Choosing one's mission.

[PaloAltoCougar]

One of my closest friends has accepted a call to preside over a mission, probably Italian-speaking. As our youngest will likely be going on a mission whose term will coincide with my friend's last two years, I would love it if MiniMe could serve in my friend's mission. But alas, there's probably a less than 1% chance of that (although if anyone knows how to beat the odds, please cough it up).

But while daydreaming about this possibility, I started thinking about the Church making assignments further in advance, and with more input from the prospective missionary. This is done with couples missionaries who are often given their choice of when and where to serve. I'm sure this idea is DOA, but how would it be to allow worthy prospective missionaries to submit a notice that they intend to serve a mission beginning in the next, say, 18 months. The Missionary Department could then notify the missionary of the area in which he/she will likely be assigned to serve, making clear that the assignment is subject to a full worthiness interview with local leaders and a formal call from the First Presidency, and that the time and place of the mission may be changed based on need. Certainly worthiness problems, cold feet and changing demands in the mission field will require changes and reassignments, but everyone would know that going in, and I suspect the changes would not be many.

I would have welcomed a year's notice and would have spent a portion of my freshman year studying German, learning more about Austrian history and culture, and then entered the LTM (no snickers, young 'uns) much better prepared. Plus, it would have kept me a bit more focused in the months leading up to my embarkation. Would you have welcomed a year's lead time in getting ready?

[Solon]

One of my closest friends has accepted a call to preside over a mission, probably Italian-speaking. As our youngest will likely be going on a mission whose term will coincide with my friend's last two years, I would love it if MiniMe could serve in my friend's mission. But alas, there's probably a less than 1% chance of that (although if anyone knows how to beat the odds, please cough it up).

But while daydreaming about this possibility, I started thinking about the Church making assignments further in advance, and with more input from the prospective missionary. This is done with couples missionaries who are often given their choice of when and where to serve. I'm sure this idea is DOA, but how would it be to allow worthy prospective missionaries to submit a notice that they intend to serve a mission beginning in the next, say, 18 months. The Missionary Department could then notify the missionary of the area in which he/she will likely be assigned to serve, making clear that the assignment is subject to a full worthiness interview with local leaders and a formal call from the First Presidency, and that the time and place of the mission may be changed based on need. Certainly worthiness problems, cold feet and changing demands in the mission field will require changes and reassignments, but everyone would know that going in, and I suspect the changes would not be many.

I would have welcomed a year's notice and would have spent a portion of my freshman year studying German, learning more about Austrian history and culture, and then entered the LTM (no snickers, young 'uns) much better prepared. Plus, it would have kept me a bit more focused in the months leading up to my embarkation. Would you have welcomed a year's lead time in getting ready?

This is a great idea, I think. While I'm sure there would always be the threat of last-minute logistical changes and shifting needs, the chance to prepare for an extended period of time would probably lead to better prepared missionaries.

My folks chose to go to the Balkans on their CES mission (I know!). They spent about 8 months trying to learn Serbo-Croatian. The long lead-up helped them figure out what they would need and allowed them to make contact with the people whom they replaced, allowing for continuity in some of the projects.

[Indy Coug]

Would you have welcomed a year's lead time in getting ready?

Honestly, I would have just pissed it away.

[Donuthole]

One of my closest friends has accepted a call to preside over a mission, probably Italian-speaking. As our youngest will likely be going on a mission whose term will coincide with my friend's last two years, I would love it if MiniMe could serve in my friend's mission. But alas, there's probably a less than 1% chance of that (although if anyone knows how to beat the odds, please cough it up).

But while daydreaming about this possibility, I started thinking about the Church making assignments further in advance, and with more input from the prospective missionary. This is done with couples missionaries who are often given their choice of when and where to serve. I'm sure this idea is DOA, but how would it be to allow worthy prospective missionaries to submit a notice that they intend to serve a mission beginning in the next, say, 18 months. The Missionary Department could then notify the missionary of the area in which he/she will likely be assigned to serve, making clear that the assignment is subject to a full worthiness interview with local leaders and a formal call from the First Presidency, and that the time and place of the mission may be changed based on need. Certainly worthiness problems, cold feet and changing demands in the mission field will require changes and reassignments, but everyone would know that going in, and I suspect the changes would not be many.

I would have welcomed a year's notice and would have spent a portion of my freshman year studying German, learning more about Austrian history and culture, and then entered the LTM (no snickers, young 'uns) much better prepared. Plus, it would have kept me a bit more focused in the months leading up to my embarkation. Would you have welcomed a year's lead time in getting ready?

I would object for the same reason that I believe temple attendance should be spontaneous--too much advance notice gives Satan more time to intervene.

[Mormon Red Death]

Honestly, I would have just pissed it away.

Sadly I would have done the same

[RC Vikings]

I would have enjoy a little more time to have that last drink of water if you know what I mean.

[TheBYUGuy]

I would have welcomed a year's notice and would have spent a portion of my freshman year studying German, learning more about Austrian history and culture, and then entered the LTM (no snickers, young 'uns) much better prepared. Plus, it would have kept me a bit more focused in the months leading up to my embarkation. Would you have welcomed a year's lead time in getting ready?

