rongo Posted January 27, 2017 Posted January 27, 2017 1 minute ago, JulieM said: My grandparents served a couple of missions, but iirc (I was young) it seemed that they just served a regular proselytizing mission (and they also did help in the mission home office for a few months). Do you know when this changed? It seems now that and older couples are utilized to fill work positions that may have previously been paid positions. (Like a painter at the PCC or a contractor elsewhere or many of the other jobs listed to choose from for service missions.). I know there are still missions to historical sites, etc. too and there may be more teaching involved in those. The couple pretty much gets to decide what kind of a mission they want to serve. Except when they don't --- my first mission president had couples who had come expecting to do office work, and he informed them that they would be proselyting. Several were very nervous, but they did wonderfully. In my favorite area, Halberstadt in the former DDR, my companion and I did the tracting and teaching, and a couple from Calgary (ex-patriots from Breslau, former German-speaking Poland, who had emigrated to Canada via Dresden at the end of World War 2. They were in Dresden when it was fire bombed) did the home teaching, taught institute, led a branch choir, and served in the branch presidency. INVALUABLE, AND INCALCULABLE how much good they were! My parents listed, in order of preference, Germany, Denmark, Czech Republic. Normally, the couple's preferences are strictly honored, but they were called to Poland --- a place they never would have chosen. They have been desperately needed there. My dad is in the branch presidency, and my mother is in the Relief Society presidency. They run a branch family home evening every Monday, my mother teaches children and adults piano, they teach people the gospel and the Church way all the time, and they are the office couple that runs the mission logistics (finance, and everything else). All of the couples in Poland serve in branch presidencies. I am very impressed that they have learned Polish --- it looks much harder than German. My wife and I cannot wait until we can serve a mission! And, we will be empty nesters before I turn 50, which doesn't hurt . . .
JulieM Posted January 27, 2017 Posted January 27, 2017 11 minutes ago, rongo said: The couple pretty much gets to decide what kind of a mission they want to serve. Except when they don't --- my first mission president had couples who had come expecting to do office work, and he informed them that they would be proselyting. Several were very nervous, but they did wonderfully. In my favorite area, Halberstadt in the former DDR, my companion and I did the tracting and teaching, and a couple from Calgary (ex-patriots from Breslau, former German-speaking Poland, who had emigrated to Canada via Dresden at the end of World War 2. They were in Dresden when it was fire bombed) did the home teaching, taught institute, led a branch choir, and served in the branch presidency. INVALUABLE, AND INCALCULABLE how much good they were! My parents listed, in order of preference, Germany, Denmark, Czech Republic. Normally, the couple's preferences are strictly honored, but they were called to Poland --- a place they never would have chosen. They have been desperately needed there. My dad is in the branch presidency, and my mother is in the Relief Society presidency. They run a branch family home evening every Monday, my mother teaches children and adults piano, they teach people the gospel and the Church way all the time, and they are the office couple that runs the mission logistics (finance, and everything else). All of the couples in Poland serve in branch presidencies. I am very impressed that they have learned Polish --- it looks much harder than German. My wife and I cannot wait until we can serve a mission! And, we will be empty nesters before I turn 50, which doesn't hurt . . . That's so great and I'm happy for both of you! We need more like you serving. Thanks for the additional information on the types of missions too.
JulieM Posted January 27, 2017 Posted January 27, 2017 2 hours ago, readstoomuch said: I happen to know about the Polynesian Cultural Center. PCC is mostly run as a way to support BYU Hawaii students with scholarships and financial need. The dancers, servers, concessions and guides are all students. If what I have heard is true, PCC is not a money maker, but rather a way to support the mission of BYUH. Rental houses in Laie are far less than hotels. You can go to church locally and hangout at the IGA there. It is easy to meet the locals and get some understanding of the area. You could look at these financials to see if it's a money maker (I haven't looked through them...). Maybe you can tell from this (from 2000): https://www.docdroid.net/zY7REVk/polynesian-cultural-center-financial-report-oct-2000.pdf.html
bluebell Posted January 27, 2017 Posted January 27, 2017 (edited) 1 hour ago, JulieM said: My grandparents served a couple of missions, but iirc (I was young) it seemed that they just served a regular proselytizing mission (and they also did help in the mission home office for a few months). Do you know when this changed? It seems now that the older couples are utilized to fill work positions that may have previously been paid positions. (Like a painter at the PCC or a contractor elsewhere or many of the other jobs listed to choose from for service missions.). I know there are still missions to historical sites, etc. too and there may be more teaching involved in those. Senior missionaries have always been able to choose (at least as far back as I know anyway) between proselytizing missions and service missions. We had some on my mission that proselytized, some that worked in the mission office, and some that taught English to children, farmed, and built homes. Some lived in apartments and others lived in their personal RVs.I served in Northern California in the late 90s. We have a senior couple in my ward in Utah right now and they are strictly proselytizing missionaries. Edited January 27, 2017 by bluebell
