Rumors of 19 year old females going on missions

[Uncle Ted]

I was talking to my daughter who is approaching the new magically age of 19. She still has no plans of going on a mission and likes the thought of the changing ratio of men to women at BYU. She told me, however, that some of her girlfriends that were saying dumb things like "I hope I get married before I turn 21 because I don't want to go on a mission" are now saying on Facebook, etc. that they are now excited to start their mission "paper" process. I am scratching my head wondering if these girls don't want to go on a mission why are they going. Is it the group mentality of "all my friends are doing it"?

[Eddie]

I was talking to my daughter who is approaching the new magically age of 19. She still has no plans of going on a mission and likes the thought of the changing ratio of men to women at BYU. She told me, however, that some of her girlfriends that were saying dumb things like "I hope I get married before I turn 21 because I don't want to go on a mission" are now saying on Facebook, etc. that they are now excited to start their mission "paper" process. I am scratching my head wondering if these girls don't want to go on a mission why are they going. Is it the group mentality of "all my friends are doing it"?

I think that's a great question. I've wondered about the age thing a little too and thought that it sure makes a difference. At 19, most YW are just a year or two into college. By 21 they are graduating or nearly so. They are more likely to have a significant other at 21 than at 19 - or at least more likely to be more serious about getting married.

I think a lot of gals just feel like "blowing" 18 months at ate 19 is very different than blowing 18 months at age 21. I have a niece who went with 1 semester of school to finish. Well - what if graduation requirements change? Don't a lot of classes tend to build on what you've learned in previous classes? It just seems like age 21 is a rough time to be leaving from a school/career perspective.

What's funny - this same neighbor I spoke with about the increasing number of missionaries over all and sister missionaries in particular mentioned that one thing they've noticed for sure is that the gals going on missions are not as weird (on the whole) as the gals who used to go at age 21.

He also said that his friend at the MTC enjoys eating lunch in the cafeteria there and watching the elders watch the sisters - which has become a MUCH bigger issue than it was a year ago.

[Copelius]

I am curious about those numbers. Really? 2600+ new missionaries over a 3 week time period? What is the least amount of time a missionary will spend in the MTC?

I work with a guy in a branch presidency at the MTC. He says that starting in February, 2 week for English and 6 week for foreign. That is quite the turnaround.

[Paperback Writer]

I was talking to my daughter who is approaching the new magically age of 19. She still has no plans of going on a mission and likes the thought of the changing ratio of men to women at BYU. She told me, however, that some of her girlfriends that were saying dumb things like "I hope I get married before I turn 21 because I don't want to go on a mission" are now saying on Facebook, etc. that they are now excited to start their mission "paper" process. I am scratching my head wondering if these girls don't want to go on a mission why are they going. Is it the group mentality of "all my friends are doing it"?

Before I post the answer my opinion, I first must exempt your daughters (and those of others) and risk stereotyping many LDS females.

First ask yourself, "Why do so many LDS females drop out of college once they get married"? I think the answer is, college can be tough (and expensive). Especially, if one is pursuing a degree that means something post graduation. You don't need someone like me describing the difficulty of an engineering program or similar major since you (and I think your daughters) know this first hand. But what if a female is studying family science or art (apologies if this is more difficult than I suspect - I've never taken a secondary art course)? Their real goal is usually biding their time until Mr. Right comes along and they no longer have to be a student. So now you have a 19-year-old female with no immediate marriage prospects and they have an option to take an 18-month LOA. Don't have academic studies and don't have to work a college-type minimum wage job. They get to spend the next 1.5 years associating with male missionaries. And when they return at 21 they will be prime marriageable age with lots or RM contacts. Their opportunity cost of serving a mission is very low if they are not considering a traditional working career. What's not to like?

Or maybe Sisters are just more spiritual...

[Pelado]

Before I post the answer my opinion, I first must exempt your daughters (and those of others) and risk stereotyping many LDS females.

First ask yourself, "Why do so many LDS females drop out of college once they get married"? I think the answer is, college can be tough (and expensive). Especially, if one is pursuing a degree that means something post graduation. You don't need someone like me describing the difficulty of an engineering program or similar major since you (and I think your daughters) know this first hand. But what if a female is studying family science or art (apologies if this is more difficult than I suspect - I've never taken a secondary art course)? Their real goal is usually biding their time until Mr. Right comes along and they no longer have to be a student. So now you have a 19-year-old female with no immediate marriage prospects and they have an option to take an 18-month LOA. Don't have academic studies and don't have to work a college-type minimum wage job. They get to spend the next 1.5 years associating with male missionaries. And when they return at 21 they will be prime marriageable age with lots or RM contacts. Their opportunity cost of serving a mission is very low if they are not considering a traditional working career. What's not to like?

