New Service Missions

[SouthernMo]

An email went out yesterday explaining that there will be changes coming to the missionary program starting next year.  Highlights: Proselyting and service missions will be available. Others will be honorably exempted from missionary service.

I’m not sure what the change is. I thought service missions were already available?  I’ve seen young people go on service missions for a few years now.

https://www.lds.org/service-missionary?lang=eng

What is new?

[The Nehor]

I think this is mostly a redeclaration of existing policy that were never previously compiled. Onenew element is that missionaries sent home for health reasons can serve a service mission in some cases. Another is probably the online recommend system.

[smac97]

I have a son who has health issues that precluded serving a proselytizing mission.  On Sunday he will conclude his two-year Church Service Mission, having spent most of it at the MTC in the Referral Center (manning the "Chat with a Missionary" feature on the Church's websites).  It has been a wonderful, and challenging, experience for him.  I am very, very glad the Church opened up this opportunity for him.

Thanks,

-Smac

[pogi]

One change that will happen - the calling of service missionaries will now come directly from the First Presidency like all other missions.  Previously, members themselves often had to find local service opportunities through local bulletin's, etc. or from local priesthood leaders.  The Stake Presidents would then offer the mission call and the bishop would set them apart.  Now, service missionaries will be treated the same as full-time proselyting missionaries. 

Edited November 20, 2018 by pogi

[halconero]

I believe they also use the same online portal.

I appreciated the emphasis on not defining proselyting missions as "traditional," or "proper" in comparison to those who go on service missions.

[smac97]

27 minutes ago, pogi said:

One change that will happen - the calling of service missionaries will now come directly from the First Presidency like all other missions.  Previously, members themselves often had to find local service opportunities through local bulletin's, etc. or from local priesthood leaders.  The Stake Presidents would then offer the mission call and the bishop would set them apart.  Now, service missionaries will be treated the same as full-time proselyting missionaries. 

I'm not sure that's correct.  My son received his mission call from the First Presidency.  And that was two years ago.

Thanks,

-Smac

[pogi]

1 hour ago, smac97 said:

I'm not sure that's correct.  My son received his mission call from the First Presidency.  And that was two years ago.

Thanks,

-Smac

That's what I heard on the news the other night.  I can't find the article, but I did find this -

The old way:

Quote

 

How do members initiate a mission call?
Members become aware of Church-service missionary opportunities through a variety of sources, including priesthood leaders, this website, other members, or through local bulletins that are published in different areas around the Church. Information gained from any source should be confirmed through communication with the operation that is requesting missionaries or through local priesthood leaders.
Members should contact and discuss service opportunities with the contact listed in the posting. This allows potential missionaries and the operation manager to determine if there is a good fit. Members should prayerfully consider the assignment to determine if they should pursue the service opportunity.
If affirmed, members must complete a form entitled Recommendation for Part-Time Church-Service Missionary and give it to their bishop. This form may be printed from this website. Members should carefully complete each section of the recommendation form, including where they are going to serve, how many hours each week, when they are going to start, and how long of a mission they would like to serve.

What is the missionary calling process?
Upon receiving the completed recommendation forms, the bishop certifies the worthiness of the member and concurs with the selected choice for service. He then signs the form and forwards it to the stake president.
The stake president interviews the candidate for worthiness and signs the recommendation form and forwards it to the local Church-service missionary coordinator's office for review, for entry into the database, and for authorization to extend the call.
The coordinator advises the stake president by letter when the processing is complete, and the stake president extends the call to the member. The stake president authorizes the bishop to set the new missionary apart.

https://www.lds.org/callings/missionary/church-service/questions?lang=eng

 

The new way:

Quote

 

Beginning on January 2, 2019, all young missionary candidates will use the missionary online recommendation process. Under the direction of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, each prospective missionary who qualifies will receive a call that best suits him or her.

https://www.lds.org/service-missionary/the-first-presidency-letter?lang=eng

 

 

I don't know how to explain your son's call.

