Can anyone recommend a book about the history of the missionary program? At what point did it go from a man being called at any age, to 19-year-old boys? At what point could women go on missions? Why were they added?
I wouldn't know where to look. I remember when I was on my mission reading the teachings of joseph smith where he said that missionary work was for the grown ups and not to send the boys out to do a man's job. That really made me wonder what the hell I was doing on a mission.
Sometimes it seems incredible to me that people back in the 1830's could have been so naive. It's astonishing that Mormonism ever got going, especially given that Joey needed the others to lie consistently and not rat anyone out in order to make it seem as if the Book of Mormon was "real."
Back then they were all into conjuring and treasure hunting and stuff. And JS had a very hypnotic persona. Look at how many women/girls became his spiritual wives, possible eleven of whom were already married. I think it was about the people back then being conditioned to believe anything and everything. The fields were ripe for the harvest.
This is a tangent thought regarding the modern day maturity level of 18-19 year olds. Legally adult at that age, yet many people still look, feel, and are treated like kids. Has this always been the case throughout the course of history? Seems to me that when life expectancy was 30-40, kids grew into adults by age 13, physically, emotionally, mentally, and especially responsibility-wise.