Any celebreties exempt from missionary service?

[TripletDaddy]

According to my uncle - who coached Bradley in high school - Bradley was contacted by an agent when he had been out for a year and kept in contact with him a few times a month, then weekly for the last 3 months of Shawn's mission. The agent was at the airport when Bradley's flight touched down and met him with the paperwork to be his agent.

Returning to play at BYU was never a part of Shawn's plan the last year of his mission.

Link or it didnt happen.

Shawn Bradley was focused on his mission. He tracted, he prayed with his comp, he studied. I saw it myself on ESPN.

[Jacob]

Said no one exempt from missionary service. Said Osmonds but that too is folklore.

It is not folklore. And just like many things, I'm sure some members of the 12 would agree with you (e.g. Packer) and some would disagree (Hinckley).

I use the example of Hickley and Packer because an Osmond once told me that Packer objected to a rockish gospel song they performed while Hinckley said it was celestial.

[il Padrino Ute]

Link or it didnt happen.

Shawn Bradley was focused on his mission. He tracted, he prayed with his comp, he studied. I saw it myself on ESPN.

You calling my uncle a liar?

[Paperback Writer]

According to my uncle - who coached Bradley in high school - Bradley was contacted by an agent when he had been out for a year and kept in contact with him a few times a month, then weekly for the last 3 months of Shawn's mission. The agent was at the airport when Bradley's flight touched down and met him with the paperwork to be his agent.

Returning to play at BYU was never a part of Shawn's plan the last year of his mission.

But I think that had a lot to do with the NBA salary restructure while Bradley was on a mission. If Bradley had waited then his NBA contract would be much less lucrative regardless of whether he would have played again at BYU. I recall a lot of collegiate players coming out early that year for that very reason.

What was surprising to me was Bradley's draft projection that year. Hard to improve on being the #2 overall selection despite not playing regularly for 2 years. So that made entering the NBA a "no brainer" for Bradley.

[il Padrino Ute]

But I think that had a lot to do with the NBA salary restructure while Bradley was on a mission. If Bradley had waited then his NBA contract would be much less lucrative regardless of whether he would have played again at BYU. I recall a lot of collegiate players coming out early that year for that very reason.

What was surprising to me was Bradley's draft projection that year. Hard to improve on being the #2 overall selection despite not playing regularly for 2 years. So that made entering the NBA a "no brainer" for Bradley.

I agree completely. The NBA or BYU? Not a tough decision at all.

[il Padrino Ute]

But I think that had a lot to do with the NBA salary restructure while Bradley was on a mission. If Bradley had waited then his NBA contract would be much less lucrative regardless of whether he would have played again at BYU. I recall a lot of collegiate players coming out early that year for that very reason.

What was surprising to me was Bradley's draft projection that year. Hard to improve on being the #2 overall selection despite not playing regularly for 2 years. So that made entering the NBA a "no brainer" for Bradley.

I agree completely. The NBA or BYU? Not a tough decision at all.

The story also demonstrates what kind of weasels agents can be.

[Spicy McHaggis]

I agree completely. The NBA or BYU? Not a tough decision at all.

I still remember a few letters written to the editor of the D-news stating the Bradley had no morals or class for chosing the NBA over returning to byu.
Pretty myopic stuff.

[MarkGrace]

Jimmer is on a mission; they sent me to Mexico because I couldn't play basketball.

I saw a comment that looked something like that and thought it was pretty funny.

[grapevine]

Did Robert D Hales go on a mission as a young man? But he did play baseball for the Utes so I guess it is cool.

Bob answered that question in the book he wrote. He said don't use me as an excuse and explained the situation of the mission home closing when he was of that age. But the lord compensated as he served a mission in the Military and made a branch a ward and district stake.

Said the counsel today is to go on a mission and those that don't talk with priesthood leaders don't excuse yourself. Thing is from last general conference and what I heard before is the Lord does not tell the prophet to tell the church membership one thing and an individual something else.

Joe J Christensen Priesthood Session 1996 read it. If people go no one is compellng them. But the Lord independent of people he called will not tell soemoen this is your mission. Through the Prophet he already issued the call.

William R Bradford another great talk on subject said who do you think you are if you don't go.

We had this debate on Cougarboard too and a public figure excusing themself I think can cause problems for young people who struggle with that descision.

[Moliere]

Why do we still say "called" on a mission? I see this as applicable back in the day when people really were called out of the blue to serve. Is it really a call or more of an assignment nowadays? If someone really felt the spirit and felt they needed to serve a mission I can see that as a call, but a blanket statement that all young men should serve a mission seems to imply an assignment. It's kind of like telling the EQ to show up at so and so's house to help them move.

[myboynoah]

I agree completely. The NBA or BYU? Not a tough decision at all.

The story also demonstrates what kind of weasels agents can be.

How so? Not that agents can't be weasels, but what did this particular agent do that was so egregious?

Bradley didn't have to respond to the agent's contact and the NBA (the Sixers I believe) didn't have to draft and pay him all that money.

[Uncle Ted]

Bob answered that question in the book he wrote. He said don't use me as an excuse and explained the situation of the mission home closing when he was of that age. But the lord compensated as he served a mission in the Military and made a branch a ward and district stake.

So a young man should prepare to serve a mission or serve in the military. Maybe bishops and SP's should keep a stack of business cards for the local military recruiters to give to young men that don't make the cut for missionary service. At least then a young man has a chance to "return with honor" in another way.

[statman]

Preaching the gospel is a commandment. I doubt the Lord cares whether that is done through full-time missionary service or in other ways so long as it is done.

I don't doubt at all that the Lord cares. I'm quite certain that He does. You're deluding yourself if you think otherwise...

[CardiacCoug]

I don't doubt at all that the Lord cares. I'm quite certain that He does. You're deluding yourself if you think otherwise...

You "don't doubt" and you're "quite certain" that you know God's thoughts.

And somebody else is deluding himself.

Nice.

[statman]

I'm not talking "eventually". I'm talking about a 19 or 20 year old kid who decides to forego a mission. Can he right then be worthy of a temple recommend?

To do baptisms. Or to get married. No bishop is going to give a 20 yo who's not going on a mission a recommend for his own endowment unless a temple marriage is in the cards - but a lot would be hesitant about that too. Tough for a bishop and/or SP to conclude that a kid who doesn't want to go on a mission is prepared to live up to temple covenants that ask for more commitment than that...

Maybe if he was already in the military...