Dear Missionary.... Whhhhat?!,
Okay. Big news. And I am sure you have heard it. Or maybe you haven't. But I just want to blog it.
Remember how I talked about conference last week? Well. The first session of conference on Saturday morning holds all the announcements. And after all the traditional statistics and temple announcements our dear Prophet dropped a HUGE announcement. President Thomas S. Monson, announced that the church would be lowering the minimum age required to serve full time LDS missions.
Since the day of my birth until I thought forever the age to serve would be 19 for men and 21 for women. And then, through inspiration from God, the age has been changed. For men, I guess they are men since they are "adult" age, it would now be 18 and for women 19! My. Mind. Was. Blown. You might be thinking, yeah, one or two years difference? That isn't too big of a jump. But for me it means a whole new world for the LDS culture in which I grew up. In fact. I love the idea of this change.
Remember how I talked about conference last week? Well. The first session of conference on Saturday morning holds all the announcements. And after all the traditional statistics and temple announcements our dear Prophet dropped a HUGE announcement. President Thomas S. Monson, announced that the church would be lowering the minimum age required to serve full time LDS missions.
Since the day of my birth until I thought forever the age to serve would be 19 for men and 21 for women. And then, through inspiration from God, the age has been changed. For men, I guess they are men since they are "adult" age, it would now be 18 and for women 19! My. Mind. Was. Blown. You might be thinking, yeah, one or two years difference? That isn't too big of a jump. But for me it means a whole new world for the LDS culture in which I grew up. In fact. I love the idea of this change.
A few faces as the announcement was made. The kid on the left clearly in shock.
Instead of going to college for a year and potentially ruining their college GPA (like so many do, because hey they are just leaving in a year) or making some wrong turns, these young men can go on a mission DIRECTLY after high school. It is a game changer.
And not only that, women can go on a mission right away, and instead of waiting around all day for their missionary or not dating until they are 24... they can head out on their mission. It will change the idea of what a Sister missionary is. No longer will it be the girl that "went because she wasn't married". It will be the young women that WANT to be out there serving. The women that want to be missionaries.
I am looking forward to seeing how things move forward. This age change is something truly amazing. Now I want to take the time to answer a question I got on my conference post.
So how come the men go to a 2 hour "priesthood" meeting? Do the women go to a meeting for their gender only as well? And if not, why?
I am looking forward to seeing how things move forward. This age change is something truly amazing. Now I want to take the time to answer a question I got on my conference post.
So how come the men go to a 2 hour "priesthood" meeting? Do the women go to a meeting for their gender only as well? And if not, why?
Men go to a priesthood meeting to receive direct messages from the presidency of the church. The men, generally have a little more responsibility because of the priesthood so they talk about things that are more serious and directly related to holding the Priesthood. Men are the head of families so if they're strong, families will be.
The women have their own meeting the week prior to general conference. It is called the Relief Society broadcast. During the broadcast we have the opportunity to listen to the Relief Society presidency and a member of the presidency of the church. This broadcast is related to the responsibilities women have to teach and to take care of those around them.
The reason there are two different meetings is because men and women have different responsibilities and the Church wants to be able to focus on specific items that come through revelation.
What do you think of the big announcement?
What did you love at conference?
What did you learn?
Love,
Deidre