Shortened Missions for Athletes?

[ZealouslyStriving]

In the wake of the Ryder Lyons decision to play for BYU, I've noticed reports varying from him serving an 18 month mission to a 1 year mission. In comments trying to correct it to a 2 year mission, several responders have stated athletes are being given the option of shortened missions. I also saw something about BYU considering subsidizing missions for athletes.

For those in the know... Is any of this true?

If so, I lodge an informal complaint here at MDDB where it counts for absolutely nothing. 😉

Edited June 28 by ZealouslyStriving

[bluebell]

1 hour ago, ZealouslyStriving said:

In the wake of the Ryder Lyons decision to play for BYU, I've noticed reports varying from him serving an 18 month mission to a 1 year mission. In comments trying to correct it to a 2 year mission, several responders have stated athletes are being given the option of shortened missions. I also saw something about BYU considering subsidizing missions for athletes.

For those in the know... Is any of this true?

If so, I lodge an informal complaint here at MDDB where it counts for absolutely nothing. 😉

I wonder if the church is considered these athletes being in the public eye as serving a sort of mission?  I know they consider members of the Choir at Temple Square to be missionaries.  I haven't heard anything about special missions for athletes though.  It could be that Lyons served a service mission, which are often shorter than 2 years.  Or maybe the responders are wrong.

[ZealouslyStriving]

10 minutes ago, bluebell said:

I wonder if the church is considered these athletes being in the public eye as serving a sort of mission?  I know they consider members of the Choir at Temple Square to be missionaries.  I haven't heard anything about special missions for athletes though.  It could be that Lyons served a service mission, which are often shorter than 2 years.  Or maybe the responders are wrong.

He has yet to serve- he's submitting his paperwork in August.

[rpn]

3 hours ago, ZealouslyStriving said:

He has yet to serve- he's submitting his paperwork in August.

But that is bluebells' point.   If the Church sees value in showing some flexibility to athletes (just as it does in other appropriate circumstances --- and frankly has no real ability to prevent anyway since it is all completely volunteer service), why should members have any problem with that?  

Edit to add:  After all even if someone plans on serving 2 years or 18 months, we know that for any number of reasons it isn't what actually happens for some.  And we also know that sometimes missions have been extended for various times in particular circumstances.

Edited June 28 by rpn

[ZealouslyStriving]

19 minutes ago, rpn said:

But that is bluebells' point.   If the Church sees value in showing some flexibility to athletes (just as it does in other appropriate circumstances --- and frankly has no real ability to prevent anyway since it is all completely volunteer service), why should members have any problem with that?  

Edit to add:  After all even if someone plans on serving 2 years or 18 months, we know that for any number of reasons it isn't what actually happens for some.  And we also know that sometimes missions have been extended for various times in particular circumstances.

Allowing athletes to decide beforehand that they are only going to serve a set amount of time rather than the full designated time, for no other reason than to presumably get back to competition sooner, leaves the impression of favoritism or special consideration for athletes- folks who already receive plenty of perks.

[longview]

Because of their tremendous following as "rock stars", Donnie and Marie Osmond served as informal ambassadors for the Church. Marie tried to get Johnny Carson to investigate the Gospel in front of millions on the Tonight Show.

[Calm]

1 hour ago, longview said:

Because of their tremendous following as "rock stars", Donnie and Marie Osmond served as informal ambassadors for the Church. Marie tried to get Johnny Carson to investigate the Gospel in front of millions on the Tonight Show.

My first roommate at college converted because of Donny Osmond.  She always wore purple socks.  I knew the Osmonds were popular.  My grandmother even had a home movie of when the kids were quite young visiting a ward she was visiting herself (her aunt’s iirc).  I had no clue though they actually opened doors that much until I met her.

Edited June 28 by Calm

[Stargazer]

1 hour ago, Calm said:

My first roommate at college converted because of Donny Osmond.  She always wore purple socks.  I knew the Osmonds were popular.  My grandmother even had a home movie of when the kids were quite young visiting a ward she was visiting herself (her aunt’s iirc).  I had no clue though they actually opened doors that much until I met her.

Did the purple socks have any connection with her conversion? 

By the way, I always wear black socks. That's so I don't have to worry about mating socks. They all fit with each other regardless.

[Tony uk]

10 hours ago, Calm said:

My first roommate at college converted because of Donny Osmond.  She always wore purple socks.  I knew the Osmonds were popular.  My grandmother even had a home movie of when the kids were quite young visiting a ward she was visiting herself (her aunt’s iirc).  I had no clue though they actually opened doors that much until I met her.

