web? And missionaries are having poor “success”(baptism rates) so they google the stuff while out or once home?

I think it's because they're 18 and virtually none of them have had experience with the real world. When they had to be 19, a lot of them went to college or worked for a year before going on a mission.

I would be interested in seeing the stats of sisters vs elders, though. Maybe the minimum missionary age for both males and females should be 21, but I doubt they'd do it. That leaves too many years for the boys to decide not to invest in the Church (mission, etc.).