JulieM Posted January 27, 2017 Posted January 27, 2017 (edited) 19 minutes ago, bluebell said: Senior missionaries have always been able to choose (at least as far back as I know anyway) between proselytizing missions and service missions. We had some on my mission that proselytized, some that worked in the mission office, and some that taught English to children, farmed, and built homes. Some lived in apartments and others lived in their personal RVs.I served in Northern California in the late 90s. We have a senior couple in my ward in Utah right now and they are strictly proselytizing missionaries. Thank you so much for this explanation and info! My parents seem to be discussing a service mission rather than a proselytizing one. Do those who are serving proselytizing missions just pay a certain amount to the church each month (like the younger missionaries do with the $400 a month) and then the church supports them (again like the younger missionaries), or do they just support themselves? Just curious... I want to discuss that option with my parents (but I'd imagine their Bishop already did maybe), if it would be less expensive for them. Edited January 27, 2017 by JulieM
rongo Posted January 27, 2017 Posted January 27, 2017 1 minute ago, JulieM said: Thank you so much for this explanation and info! My parents seem to be discussing a service mission rather than a proselytizing one. Do those who are serving proselytizing missions just pay a certain amount to the church each month (like the younger missionaries do with the $400 a month) and then the church supports them (again like the younger missionaries or do they just support themselves? Just curious... I want to discuss that option with my parents (but I'd imagine their Bishop already did) if it would be less expensive for them. Yes. Europe is around $2000 a month, give or take. England is the most expensive, I think. Stateside would be much less. 1
bluebell Posted January 27, 2017 Posted January 27, 2017 3 minutes ago, JulieM said: Thank you so much for this explanation and info! My parents seem to be discussing a service mission rather than a proselytizing one. Do those who are serving proselytizing missions just pay a certain amount to the church each month (like the younger missionaries do with the $400 a month) and then the church supports them (again like the younger missionaries), or do they just support themselves? Just curious... I want to discuss that option with my parents (but I'd imagine their Bishop already did maybe), if it would be less expensive for them. I believe they are still asked to support themselves. On the other stuff, I'm not sure. 1
bluebell Posted January 27, 2017 Posted January 27, 2017 2 minutes ago, rongo said: Yes. Europe is around $2000 a month, give or take. England is the most expensive, I think. Stateside would be much less. That's what my grandmother found, England was the most expensive.
Duncan Posted January 28, 2017 Posted January 28, 2017 1 hour ago, JulieM said: Thank you so much for this explanation and info! My parents seem to be discussing a service mission rather than a proselytizing one. Do those who are serving proselytizing missions just pay a certain amount to the church each month (like the younger missionaries do with the $400 a month) and then the church supports them (again like the younger missionaries), or do they just support themselves? Just curious... I want to discuss that option with my parents (but I'd imagine their Bishop already did maybe), if it would be less expensive for them. There is such a need for senior couples! I know the previous mission president asked the missionaries here to email their Grandparents to see if they could serve and possibly come here they were so desperate. I don't think it worked out as none of them actually came here but maybe they served elsewhere?
Calm Posted January 28, 2017 Posted January 28, 2017 8 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said: I'll say it again: I simply followed his own logic to its natural conclusion. If that offends him, if it offends you, or if it offends anyone else, perhaps some looking in the mirror and soul-searching is in order. However, it is against the rules to make a quote of someone that isn't really theirs...even if you assume that people will know he didn't really say that, sometimes it can be confusing if the thread isn't being read all at once.
Calm Posted January 28, 2017 Posted January 28, 2017 8 hours ago, rongo said: If all expenses are paid for, and they have retirement, why an allowance at all? Where is the evidence that all expenses are paid for?
rongo Posted January 28, 2017 Posted January 28, 2017 13 hours ago, Calm said: Where is the evidence that all expenses are paid for? That's an assumption on my part. Travel is arranged through the Church's travel agents. I'm certain that when they stay in hotels, that's paid for by the Church, not them. Ditto with meals that are paid for on the road. At the local level, everything is reimbursed or advanced. Members should never pay for anything, unless they willfully choose not to have it covered. I don't see why the Brethren would be different. Are you suggesting that nothing is covered for the Brethren, and that's why they are paid so much. You are in the same evidence boat with that one . . .
Kenngo1969 Posted January 28, 2017 Posted January 28, 2017 15 hours ago, JulieM said: Thank you so much for this explanation and info! My parents seem to be discussing a service mission rather than a proselytizing one. Depending on the needs of their local area, your parents conceivably could serve a mission while living at home and volunteering/commuting a few days a week. Just a thought.
Calm Posted January 28, 2017 Posted January 28, 2017 1 hour ago, rongo said: That's an assumption on my part. Travel is arranged through the Church's travel agents. I'm certain that when they stay in hotels, that's paid for by the Church, not them. Ditto with meals that are paid for on the road. At the local level, everything is reimbursed or advanced. Members should never pay for anything, unless they willfully choose not to have it covered. I don't see why the Brethren would be different. Are you suggesting that nothing is covered for the Brethren, and that's why they are paid so much. You are in the same evidence boat with that one . . . No, I am not. I rarely speak in absolutes. But you keep constructing your argument against any stipend at all with the reasoning they have expenses all paid so they need nothing. If it is speculation, and only some of it is paid, they may need something. 1
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