I have a vague memory, from my early childhood, in the early 1970s. The Osmond Family visiting the UK, the welcome they received here, was similar to the welcome The Beatles received when they visited the USA. I watched a documentary a while ago on the Osmond Family. An English lady, mentioned during an interview, how because of the Osmond's, she became LdS. And fifty years on she is still an active LdS. During the same documentary, the Osmond brothers spoke how at the height of their success. LdS Church leaders allowed the brothers to pass on the usual missionary activity. As it was felt, they were performing missionary work in what they were doing. I think the tEnglish lady, proves they were doing good.

[Calm]

9 hours ago, Stargazer said:

Did the purple socks have any connection with her conversion? 

Just her obsession with Donny. When he was younger he was known for wearing them. 
 

“By the way, I always wear black socks. That's so I don't have to worry about mating socks. They all fit with each other regardless.”

Same here, except for one pair of fun socks with an anime figure (No Face/Kaonashi from Spirited Away) on it.

Edited June 29 by Calm

[Calm]

1 hour ago, Tony uk said:

LdS Church leaders allowed the brothers to pass on the usual missionary activity

I think there could have been a real problem with security or fans traveling to meet them where they were serving, even back then…though I used to see Donny (he was about a year older than I was) walk around BYU campus on his own a few times.  One of his older brothers dated a girl in my dorm and I would see the floor get sparse when that happened. It was ridiculous.

Edited June 29 by Calm

[Tony uk]

1 minute ago, Calm said:

I think there could have been a real problem with security or fans traveling to meet them where they were serving, even back then…though I used to see Donny walk around BYU campus on his own a few times.  One of his older brothers dated a girl in my dorm and I would see the floor get sparse when that happened. It was ridiculous.

During the Osmond Family visit to the UK, 1972/73/74 time. The family arrived by plane, I think it was to one of the London airports, or at least South England. Many fans, mainly female, were based on top of one of the main buildings, within a open viewing area. There was a big rush of fans and part of the safety wall collapsed, resulting in a few of the fans falling to ground level. Various injuries were sustained by the fans who fell. During the documentary that I recently watched, the family were aware of this accident, and concerned about the incident. Alan Osmond is seen talking to local police, and asking to be kept informed of the people.

[rpn]

On 6/28/2025 at 3:00 PM, ZealouslyStriving said:

leaves the impression of favoritism or special consideration

Or leaves the impression that there is more than one way to serve the Lord and missionary work.   We each get to choose how we see thing happen.    We don't have to assume ugliness and we can be absolutely certain that if God has a problem with it, He'll distribute appropriate consequences therefore.

Why wouldn't we want someone's situation considered for the good of all?   Jealousy is not an emotion that belongs within our celestial intentions.  We don't have to decide to be offended.

[Benjamin McGuire]

My early experience (many decades ago) was that athletes regularly had their missions shortened to help them meet the necessary timing requirements for their sports. This was much more important when the age was 19 and athletes often had a year in an athletic program before their missions, and where there were often rules about eligibility that intersected with mission service. The two year experience simply didn't match up well with the needs of those athletes and the programs they were in. It was simply a relatively normal adjustment made to encourage them to go. I don't think much has changed since then. I also knew several missionaries personally who arranged to go home a month or two early for various family reasons (there wasn't a lot of resistance to it - at least in my mission).

[Notatbm]

On 6/28/2025 at 12:00 PM, ZealouslyStriving said:

“…leaves the impression of favoritism or special consideration for athletes- folks who already receive plenty of perks.”

It isn’t an impression of favoritism, it literally is favoritism. 

[bluebell]

13 hours ago, rpn said:

 

Why wouldn't we want someone's situation considered for the good of all?   Jealousy is not an emotion that belongs within our celestial intentions.  We don't have to decide to be offended.

I think the issue is whether or not everyone's situation is being considered or just the athlete's situation?  Because there are other careers where taking a two year break is absolutely detrimental as well.  Are they given the option of a one year mission?  I think that's the question. 

[Notatbm]

3 hours ago, bluebell said:

I think the issue is whether or not everyone's situation is being considered or just the athlete's situation?  Because there are other careers where taking a two year break is absolutely detrimental as well.  Are they given the option of a one year mission?  I think that's the question. 

I’m fairly confident the only concern the church has is how this benefits the church. Sports (Football)  at BYU is more important than pretty much anything else esp if you have a star Mormon player. I mean look at what they pay the coach ($3mm /yr) He is the highest paid employee of the church. Whatever brings in the money. As for anyone else’s career aspirations I don’t see the church openly stating yea well if you want to start work or college earlier, just tell us how many months you want to serve if at all. Any adjustment will be according to how much revenue or goodwill (Donny osmond) you can bring in. They didn’t even give archuleta a pass. They prob already figured he is gay anyway and according to elder Bednar there are no gay members of the church.. so

[Tony uk]

4 hours ago, bluebell said:

I think the issue is whether or not everyone's situation is being considered or just the athlete's situation?  Because there are other careers where taking a two year break is absolutely detrimental as well.  Are they given the option of a one year mission?  I think that's the question. 