Edited November 20, 2018 by pogi

[LoudmouthMormon]

1 hour ago, smac97 said:

On Sunday he will conclude his two-year Church Service Mission, having spent most of it at the MTC in the Referral Center (manning the "Chat with a Missionary" feature on the Church's websites). 

If you don't mind, please ask him how he handled the plethora of questions about our church's supposed bizarre beliefs about magnets.   A year or so ago, the internet was chock full of memes like this:

 

I think our missionaries finally got on top of it and just lighheartedly trolled them back, but I'd love inside verification of that.

[The Nehor]

21 minutes ago, LoudmouthMormon said:

If you don't mind, please ask him how he handled the plethora of questions about our church's supposed bizarre beliefs about magnets.   A year or so ago, the internet was chock full of memes like this:

 

I think our missionaries finally got on top of it and just lighheartedly trolled them back, but I'd love inside verification of that.

Edited November 20, 2018 by The Nehor

[Bernard Gui]

On 11/20/2018 at 7:10 AM, smac97 said:

I have a son who has health issues that precluded serving a proselytizing mission.  On Sunday he will conclude his two-year Church Service Mission, having spent most of it at the MTC in the Referral Center (manning the "Chat with a Missionary" feature on the Church's websites).  It has been a wonderful, and challenging, experience for him.  I am very, very glad the Church opened up this opportunity for him.

Thanks,

-Smac

A young man with certain disabilities recently returned from a service mission in the DI main building in SLC. Another young woman served in the Church Office Building as a receptionist. They loved their missions and were greatly benefitted by them.

[Teancum]

On 11/20/2018 at 9:01 AM, The Nehor said:

I think this is mostly a redeclaration of existing policy that were never previously compiled. Onenew element is that missionaries sent home for health reasons can serve a service mission in some cases. Another is probably the online recommend system.

Yes this has existed for a long time.  But no formal process. When I was a bishop I had two young men sent to the area where I live from Utah because there were some service opportunities that are unique to my area.  I was told they were my responsibility and I was in essence their mission president.  They did not have a companion and could even attend young single adult activities. That was around 2005.

 

I like that the process is becoming more formal. What I don't like is it still seems as a second rate choice for those not able to meet the rigors of proselyting.  I would like it more if the candidate that may "qualify" for a regular proselyting mission could opt for a service mission instead. 

[The Nehor]

50 minutes ago, Teancum said:

What I don't like is it still seems as a second rate choice for those not able to meet the rigors of proselyting.

But that is what it is..........

[Bernard Gui]

1 hour ago, The Nehor said:

But that is what it is..........

I disagree that it is a second rate choice. For the two in our ward, it was a fabulous opportunity and no one in our ward disparaged them in any way. Sister Gui and I have been service missionaries for 10 years. We haven’t had any sense of being in a second rate position.

[The Nehor]

46 minutes ago, Bernard Gui said:

I disagree that it is a second rate choice. For the two in our ward, it was a fabulous opportunity and no one in our ward disparaged them in any way. Sister Gui and I have been service missionaries for 10 years. We haven’t had any sense of being in a second rate position.

I am not saying it is less honorable but it is (for youth missionaries) still intended solely for those unable to do a proselyting mission.

And there is no shame in not being able to proselyte. In 99.9% of cases the disability is not self inflicted.

Edited November 22, 2018 by The Nehor

[provoman]

6 hours ago, Teancum said:

I like that the process is becoming more formal. What I don't like is it still seems as a second rate choice for those not able to meet the rigors of proselyting.

That is our individual shame, to think that service to Lord by way of a "Mission" requires proselyting. 

[The Nehor]

10 minutes ago, provoman said:

That is our individual shame, to think that service to Lord by way of a "Mission" requires proselyting. 

I do not see any shame attached to that. I am not sure why proselyting and preaching have become dirty words.

