Howard W Hunter

[Calm]

Looks like a huge drop during that time period (from over 1000 to under 400).

http://www.mormonmissionprep.com/news/number-of-mormon-missionaries/

[jkwilliams]

Looks like a huge drop during that time period (from over 1000 to under 400).

http://www.mormonmissionprep.com/news/number-of-mormon-missionaries/

 

Thanks for that. I've never seen that site before.

[VideoGameJunkie]

I didn't serve a full mission either. I only lasted 1 week in the MTC before coming home for medical reasons. My female friend from church went through the same thing last year. But thankfully that effort allowed us both to be endowed in the temple and I've cherished my temple recommend and ability to go to the temple since.

[Walden]

I was raised in the church in a ward (in California) in which Howard W Hunter's son was a member. 

 

While I have my own issues/critiques/criticisms of the LDS church, I can say that his son was one of the most honorable, righteous and upstanding men that I ever knew, one who himself raised a very fine (and very large, particularly for California standards) family and was very well-respected throughout the community (he served as a judge for many years).

 

I can only guess that Howard W. Hunter must have been one heck of a father to raise such a fine man

Edited August 17, 2015 by Walden

[Scott Lloyd]

Among many remarkable things about him is that in his early life, he was a bandleader that performed with his group on cruise ships.

 

He gave up his music career for a stable family life and what would be a lifelong dedication to a ministry in the Church and service to the Lord.

 

As a would-be musician myself, I have enormous admiration for him for doing that.

[Kenngo1969]

I didn't serve a full mission either. I only lasted 1 week in the MTC before coming home for medical reasons. My female friend from church went through the same thing last year. But thankfully that effort allowed us both to be endowed in the temple and I've cherished my temple recommend and ability to go to the temple since.

As well you should, young man!  Well done!  I would not have served a full-time, proselyting mission under today's "Raised Bar" standards.  I went; I served; in fairness, I was probably a liability to some of my companions (in more ways than one); it was, perhaps, the second-hardest thing I've ever done, behind graduating from law school.  I've had the opportunity to counsel some folks who have been disappointed at not getting a traditional (full-time, proselyting) missionary opportunity because of those standards: my counsel is that the Lord has a full appreciation of every sacrifice, even if we mortals do not: for many, such "one-week" intervals are a greater sacrifice than another's full two years.  And it's not where you serve, but how.  The Lord appreciates, accepts, and understands the depth of your sacrifice fully, even if others do not; and He knows your heart, while others cannot.

Edited August 18, 2015 by Kenngo1969

[Boanerges]

According to wiki, he chose to get married instead of putting it off until after his mission, perhaps because of the Great Depression hitting at that time. Be interesting to see if the numbers of missionaries dropped substantially starting in '29.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_W._Hunter

Nice try, but it is worth noting two things:

 

1. He was nearly 22 when he married and had plenty of opportunity before that time to serve a mission (although it does point out he was considering a mission and chose marriage instead).

2. The Great Depression did not start until after his marriage.

 

I'm not saying he's a bad guy or judging him for his choices (he was also playing in his band at age 19). I am saying that it is apparently fine with God if one chooses not to serve a mission for whatever reason - Hunter became prophet anyway. And so did Monson, although he does have the war excuse (there are those  - including me - who have done military and mission, but I also take into account that missions were limited during the war). Uchtdorf (no mission) was a boy during the war, but lived in Europe where it was probably less emphasized/expected and probably had limited resources due to war reparations. Eyring (no full time mission) also seems to have plenty of time to serve a mission outside time of war - he turned 19 near the end of the Korean War and did serve in the military but did not marry until he was 29 (scandalous). It is also interesting to note that neither of Pres. Monson's likely successors served missions - Nelson perhaps because of the war, although he did not serve in the military and Oaks who was 19 in during the Korean Conflict and was a member of the National Guard (he married at 20). Elder Hales also did not serve a mission, but did serve in the military and married at age 20.

 

For what it's worth I liked Pres. Hunter much more than I liked his predecessor

[Calm]

The stock market crashed in 29. They were married in 31.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Depression

I believe the wiki stated they had put off getting married be ause he was planning on going on a mission, but changed their minds and got married instead.

In no way am I suggesting someone who chooses not to go on a mission is a less faithful person.

My dad didn't go. Never made a difference to me. Didn't see him as any less faithful or a leader than his brother who did. My mom and dad were the branch when they were first married. The only other priesthood holder was a deacon. I am certain the few branch members were very grateful my dad had skipped the mission and got married as soon as he graduated so they could have the sacrament on a regular basis. Mom was happy about it too, since seeing she was engaged to be married to someone else, he wouldn't have been available for the love at first sight, married for 60+ years hardly ever apart after he got back from Korea til his death last December experience.

The high point for missionaries called was 1928, see link above. It steadily dropped the following years.

I wonder what the average age range at the time was for missionaries. My uncle went in his 20s, I believe.

Add-on: looks like it was 21 but starting at 19.

http://ourfamilybiographies.com/pdfs/Weaver/WomenMissionariesByJDShaeffer.pdf

This states the 400ish missionaries in 32 were 5% of potentials, that means the high was only around 15%. If so most young men at the time didn't go.

https://www.lds.org/manual/church-history-in-the-fulness-of-times-student-manual/chapter-thirty-nine-the-church-during-the-great-depression?lang=eng

Edited August 18, 2015 by calmoriah

[Avatar4321]

The push for every young man to serve a mission didn't start until president Kimball if I remember correctly

[Tacenda]

The push for every young man to serve a mission didn't start until president Kimball if I remember correctly

Don't mean to derail but the pressure to serve a mission by his bishop and young men leaders drove my son away from church activity, maybe the leaders need to back off that so called requirement of our young men. My son was emotionally abused by the system, I don't fault these leaders or bishop, it wasn't their fault, it is the systems fault.