Or maybe Sisters are just more spiritual...

So this is most applicable to the ladyfolk in the "Ring by Spring" programs?

[Joe Public]

What's not to like?

Dysentery and dengue fever?

[Paperback Writer]

Dysentery and dengue fever?

Those benefits are only mentioned to the menfolk. My conspiracy theory is that this rush of 19-year old female missionaries will be a trend. Once more of the realities of missionry work circulate, full-time missions will lose their appeal to those who are not duty bound to serve them.

edit:
I must admit that my perspective is being colored by my 19-year old neice who is submitting her mission papers. When asked where she hopes to serve, she replies "SLC-Temple Square". I got in trouble with my SIL by informing my neice that she will not be getting her call to SLC-Temple Square because she does not have the multi-cultural dynamic that the church is looking for nor does she possess the genetics to double as a fashion model. I told her she needed to prepare for the third world. Hed Dad then metioned Russia as an interesting possibility and I went all SoonerCoug on him. She will be the first missionary on either side of her family (parents are both coverts) and they are understandably excited. My experience and that of my family is very different.

[LA Ute]

I hope the mentality that a mission is just an LOA doesn't become too popular. There are two categories of miserable people in the world that give me a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach when I consider their plight (because I've seen them both first-hand) -- lawyers who didn't really consider what it meant to be one, are now trapped in big-firm practice because of their debt load, and are hating every minute of it; and missionaries who aren't really committed to serving, end up in a difficult location, and also feel trapped.

[Uncle Ted]

I hope the mentality that a mission is just an LOA doesn't become too popular. There are two categories of miserable people in the world that give me a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach when I consider their plight (because I've seen them both first-hand) -- lawyers who didn't really consider what it meant to be one, are now trapped in big-firm practice because of their debt load, and are hating every minute of it; and missionaries who aren't really committed to serving, end up in a difficult location, and also feel trapped.

Now this problem is compounded by lowering the age to 18. (Well, for a young man serving a mission that is. People that are trapped being lawyers had plenty of time to think about what the hell they are getting into.)

[LA Ute]

Now this problem is compounded by lowering the age to 18. (Well, for a young man serving a mission that is. People that are trapped being lawyers had plenty of time to think about what the hell they are getting into.)

Yep. 18 year-olds are pretty raw material. Without the typical 1-year buffer zone to focus on getting ready to go, their parents and leaders will need to do a lot to help them understand it's not all sunshine and lollipops on a mission.

Having said that, I left on my mission in the first week of the November following my high school graduation in June, and that worked out great for me. But my brother had just come home in June from a Latin American mission (where I was also going) and I didn't have any illusions about what I was getting into.

[Paperback Writer]

Yep. 18 year-olds are pretty raw material. Without the typical 1-year buffer zone to focus on getting ready to go, their parents and leaders will need to do a lot to help them understand it's not all sunshine and lollipops on a mission.

Having said that, I left on my mission in the first week of the November following my high school graduation in June, and that worked out great for me. But my brother had just come home in June from a Latin American mission (where I was also going) and I didn't have any illusions about what I was getting into.

And there's also the priesthood duty aspect of missions similar to military service for YM. YM also typically have RM leaders to help them understand what a mission is all about.

YW are not bound by the same duty obligations and probably don't have too many YW leaders relating their own mission experiences However, they do have the one-year buffer.

That's why I think this might be a temporary trend for 19-year old LDS females. I could be very wrong but I think the LOA comparison will valid for far too many.

[The_Tick]

And there's also the priesthood duty aspect of missions similar to military service for YM. YM also typically have RM leaders to help them understand what a mission is all about.

YW are not bound by the same duty obligations and probably don't have too many YW leaders relating their own mission experiences However, they do have the one-year buffer.

That's why I think this might be a temporary trend for 19-year old LDS females. I could be very wrong but I think the LOA comparison will valid for far too many.

Our YW President, one of her councilors and her secretary are all RM's.

Our entire Stake YWP are RM's.

Missions are well represented here.

[Green Monstah]

I think the 19-year old age reduction is fantastic on many levels. I bet the lion's share of the increase in total missionaries will be from sisters choosing to serve. Hopefully, there will be leadership opportunities for them in the mission field as well.

[LA Ute]

This seems to fit here as well as anywhere.

More than 80 Olympus High School graduates open Mormon mission calls in new YouTube video

[Flystripper]

I think the 19-year old age reduction is fantastic on many levels. I bet the lion's share of the increase in total missionaries will be from sisters choosing to serve. Hopefully, there will be leadership opportunities for them in the mission field as well.

19 is ok 18 would be better.