New Missionary Program?

[StarbucksMom]

So my friend had posted before conference that her son's mission call was delayed. A few days ago, she came out of female social media hiding to say her son's mission call's status had changed to active (or something like that). Today she posted that they were called into SP's office and her son was called on a mission in their state for 3 months. After that, they would re-asses and if he wants to stay, another call will come and he'll go to the MTC. She said it's a new program and he's the 1st in their stake to get this kind of call.

Has anyone else seen this? My friend's son does not have any medical/mental issues that I know of. I am wondering if maybe bishops recommend certain kids for this program? Or if church leaders are realizng too many kids come home early and this is a way to test the mission to see if it's a good fit?

[Unendowed]

I've seen this before. I think they are doing this for kids that are higher risk of leaving early. A friend of my son came home early from the MTC for anxiety reasons. Two months later he decided he wanted to try it again and he was given the option to start his mission in SLC for the first three months. He opted not to go that route and received a new call to an out of state mission. He left to his mission on a Monday and was home again by Wednesday.

[Palerider]

Call me one of those old codgers who are always complaining about "the youth today"....

But seriously I don't see high school graduates these days being nearly prepared or mature enough to handle the hardships and church requirements of a mission.

The mental maturity was barely there when we went in the 70's at 19. And still a percentage came home for the same reasons as today.

A few years back I was listening to one of those "science of the brain" programs and they were saying the human brain is the last organ of the body to finish growing at 21 years of age. But leadership expects these 18 year old kids to handle being separated from family, friends, their cell phones and video binkies like thirty year olds.

Nobody in the COB sees this as being an unrealistic expectation? I don't think these old men realize how much things have changed in the past 45 years.

[Hagoth]

But seriously I don't see high school graduates these days being nearly prepared or mature enough to handle the hardships and church requirements of a mission.

They've got a real Catch-22 on their hands. Kids are socially maturing later that back in the day when they had to work the south 40 by themselves, so they really need to go away to college for a year to develop skills they'll need for a mission, but the church doesn't want them to get exposed to the freedom and information they'll encounter in that environment.

If they continue this program I bet we'll see a lot of kids serving 3-month missions and then calling it quits. If they know they're not in for it for the long haul they are probably less likely to suck it up and really commit themselves.

All of this looks to me like an organization blinded in the headlights and thrashing around for solutions other than fixing their actual problems. I think the only real solution that would work within their narrow world view would be to put teenagers on a long-term social media and internet fast for a couple of years leading up to their mission, and we know that ain't gonna fly.

[jfro18]

I've seen a few people claim that those they know that work for the church are hinting the missionary age might jump back to 19.

I mean it's all rumors until it happens, but that would accomplish two things for the church:

1. The declining missionary numbers would take a big hit, but they could just gloss over it by saying "It's simply a product of the age reverting back to 19" instead of trying to explain why they are declining when we were told they'd be nearing 100,000.

2. It would give the future missionaries one more year to get matured and prepared, but as has been mentioned here that comes at a price because more and more people are starting to realize it's just not worth going, and that extra year of being away from home gives them all sorts of opportunities to come across the information that is going to destroy their testimony.

We'll see... the church is definitely at a fork in the road here and they clearly know it. Now we get to see if the RMN wing that believes in 100% obedience and literalness wins or if there's the new way people like Bill Reel have been claiming is coming that tried to make the church more mainstream and less "historical."

[BriansThoughtMirror]

My nephew just got a very similar call. He does have a major medical condition and wasn't sure he'd be able to go at all. He's really excited, so I'm happy for him. I don't think he'd describe it this way, but I think it's a big deal to him that he can participate in the cultures rite of passage into manliness, just like everyone else.

[Corsair]

The dilemma of the institutional church is growing more stark. From my point of view I see modern missionary service as a "survival of the fittest" in this religious framework. Gaining the coveted title of "Returned Missionary" is an important step within the LDS hierarchy. An RM can expect improved social status among ward members, believing friends, and their family. It certainly helps to tell your potential husband or wife that you are an RM.

I think we have all heard the aphorism, "The most important person a missionary converts is himself." This is critical for growing the next generation of leadership and faithful ward members. I have seen the church state that the title "returned missionary" is not limited strictly to those that have completed the full 18 or 24 month service. It looked like a very kind concession to allow those that came home for health reasons to use this title. But it also allows more youth to have the ecclesiastic encouragement to stay active in the LDS church. Making these three month missions more common will further allow "RM" to be applied to more young men and young women. It looks like further support for organizational longevity.

[Palerider]

They've got a real Catch-22 on their hands. Kids are socially maturing later than back in the day when they had to work the south 40 by themselves...

I think the only real solution that would work within their narrow world view would be to put teenagers on a long-term social media and internet fast for a couple of years...... and we know that ain't gonna fly.

This right here, folks.

I feel bad for these kids. From the time I was fourteen I worked at some pretty labor intensive farm jobs and construction as well, up until I left for my mission.

