I was still Primary age when this happened in the early 1980s. Do any of you remember how it was introduced or announced, and did any of you guys serve at this time? How was it announced that they were going back to two years? It seemed like it was only in place a couple of years before it was done away with. When they lowered the mission ages two years ago, it reminded me of this, and that it was a desperate move to get more kids to go. From what I have read and seen, it hasn't made much difference.

Shortening of missions happened right at the end of my high school years in Salt Lake, so it affected the Mormon boys in my high school class. The recession hit the economy pretty hard at that time, and I remember families talking about not being able to send their sons on missions for two years because they couldn't afford it (and I lived in an affluent part of Salt Lake that also included GAs).

I think they increased the mission length to two years again as the economy began thriving again. Many of my Mormon friends who were in the latter group called on 18-month missions ended up lengthening their missions to two years toward the end of the recession.

Anyone who has more insider info should share.

I went on an 18-month mission in 1984. The change didn't last long. It was changed back by the time I was due to go home in 1985. I was given the option to stay and I graciously declined. The whole mission experience had been horrific in so many ways and I could hardly get home fast enough.

I was assigned to a mission in Nov 1981 and was out for about 6 months when we heard rumors, which were then confirmed in April.

Some missionaries who had been out between 18 and 24 months had the option to stop then and there,

Those who had between 12 and 17 months (I may be off on the months, but you get the idea) had the option to decide how long (between 18 and 24 months) they would stay

My group and several before me did not have the choice, and we all went home at 18 months.

I was doing cartwheels when I saw 6 months of pointless tracking evaporate.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/09/2014 02:03PM by wowbagger.

Yeah, I was in Japan at the time it was announced. I went into the MTC in September of 1981 and to Japan in November.

We weren't given the choice, but your dates seem about right.

When we went home at 18 months, there was only one person from from the group of missionaries six months earlier who had stayed the entire time. All the others had decided to go home early.

Older brother went for 2 1/2 years (1961)

My senior companion went for 2 years + 2 months in the LTM; he also had the choice of leaving after a total of 2 years. (1968)

I went for 2 years including the LTM (1969).

Later, some went for 18 months, and then it changed back to 2 years.

My parents went for 18 months, but due to poor health, they shortened it to 12 months (1975).

It was definitely between February and April 1982, when I would have been out 19-21 months. I don't recall whether it was announced at a zone conference or simply relayed by phone.

We were instructed that missionaries who had been out 18+ months had the choice of leaving then, or at any time up to the full 24. Quite a few took immediate advantage of that opportunity, as the mission (Montreal) had chronically terrible morale.

Despite – or actually because of – my deserved reputation as an unrepentant breaker of stupid rules, I opted to stick it out since the new policy was a golden ticket. No matter what I did from then on, there was nothing leadership could do about it. I was beyond their power since I had already completed an honorable mission and was essentially putting in overtime.

A mission isn't bad when you can freely and openly do whatever you want, and can leave at any time with no stigma attached.

I received an 18 month mission call in September 1984 and was to report to the MTC in December. I believe it was announced at the October conference that it was going back to two years. I stepped off the plane (I was by myself) and met by the mission prez. Within the first two minutes he asked, "Well, elder, do you want to go 18 months or two years?"