[jkwilliams]

Don't mean to derail but the pressure to serve a mission by his bishop and young men leaders drove my son away from church activity, maybe the leaders need to back off that so called requirement of our young men. My son was emotionally abused by the system, I don't fault these leaders or bishop, it wasn't their fault, it is the systems fault.

 

I would imagine local leaders have a lot of leeway to adapt this counsel to each boy's circumstances. When I was young men's president years ago, we had a kid in our ward who had social anxiety disorder and was morbidly obese. He didn't attend church meetings because they caused him extreme stress, but I regularly visited him to see how he was doing. Even having me come to him caused him some anxiety, so I kept the visits short. Unbeknownst to me, the bishop had set a goal to get this kid to church and on a mission. I was really surprised when he started showing up on Sundays, though he would basically lock himself in his room after church to de-stress. But just a couple of months after he started attending church meetings, the bishop announced that this kid had received a mission call to a southern state. I couldn't believe he'd been recommended or approved to serve a mission. He left on his mission, and then a couple of weeks later, when I took the kids out for trick-or-treating on Halloween, I saw him when his mother answered the door at their house. She said he'd spent most of the time in the MTC crying, and then he had lasted 3 days in the mission field before having a breakdown. 

 

In other wards I've been in, bishops have made better decisions about kids whose needs don't align with a regular full-time mission. My wife's nephew, who has some mental challenges, served a mission working on a dairy farm. It worked OK for him, though he went home early because he was so homesick.

[Tacenda]

I would imagine local leaders have a lot of leeway to adapt this counsel to each boy's circumstances. When I was young men's president years ago, we had a kid in our ward who had social anxiety disorder and was morbidly obese. He didn't attend church meetings because they caused him extreme stress, but I regularly visited him to see how he was doing. Even having me come to him caused him some anxiety, so I kept the visits short. Unbeknownst to me, the bishop had set a goal to get this kid to church and on a mission. I was really surprised when he started showing up on Sundays, though he would basically lock himself in his room after church to de-stress. But just a couple of months after he started attending church meetings, the bishop announced that this kid had received a mission call to a southern state. I couldn't believe he'd been recommended or approved to serve a mission. He left on his mission, and then a couple of weeks later, when I took the kids out for trick-or-treating on Halloween, I saw him when his mother answered the door at their house. She said he'd spent most of the time in the MTC crying, and then he had lasted 3 days in the mission field before having a breakdown. 

 

In other wards I've been in, bishops have made better decisions about kids whose needs don't align with a regular full-time mission. My wife's nephew, who has some mental challenges, served a mission working on a dairy farm. It worked OK for him, though he went home early because he was so homesick.

Glad you brought this up, wanted to clarify that this is my second son. The first son was mentioned in the "Heaven Up Here" thread. Like the young man you mentioned, my second son, is very shy in certain situations, but won't admit it. I spoke with him yesterday, before the first post about this, of what he went through. He told me that our former bishop had him in his office weekly, trying to get him to go. My son did have a strong testimony and listened to all the lessons taught, in fact I was amazed at what he said he knew yesterday, so much about the gospel. Now I'm encouraging him to go on a service type mission, not LDS per say, but anything to help get him out of this tiny bubble. Every young adult should have that opportunity to go out in the world, see other cultures, help make a difference. Heck, we paid $10,000.00 toward my other son's mission, surely my husband and I can help do this. Plus this son pays for his own college and lives at home. And works a full time job that is physically hard, in a warehouse.

[jkwilliams]

Glad you brought this up, wanted to clarify that this is my second son. The first son was mentioned in the "Heaven Up Here" thread. Like the young man you mentioned, my second son, is very shy in certain situations, but won't admit it. I spoke with him yesterday, before the first post about this, of what he went through. He told me that our former bishop had him in his office weekly, trying to get him to go. My son did have a strong testimony and listened to all the lessons taught, in fact I was amazed at what he said he knew yesterday, so much about the gospel. Now I'm encouraging him to go on a service type mission, not LDS per say, but anything to help get him out of this tiny bubble. Every young adult should have that opportunity to go out in the world, see other cultures, help make a difference. Heck, we paid $10,000.00 toward my other son's mission, surely my husband and I can help do this. Plus this son pays for his own college and lives at home. And works a full time job that is physically hard, in a warehouse.

It is good to get out of the bubble, as you put it, and do something on your own. My parents told us that they expected us to go to college, but they also would not allow us to live at home while attending college because we needed to figure out how to live on our own. The traditional graduation gift in my family was luggage, a not-so-subtle hint. All of my kids who have graduated have left home and lived on their own, though my oldest, who is on the autism spectrum, came back to live with us.

Doing something selfless, such as a mission or the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps or something like that, is a good thing to do. The one thing I regret about my mission is that I was focused on teaching and baptizing, and I spent very little time helping to alleviate the poverty and suffering that were all around me. My wife was a welfare missionary, so a non-LDS friend told me I should consider what we both did as "our" mission. That helps.