Sometimes I was given a task that required working alone for extended periods without supervision. If the job wasn't done well and on time. I knew a nasty foreman was going to give me hell.

Now these poor guys just worry constantly about what someone is saying about them on social media or they stay up till all hours of the night playing video games and avoiding the real world. Their entire world revolves around themselves. Totally self centered.

I know, I know.....there are some great exceptions out there but I fear they are in the minority.

Sad deal.

So where was church leadership 25 years ago when this stuff was in its infancy? Where was the prophetic vision of the future that would have had a solution for this problem before it became so engrained in youth? Joseph supposedly saw the evils of tobacco years ahead of his time and made prohibitions to combat the addiction and health problems.

Where were our prophets for the children of today?

Building malls and investing in the markets? Buying land in Florida? It's a big job taking care of all that money and land. I guess we should give them a break....

[Rob4Hope]

So my friend had posted before conference that her son's mission call was delayed. A few days ago, she came out of female social media hiding to say her son's mission call's status had changed to active (or something like that). Today she posted that they were called into SP's office and her son was called on a mission in their state for 3 months. After that, they would re-asses and if he wants to stay, another call will come and he'll go to the MTC. She said it's a new program and he's the 1st in their stake to get this kind of call.

Has anyone else seen this? My friend's son does not have any medical/mental issues that I know of. I am wondering if maybe bishops recommend certain kids for this program? Or if church leaders are realizng too many kids come home early and this is a way to test the mission to see if it's a good fit?

OK...OK....this BLOWS MY FLIPPING MIND! And it enrages me!....Not because of this boy, but because of the dogmatic crap fed to my generation in my neck of the woods, and the changes now.

During my time of Bruce McConkie pounding fist "THIS IS THE WORK OF ALMIGHTY GOD!!!!!" rhetoric, I was told (and many many others) that if I didn't go on my mission, I was going to hell!...that I would be held accountable for the souls of those I may have saved but were lost BECAUSE I CHOSE NOT TO GO!...that my entire life would be affected if I didn't go!...etc.

I was told stories about people getting patriarhial blessings saying that they would have been in the church a lot sooner, but that their parents weren't converted because the missionary who was supposed to convert them chose not to do his duty on his mission....etc.

It goes on and on and on.

I saw missionaries DESTROYED on their missions. If we didn't go out there an get slapped, spit on, ridiculed, robbed and abused, we were NOT men of God. These missionaries were faced with 2 stark choices: deal with the situation, or go to hell. So, in the midst of horrible mental and even PTSD problems, these elders and sisters stayed and suffered.

OH...How merciful GOD is! Oh how merciful the church is!

And now...after all these years, elders are given 3 month callings and allowed to decide if they want to stay or not!?

My generation was sacrificed. And it makes me angry. ANGRY!

And let the record show...I went on my mission and served the full 2 years. I was a successful missionary and came home with an honorable discharge. And it was NOT the best 2 years of my life. I guess I"m going to hell for that. But, if all the mormon leaders like Bruce McConkie are in heaven...PLEASE OH PLEASE SEND ME TO HELL! I DON"T WANT TO BE ANYWHERE NEAR THAT LYING CREEP!

[Red Ryder]

My nephew did a 3 monther.

He's high functioning aspergers which is a developmental disorder affecting ability to effectively socialize and communicate. The mission was good for him to help learn independence but in no way was it a great experience. His emails to family were brutally honest. "We walked around all day and didn't have anything to do."

I think this is an extension of that program where certain kids with history of therapy or counseling will serve a trial mission first.

I think it's a good thing.

[Corsair]

I think this is an extension of that program where certain kids with history of therapy or counseling will serve a trial mission first.

I think it's a good thing.

I have two different family friends with children doing this right now. It's a "good" thing in the sense that it's nice that the LDS church can include these challenged youth in their premier status for a young Mormon. I would like to see the long term data showing that this promotes happy, healthy adults from a more objective standard. I only see that promotes cohesion with this high demand religion and largely satisfies the sky-high expectation of faithful peers and family.

[Brent]

The high functioning autistic kids are going on a 3 month mission for Mom and Dad. Granted, this is a great way to learn to function away from parental supervision but is that what missions are for? I didn't go in 1982 and that made me anathema. Is that what this is about? Carrying young men around so they can touch all the bases? Who shepherds these young people, reminds them of their coping strategies, helps them walk away and disengage?

[1smartdodog]

On my mission I would say 50% should have not been there including me. It was a crappy two years in the prime of my life I will never get back. I don’t think much has changed. Half the missionaries hate the job. I think it is just becoming more acceptable to come home. In my day it just was not an option. Might as well jump off a cliff.

[dogbite]

I was a babysitter on my mission for most of the people the mission broke or shouldn't have been there. Not that actual missionary work was productive either.

But stranding people on missions with other people who can't care for them properly helps neither person and only spreads the damage.

It was pretty clear that a lot of running the mission was not divine or inspired by living in it's underbelly. It was and is a system of abuse.