I'm going to be a bit non-specific with the details (just in case, you know?)but I'd like to relate to you a story about 2 young men in my life that have received their mission calls.

#1 is the son of a friend who has spent the last year (he just turned 20)doing nothing. Or nearly nothing. Part time job, hanging out at dad's house, hanging with girlfriend. He got his papers in and Pow! mission call. Now I don't know for a fact but I have some pretty strong evidence that he was having premarital sex with GF.

#2 is my nephew. Now 22 y.o. and has had some tough times. Drug addiction, premarital sex, living with GF. He put in his papers and Pow! he got his mission call.

What happened to the "only the best, most worthy will be called"? It's a rhetorical question. But this is an example of how far away from those standards they are now.

BTW both are good, smart kids. I hope this doesn't F@#$ them both up for life.

I think that was just a PR stunt to explain the lowered numbers of missionaries to the members. Make it think it was the church's choice to have fewer, but better, missionaries. Maybe even encourage the bishops to be more selective for a while, until everyone thought the lower numbers were due to raising the bar. Then, cut the bishops some slack and let them use their discretion about who they let serve, even if the bar isn't that high.

I hope your friends are OK too. A mission can be a mind game for some.

the premarital sex and drugs. Well a little reefer now and again maybe. Oh, and a condom. Lucky guy.

Whether the number of missionaries will continue to tank, as Non-mormons make up more and more of the more populous cities. Could it be that the threat of being ostracized by the community will weaken? Is it already weaker?