Why are Mormons going nuts over the missionary age change?

I know why it was done (as an attempt to catch and lasso them early), but why are Mormons going nuts?

I'm asking in all honesty...

I know what you mean. I have been wondering the same thing. Why would anyone be excited over this? Honestly, I don't get it either.

The last time they went this nuts was when Hinkley announced mini-temples.

They are freaking out because the prophet actually said something.

They have dry spells, and then the proclamation on the family comes out.

The mere fact that their prophet actually did something they can interpret as prophetic is exciting to them (legitimizes having a prophet at all).

...even if the "prophetic" thing amounts to little more than a minor policy change.

The typical devoted believers are programmed from a young age to be responsible male Mormons and do their duty and that includes a mission. (Which is standard training for a life time of service.) Standardizing the ages around the world means they are just as worthy at 18 as at 19 and it's an opportunity to get through it earlier. Ladies, not so much, but if they can go earlier, I think they will. I think there will be an influx of younger missionaries and then it will taper off.

Ooh, I thought of another one: October 2002 when they "Raised the Bar" for missionary work.

Really very little changed- but it was a neato talking point about how their prophets were so revelatory.

(makes you wonder if "raising the bar" caused their "shrinking missionary force" which they are now trying to compensate with their 18yo missionaries)

"and then it will taper off."


It's only fitting that it would taper off.

I didn't watch any of conference, but I remember hearing about the great revelation coming that would affect every man, woman and child in the church.

What a lame-ass revelation that was. Now people get to be preached at by even younger kids who don't have a clue what the world is all about.

Well, my mom and her end-of-days cronies all think it's a sign that we are entering the last days when Christ will come and reign personally on earth. They think it's an attempt to put as many missionaries in the field as possible for one great big push to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth, before the missionaries are called home and all the wars and plagues begin, ended only by Christ's coming. I fail to see why imminent worldwide destruction is exciting to them, other than to validate their wack-a-doodle beliefs and to thumb their noses at everyone who laughed at them. I'm pretty sure they'd also like to see a few of us destroyed, as promised in scripture. But my mom also firmly believes that in the latter-days the Mormons will run the government for Jesus - that's why they all have to learn to be exactly obedient. Jesus apparently is a Hitler-like figure in her mind. I fail to see how a chance to be a government bureaucrat for a God who runs his kingdom like Hitler is a great reward for living through the utter destruction of humanity but there you go. Another example of Mormons killing themselves to obtain a reward they haven't really thought through.

This is why Christians/Muslims/Jews scare me.

They all look forward to their wacky prophecies despite all the pain & bloodshed involved in their prophecies. Why? IMHO it's because AFTER the bad stuff their religion would supposedly be king of bunkers hill.

There hasn't been anything that one could define as prophetic for years. Not that this tiny change could be defined as that.

They're desperately grasping for crumbs. That's what this announcement is, a crumb.

It's an attempt to make an elderly man with failing health look like he's a prophet. Incredibly lame, but it's all they have.

When you're mormon, it's as good as it gets.

I don't even get it. I'm trying to imagine if I would have been excited or not. I don't even think for boys that it will matter. Honestly, they all graduate at 18 1/2 anyway. That means they will all put their availability as June, and they will have to spread them out over 6 months anyway, having them leave at approximately 19. The big deal is with the girls. They have basically made it so boys and girls will go at the same age. Big whoop!

I never wanted to go on a mission and I was always hoping I'd be married by 21 so I wouldn't have to admit that I didn't want to go.

I graduated before I turned 18, and I was envious of the guys that got to leave immediately after HS...

...come to think of it, that might be part of TSCC's plan.
The guys that left right out of HS were freaking heroes. Every gal showed up to their farewell, and it was a BIG deal.

But those of us that left much later (for me, more than a year later) had a lot less fanfare.

Maybe they are trying to monopolize on the "glory" of going on a mission.

#justaThought

They are so starved for anything that might count as a prophecy that they all jump at any scrap they can find. Even if it is just a little tweak in the Corporation's business operations like this age reduction was.

To me it only helps to highlight how markedly non-prophetic the prophet really is.

I was commanded to go on mission by crazy stake pres that rang me and told me I'de go to hell if not go. I gave up my education in music, sold my grand piano and went only to suffer break down and come home. The next stake pres said I didnt have to go for medical reasons..

It was nothing but a sales pitch every young man a missionary.
I never got to finish my education after that breakdown..

Tho I was blessed with musical fame for a while in a rock band,
tho was on my way to play in a sympathy orchrestra had I completed my musical education...

Mormonism led me in rebellion to love rock music that told my story.. Mormonism can turn one athiest..

Tho I believe in jesus the real one, grace is sufficient..

christians catch the fish first and christ cleans them

mormons clean the fish first and the devil catches them

equal self-rightousness and false humility.

larry.

Given what someone else said here, that 18 is the age for many in the rest of the world already and 18 was also the age for Mos in the morridor, too, once upon a time--I am still not clear on why people are seeing it as some sort of prophecy or revelation.

It's already in motion elsewhere and has been done before. That's news? That's exciting?

If they switch back to the 18-month missions again, will Mos react in the same manner, calling it prophecy or revelation, forgetting all about how that's been done before, too?

They tried the age 18 thing and people still did not convert/people left the church. Tried age 19 and that did not work, people still did not convert/people left the church.


Why focus on the switch itself, and not the underlying NEED for that switch?

Oh, wait...I get it. divert/distract = deceive to believe

Change is exciting.