Taking Adam's ideas #3 and #7 ....

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by Adam

My fondest hopes for the Monson presidency:

3) Completely revamp our failing missionary program by sending out all the YM and YW upon high school graduation to service missions in third world countries for 18 months after which, if they choose, they can serve a proselytizing mission for another 18 months.


7) The church opens thousands of church affiliated secondary schools in third world countries manned by a new missionary program where every stake sends out and supports three families at all times to work in the schools,

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#3 would be very interesting to me because it includes the YW and its another opportunity for kids when they graduate to get great experience. Its basically making a lds peace corp. Including the YW would be such a refreshing change. Why do they get it so easy? Why aren't they expected to serve?

#7 I would love to do this for a couple of years while my kids are still young. Get to live in Brazil again but as a teacher. They could give you a small stipend after living expenses. It would be a nice sabattical.

[TripletDaddy]

Originally Posted by Mormon Red Death

#3 would be very interesting to me because it includes the YW and its another opportunity for kids when they graduate to get great experience. Its basically making a lds peace corp. Including the YW would be such a refreshing change. Why do they get it so easy? Why aren't they expected to serve?

#7 I would love to do this for a couple of years while my kids are still young. Get to live in Brazil again but as a teacher. They could give you a small stipend after living expenses. It would be a nice sabattical.

#3 makes little sense to me. Perhaps I am missing something.

First, I didnt know our missionary program was failing.

Second, assuming that it is, why would a greater number of kids go after high school instead of 19 or 21? What is the difference that would make it more successful? What of kids that graduate HS before they turn 18? Send minors out in the peace corps?

Third, the primary goal of proselyting is to increase membership through baptism. The primary goal of a peace corp is secular education (health, engineering, basic academics, etc). How would a "mandatory" peace corp stint followed by an optional proselyte stint improve our failing missionary program?

[MikeWaters]

The reason on #3 is because the church sees MEN as the pool from which future leaders of the church come from, both on intl., national, and local levels. The missionary program is a leadership training program. Training tens of thousands of women to be better relief society sisters is a waste of resources. Now, you'll never hear this officially, but this is the real reason, IMO.

[MikeWaters]

IMO, the reason for the failing of the missionary program in the USA is due to our failure to create compelling worship communities. When the members attend more out of a sense of duty than joy, you have a big problem. And instead of trying to improve our communities, which suffer from organizational flaws, we are instead browbeaten and told to feel guilty.

It's almost as if the CEOs are blaming the grunts, instead of themselves. Where are the ideas? Where is the change? The insitutional intertia of the church is truly stupendous.

[SteelBlue]

Originally Posted by TripletDaddy

#3 makes little sense to me. Perhaps I am missing something.

I really liked #3 not because I think our missionary program is failing but because it gives an opportunity for a full day of non-proselytizing service every day. It's a very different kind of service than the mission most of us served, and I think would be an incredible opportunity for any kid that age going forward with an eye toward lifelong service. Following that up with a proselytizing mission would be a very cool experience for anyone who took advantage of it.

[MikeWaters]

I might do the opposite way. Proselyte first 18 months. 2nd 18 months service, but it would be gratis in terms of having to pay.

[RC Vikings]

What if a kid could choose between a service mission or a proselyting mission. I bet you would get a lot more kids to go and the goodwill earned would more then make up for the lost proselyting time.

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by SteelBlue

I really liked #3 not because I think our missionary program is failing but because it gives an opportunity for a full day of non-proselytizing service every day. It's a very different kind of service than the mission most of us served, and I think would be an incredible opportunity for any kid that age going forward with an eye toward lifelong service. Following that up with a proselytizing mission would be a very cool experience for anyone who took advantage of it.

this is how I looked at it except I would have 1 year of service and 1 year of proselyting. Plus none of this having to wait till you are 19 bull crap

[MikeWaters]

Getting into college after a mission would be a logistical problem. Because you would have to apply while still on your mission. Because I'm not sure most schools would admit you, only to have you enroll 2 - 3 years after your admission.

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Getting into college after a mission would be a logistical problem. Because you would have to apply while still on your mission. Because I'm not sure most schools would admit you, only to have you enroll 2 - 3 years after your admission.

How do people do it now? My guess is that they would do it the same way