I think it was Merrill Osmond, of the musical family. And his wife, that went on mission after retirement. Partly in response, I presume to some the Osmonds being excused going on mission when they were younger, as their careers in the music industry was considered a mission. 

Perhaps more mature people on retirement, who are in the position to do so. Could be considered for mission. When younger, their personal circumstances may not have been suitable for them to go. Once as more mature age their personal circumstances maybe more beneficial.

[bluebell]

1 minute ago, Tony uk said:

I think it was Merrill Osmond, of the musical family. And his wife, that went on mission after retirement. Partly in response, I presume to some the Osmonds being excused going on mission when they were younger, as their careers in the music industry was considered a mission. 

Perhaps more mature people on retirement, who are in the position to do so. Could be considered for mission. When younger, their personal circumstances may not have been suitable for them to go. Once as more mature age their personal circumstances maybe more beneficial.

The church has lots of senior missionaries, and is always looking for more because they are so useful. They have more control over where they go and how long they serve, and also what they will be doing, but they are indispensable. We loved the senior missionaries who served in my mission in the late 90s. They were the best. 😊

[webbles]

I've never heard of shortened missions for sport figures (besides a few months like anyone else can do) so I'm betting that it is a mistake by the reporters.  But we'll see in 1-2 years whether it is real.

I don't see why Lyons would want to get a shorter time.  The expected QB to replace Retzlaff is Bear Bachmeier.  I believe the plan was for Bear to be the backup to Retzlaff for 1 year and then be the main QB afterwards.  That's changed with Retzlaff's transferring, but Bear will probably still be the main QB after 1 year.  He would have at least 3 more years as the main QB.  If Lyons comes back in 1 year, he has to wait behind Bear for 3 years and would only have 2 years.  If he did a normal 2 year mission, then he would only wait behind Bear for 2 years and would have 3 years as the main QB.

[webbles]

I noticed that some articles talked about his older brother only serving a year.  The Church News has him leaving in January ( https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2023/2/11/23591046/walker-lyons-mission-college-football-recruit-norway-usc-trojans/ ) and then an article in a USC blog has him coming back in June the next year ( https://trojandailyblog.com/walker-lyons-mission-leads-to-usc/ ).  It quotes from his mission president and says that it was a collective decision between him and his mission president.

So, he served about 17 months.  More than a year but not 2 years.  But the Church News says he will be serving 2 years so it seems that the shortened mission wasn't pre-planned but something discussed on the mission.  I haven't heard of leaving that early, but I do know of missionaries who left after serving 20-22 months so that they can get back into college.  So it sounds fairly normal.  That's what I would expect Ryder Lyons to do as well.

[Calm]

57 minutes ago, Tony uk said:

Partly in response, I presume to some the Osmonds being excused going on mission when they were younger, as their careers in the music industry was considered a mission. 

They are a very pro missionary family.  I think likely Merrill and his wife went on a mission because they wanted to.   

I have in-laws currently in Vietnam on a mission.  We won’t do it because of my and my daughter’s health issues, but my husband goes helps out cleaning weekly at the temple now, used to help out at the Bishop Storehouse.  Probably will do that again in the future knowing him.

My guess is the Osmond boys might have preferred going on missions to get a break from all the hard work they did (they had very regimented lives from what I heard and now read).

Edited June 30 by Calm

[Calm]

33 minutes ago, webbles said:

missionaries who left after serving 20-22 months so that they can get back into college.

Same here.

[Tony uk]

32 minutes ago, Calm said:

They are a very pro missionary family.  I think likely Merrill and his wife went on a mission because they wanted to.   

I have in-laws currently in Vietnam on a mission.  We won’t do it because of my and my daughter’s health issues, but my husband goes helps out cleaning weekly at the temple now, used to help out at the Bishop Storehouse.  Probably will do that again in the future knowing him.

My guess is the Osmond boys might have preferred going on missions to get a break from all the hard work they did (they had very regimented lives from what I heard and now read).

I feel that it is a good thing when people of all ages can be involved

 Young people have energy and enthusiasm.  Senior people have life experience and knowledge.

 

Maybe, in some cases, and I maybe out of my depth saying this. If in certain circumstances, missionary work can be deferred for a number of years. 

[Stargazer]

Nevermind

Edited June 30 by Stargazer