Service Missionaries to Be Integrated Into their Corresponding Proselyting Missions

[Kenngo1969]

My cursory glance (and it was just that, so forgive me for any unwitting duplication) did not reveal anywhere else on the Board that this is being discussed.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/letters/letter?id=4300f76f-f7f8-4a86-83d2-5b082401b118&letterLang=eng&lang=eng

I think this is only about sixteen different kinds of cool!   It will reduce greatly, if not eliminate entirely, the sense of "otherness" and "lesser-than" that, in the minds of too many, surround service missions for young missionaries.

Thoughts?  Comments?

[JustAnAustralian]

Quote

Beginning in January 2024, young service missionaries worldwide will become part of teaching missions, and the mission president will have responsibility for these missionaries as they continue their service missions.

Under the direction of the mission president, service mission leader couples will continue to provide day-to-day assistance. The local stake president and bishop will continue to function as their ecclesiastical leaders.

The following will be updated to reflect this change:

• General Handbook: Serving in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Handbook for Mission Leaders: A Guide to Becoming, Serving, and Leading as Disciples of Jesus Christ
• Missionary Standards for Disciples of Jesus Christ—Service Missions

 

 

[Rain]

I wonder how that will work when missionaries cover more than one mission.  The service missionaries in my area serve in the geographical areas of at least 5 missions.  I hope that doesn't mean they need to work within specific mission boundaries or it may seriously lessen the work they are doing with some charities.  

If it doesn't cut down on boundaries there may be problems with working with missionaries under different mission presidents.  For example sometimes one of my organizations would call on proselyting missionaries before we worked with service missionaries.  One mission president would only let his missionaries serve with us if they were allowed to leave missionary info in the apartments we set up for refugees - something we weren't allowed to do through the government even if we wanted to do that (which we didn't as we work with all religions ).  Or will there be any other rules that mission presidents create for their missionaries that the other mission presidents don't have and will that create other problems?

It will be interesting to know just what this means.

[Rain]

Found out the leaders of my organization already knew about this.  They don't know a lot of what it will mean.  They do know that the missionaries will be interviewed by their mission president instead of their stake president.  

[Pyreaux]

Called it. Missionaries should be seen and known, then preach to people who come to them.

[Tacenda]

18 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said:

My cursory glance (and it was just that, so forgive me for any unwitting duplication) did not reveal anywhere else on the Board that this is being discussed.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/letters/letter?id=4300f76f-f7f8-4a86-83d2-5b082401b118&letterLang=eng&lang=eng

I think this is only about sixteen different kinds of cool!   It will reduce greatly, if not eliminate entirely, the sense of "otherness" and "lesser-than" that, in the minds of too many, surround service missions for young missionaries.

Thoughts?  Comments?

I know this doesn't pertain to the article, which is cool, but I wish the church offered service missions to non current temple recommend holders to senior couples. Always wanted to do that. I guess I could go do a secular one. Edit: Oops, mean't humanitarian mission. But hopefully that won't derail your thread Ken.

Edited September 25, 2023 by Tacenda

[Rain]

28 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

I know this doesn't pertain to the article, which is cool, but I wish the church offered service missions to non current temple recommend holders to senior couples. Always wanted to do that. I guess I could go do a secular one. Edit: Oops, mean't humanitarian mission. But hopefully that won't derail your thread Ken.

It wouldn't be hard to do something on your own - you would just lack someone over you. 

[JustAnAustralian]

As an update on this based on some recent discussions I had with a service mission leader couple.

Australia has already been doing it this way as part of the trial group.

Missionaries are assigned to do a service mission, it is customised to their needs, and there is no proselytising requirement.

Papers are submitted the same way as normal. The same health checks are done etc, but when HQ looks at the papers they can see whether a proselytising mission or a service mission is more appropriate.

A proselytising missionary who discovers that for whatever reason a proselytising mission isn't working for them (perhaps they develop anxiety issues for instance) can also transfer to a service mission adapted for their needs.

[Calm]

3 hours ago, JustAnAustralian said:

A proselytising missionary who discovers that for whatever reason a proselytising mission isn't working for them (perhaps they develop anxiety issues for instance) can also transfer to a service mission adapted for their needs.

This is wonderful.

[Kenngo1969]

On 9/29/2023 at 4:12 PM, JustAnAustralian said:

... A proselytising missionary who discovers that for whatever reason a proselytising mission isn't working for them (perhaps they develop anxiety issues for instance) can also transfer to a service mission adapted for their needs.

That's awesome.  As pleased as I am that I was able to serve a proselyting mission, I do wonder if, under this approach, an opportunity could have been crafted that would have been especially well matched to my particular skill set.