[Hamba Tuhan]

6 hours ago, The Nehor said:

I am not sure why proselyting and preaching have become dirty words.

Most days, I feel like climbing to the top of a mountain and shouting for joy in gratitude for the blessings the Restored Gospel has brought into my life. I can’t endure the thought of selfishly keeping such blessings to myself. Maybe some members don’t actually feel that way? 

[SouthernMo]

7 hours ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

Most days, I feel like climbing to the top of a mountain and shouting for joy in gratitude for the blessings the Restored Gospel has brought into my life. I can’t endure the thought of selfishly keeping such blessings to myself. Maybe some members don’t actually feel that way? 

You’re a much better person than me!

[Teancum]

On 11/22/2018 at 12:37 PM, The Nehor said:

But that is what it is..........

You think serving others is second rate to seeking converts?

[Teancum]

23 hours ago, provoman said:

That is our individual shame, to think that service to Lord by way of a "Mission" requires proselyting. 

I certainly don't think that.

[The Nehor]

9 minutes ago, Teancum said:

You think serving others is second rate to seeking converts?

No, but the latter is the ultimate form of the former.

Helping someone is good. Showing them the route to unlimited happiness is much much better by a factor approaching infinity.

[Teancum]

41 minutes ago, The Nehor said:

No, but the latter is the ultimate form of the former.

Helping someone is good. Showing them the route to unlimited happiness is much much better by a factor approaching infinity.

The premise of your second sentence is certainly suspect and very biased.  But assuming it is correct are the two mutually exclusive?  Service can open the door to a gospel message.  And who was it who said if you have done it to the least of these you have done it to me?  In that passage of scripture I do not recall anything about proselyting.

[The Nehor]

2 hours ago, Teancum said:

The premise of your second sentence is certainly suspect and very biased.  But assuming it is correct are the two mutually exclusive?  Service can open the door to a gospel message.  And who was it who said if you have done it to the least of these you have done it to me?  In that passage of scripture I do not recall anything about proselyting.

They are not mutually exclusive.

As the Savior has vicariously endured all the suffering and sins of humanity proselyting to someone is treated as proselyting to the Savior. Helping someone to repent is a huge aid to the Savior....more then more temporal service that gives relief. Of course it is better that we make a habit of both activities.

[Hamba Tuhan]

19 hours ago, SouthernMo said:

You’re a much better person than me!

I don't see that such an assessment naturally arises from anything I wrote ...

[Hamba Tuhan]

8 hours ago, The Nehor said:

Helping someone to repent is a huge aid to the Savior....

This. Jesus' central work was calling people to repentance and then atoning for sin so that repentance would actually work. Stopping (or even de-emphasising) proselyting would essentially be an act of withholding the blessings of the Atonement. As Paul taught in Romans 10:

Quote

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

To add a personal touch, I got to be my housemate's escort as he received his endowment in the temple today. I first took the Elders to teach him four-and-a-half years ago, and we were with him that evening as he offered his first-ever prayer and received, in answer, his first-ever revelation in the form of a vision. He ended up taking most of his lessons in my home. As many converts do, he's walked a rocky path since his baptism, but he's been living in my home for nearly a year now, and we've had so many good experiences together. I was with him, by his request, as he received his patriarchal blessing. I assisted in ordaining him an elder. And over the past few months, I got to teach him the temple prep lessons.

Today was sweet in so many ways. He wept openly on a couple of occasions, and in the car afterwards he didn't want to stop talking about what he'd just experienced -- 'sacred' and 'beautiful' were his most repeated words. I lost track of how many times he said, 'Thank you for today', including in a text message as I was vacuuming my car a few minutes ago. As I said to him each time, I'm not the one to be thanked, but we need to acknowledge that we do indeed play a role in all of this. What a privilege that is! I honestly cannot imagine keeping such blessings to myself for any reason.

Edited November 24, 2018 by Hamba Tuhan