I heard a GA quote from one of my high school seminary teachers that basically said we needed more future missionaries trained in Chinese and other difficult languages. So I studied Mandarin Chinese for a semester in college hoping to get called to Taiwan. I was instead assigned to Hong Kong to speak Cantonese, but the semester of Mandarin did help me. There were one or two others in my MTC district who had also studied some Mandarin.

[Mormon Red Death]

in the same vein of choosing one's mission there should be alternate options for those with special circumstances. Like lets say you had sex in high school but still wanted to serve couldnt they place you in a family history library somewhere? Or lets say you are a gifted baseball player in the minor leagues couldnt you go for a year at say a mission where all you do is service the poor?

[Borg]

It is an interesting concept. I like it. However, it takes some of the "inspiration" out of the call....not sure how Salt Lake would deal with that.

But, I agree with you that in line with the Church wanting "better qualified missionaries"..this seems like it would fall in line with that. (Of course, I am sure that they are speaking solely on better qualified missionaries, "spiritually" and not necessarily culturally, intellectually etc).

But, being more familiar with a different culture, would certainly help make you a more successful missionary. Seems like there could be some kind of a "pre-mission" call at age 17 or so...submit papers just like missionaries do now, call received back from Salt Lake stating where you will serve at age 19, again, subject to worthiness interviews up until that point.

Then, between the time you received your call at 17 til 19 when you leave...you could cram on the history, language, culture etc. Those going foreign would certainly enter much MUCH more prepared.

...interesting thought. Would really test the faith of those getting called to some location that is not as 'exotic' as some foriegn missionaries do.

Example: "Elder Borg, you've been called to the Boise Idaho mission!"
Borg - "crap...well, I'm not going to go now."

(I can say that...I'm an Idaho native!) ;-)

Oh...and by the way...it would never hurt if you sent a letter to Salt Lake requesting that for your son. Odds are it gets tossed, but, you never know. And, mission presidents can have their children serve in their own missions if my memory serves me correctly.

[RC Vikings]

Or lets say you are a gifted baseball player in the minor leagues couldnt you go for a year at say a mission where all you do is service the poor?

Why not open up the service only mission to everybody. Having a bunch of 19 year old kids helping people seems like it would be a pretty good PR move and this would work out a lot better for many of the kids.

[il Padrino Ute]

Honestly, I would have just pissed it away.

As would I have.

I spent the year before I left not preparing - partly because I had no idea what I would have needed to do to prepare - but mostly because it was a year of absolutely zero responsibility.

[Borg]

Why not open up the service only mission to everybody. Having a bunch of 19 year old kids helping people seems like it would be a pretty good PR move and this would work out a lot better for many of the kids.

Yeah, that would work for all our MWC foes who are not members, are a bit on the skinny side, and then say, SDSU or CSU sends their kids on a "one year Mormon service mission"...and they only accept the call if it is somewhere in the US or Canada where they could eat, run, and lift for one year vs. actually serving the needy.

They would do what they actually accuse us of doing...using it as a year or two workout regimine.

[RC Vikings]

Yeah, that would work for all our MWC foes who are not members, are a bit on the skinny side, and then say, SDSU or CSU sends their kids on a "one year Mormon service mission"...and they only accept the call if it is somewhere in the US or Canada where they could eat, run, and lift for one year vs. actually serving the needy.

They would do what they actually accuse us of doing...using it as a year or two workout regimine.

They wouldn't go when they found out they couldn't have sex during the year or even worse the two years.

[New Mexican Disaster]

It is an interesting concept. I like it. However, it takes some of the "inspiration" out of the call....not sure how Salt Lake would deal with that.

But, I agree with you that in line with the Church wanting "better qualified missionaries"..this seems like it would fall in line with that. (Of course, I am sure that they are speaking solely on better qualified missionaries, "spiritually" and not necessarily culturally, intellectually etc).

But, being more familiar with a different culture, would certainly help make you a more successful missionary. Seems like there could be some kind of a "pre-mission" call at age 17 or so...submit papers just like missionaries do now, call received back from Salt Lake stating where you will serve at age 19, again, subject to worthiness interviews up until that point.

Then, between the time you received your call at 17 til 19 when you leave...you could cram on the history, language, culture etc. Those going foreign would certainly enter much MUCH more prepared.

...interesting thought. Would really test the faith of those getting called to some location that is not as 'exotic' as some foriegn missionaries do.

Example: "Elder Borg, you've been called to the Boise Idaho mission!"
Borg - "crap...well, I'm not going to go now."

(I can say that...I'm an Idaho native!) ;-)

Oh...and by the way...it would never hurt if you sent a letter to Salt Lake requesting that for your son. Odds are it gets tossed, but, you never know. And, mission presidents can have their children serve in their own missions if my memory serves me correctly.

In my experience when the GA's are talking among themselves the don't even mention the inspiration thing. It is more like a college admissions group. But my experience may not be representative.

[Indy Coug]

As would I have.

I spent the year before I left not preparing - partly because I had no idea what I would have needed to do to prepare - but mostly because it was a year of absolutely zero responsibility.

I purposely was as lazy as possible before my mission because I knew I'd have to work my butt off for two years in crappy conditions.

I have the college grades to prove it.