Is that he couldn't serve a mission because he had military service to perform.

If the following Wikipedia clip is correct (and I'd imagine that if it wasn't it would have been edited because it's not flattering to TSM), he enlisted at the age of 17 and spent probably less than a year in the Naval reserve, being discharged before he was even 19. Why couldn't the future profit of god serve a mission then? Instead he finished school and married at the age of 21. Supposedly he went back in as an officer but resigned his commission to be a counselor in the Bishopric? But he couldn't do it to serve a mission? And then he has the balls to get up and tell other young men that a mission is more important than anything else at that stage of life? Where does he come off? I would be SO incensed if I were sitting in a meeting listening to his lameass excuses of why he didn't serve a mission.

Anyway, this is the timeline according to Wikipedia:

"In 1945, at age 17, Monson joined the United States Naval Reserve and anticipated participating in World War II in the Pacific theater. He was sent to San Diego, California but was not moved overseas before the end of the war. His tour of duty lasted six months beyond the end of the war, and after it was completed he returned to the University of Utah. Monson graduated cum laude in 1948 with a bachelor's degree in business management.Monson did not serve a full-time mission as a youth. At age 21, on October 7, 1948, he married Frances Beverly Johnson in the Salt Lake Temple.The couple eventually had three children: Thomas Lee, Ann Frances, and Clark Spencer.

After college he rejoined the Naval Reserve with the aim of becoming an officer. Shortly after receiving his commission acceptance letter, his ward bishop asked him to serve as a counselor in the bishopric. Time conflicts with bishopric meetings would have made serving in the Navy impossible. After discussing things with church apostle Harold B. Lee, (his former stake president), Monson declined the commission and applied for a discharge. The Navy granted his discharge in the last group processed before the Korean War. Lee set him apart six months later as a bishop—mentioning in the blessing that he likely would not have been called if he had accepted the commission."

Inquiring Mind Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
After college he rejoined the Naval Reserve with
> the aim of becoming an officer. Shortly after
> receiving his commission acceptance letter, his
> ward bishop asked him to serve as a counselor in
> the bishopric. Time conflicts with bishopric
> meetings would have made serving in the Navy
> impossible. After discussing things with church
> apostle Harold B. Lee, (his former stake
> president), Monson declined the commission and
> applied for a discharge. The Navy granted his
> discharge in the last group processed before the
> Korean War. Lee set him apart six months later as
> a bishop—mentioning in the blessing that he
> likely would not have been called if he had
> accepted the commission."

I find it offensive to me that Monson went into the military TWICE...looking to get something out of it...only to quit the military for his religion....

It could well be he wasn't morally worthy at the time to go on a mission after his stint as a swabby in San Diego (too close to Tijuana?) or just wasn't that interested in a mission. Evidently he found school and getting married more important. Gotta have some body help him unload all those 21 year old hormones - right?
These guy has obviously been a historical mormon social climber, and pursuer of power and prestige right from his 20's.

Apparently that was the reason he didn't do the mission at 19, he was in school from the age of 19-21. Geez, what a revelation. School is important for a 19 year old. So all these stories about him not doing the mission because of his military service are just plain bullshit--no other word for it. Neither time he was in the service interfered with those precious mission years.

why did he even bother to enlist. It sounds like he just needed the military stint as something to put on his resume in order to look patriotic to people who care about that kind of thing. But he made sure to time it to keep out of harm's way. Then he bailed out as soon as it looked like it might get in the way of his REAL career plan. There's every indication that Monson knew very early on and fully expected that he would have a career in upper Church management. Harold B. Lee was obviously mentoring him into position. Reading Packer's "Which Way Do You Face?" talk may give a clue as to the qualities that Harold B. Lee looked for in selecting future leadership candidates--namely, a ruthless disregard for the interests of the ordinary people and a slavish desire to serve the whim of those higher up the chain of command--in other words, a sociopath.

He was called to be a bishop at the age of 22 by Harold B. Lee. What kind of 22-year-old kid gets that kind of special attention from an Apostle? Why would anyone think that he was indispensable for the bishop job at the age of 22? Surely, in the heart of Mormonland, there were many more qualified candidates for Bishop.

Furthermore, in all my years in the Church, I never saw any Bishop give up a career just to be a bishop--which was usually thought of as a temporary position anyway. The opposite was almost always true. A person would give up their Bishop "calling" when their job required them to relocate to another place.

Then Monson was called to be an Apostle at the age of 36. What's up with that? Was he a great speaker? No. Was he super spiritual and insightful? No.

Can anyone explain it? How does a talentless corporate hack like Monson get a career in upper management of the Church handed to him on a golden platter like that? There has to be a lot more to the story than has ever been revealed to the public.

He didn't give up his career to be a bishop, that came later. He gave up his military "career" to be a counselor in the bishopric because there wasn't anyone else in SLC who could do that. Yeah, ok.

Tasty pies, indeed.

he did have those photos of Lee bumfucking a goat.

Missions were not expected until SWK in the 1970s. Men could go on missions, but there wasn't this all out push to go. A young man who went on a mission was treated like a sister missionary is today: it's great you went, but you didn't really have to.

Only when SWK said that every worthy young man had to serve a mission did the social pressure build. It became understood that if you didn't serve a mission, it was because you were not worthy.

Ya know, I could handle that if he would say, "It wasn't expected and I thought school was more important for me at the time." My father was the same way, not only was it not a big deal, but if your parents couldn't pay for it, you couldn't go.

But EVERY TIME something is written about Tommy not serving a mission, they ALWAYS qualify it with the fact that it was during WWII and at that time many young men were tied up with military service and hence couldn't serve a mission. He was only 17 when WWII ended. So if that's not the reason, why do they always say that? Of course we know why, it makes the sheeple go, "Oh, ok, I can accept that."

At least Hinckley served a mission and was honest about young missionaries about the fact that many times he wanted to come home and had to struggle to get a testimony.

Because then you would have to admit that the Church is not the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. To admit fully to the fact that something that is in place today, was not in place yesterday is well not something TSCC does

Agree. Missionary program looked very different in WWI, WWII, and my teen years of Viet Nam. There was a draft. Parents had to afford a missionary. Missionary work was not ordered. I remember when we had some quota of two per ward, or some such number. That was when there were a lot of boomer's and the draft was not popular for Viet Nam. A mission excused one from the draft for a period of time. (Many, including my exH were in that age group and did that). More guys started going on missions with Viet Nam.

I remember when DOM made the, "Every member a missionary", statement. Then in 1974, the mandate came for all boys to serve. Sister missionary? I never knew one. Ever. It was not encouraged nor discussed. If a woman was an old maid (hah) of I think...21, she could ask to go. I heard of it, but honestly, I did not know any.

In early Mormonism, married men were the missionary force. Often, many missions, many polygamist wives at home, and men leaving the women to fend for themselves. Mormonism does not look like early Mormonism, nor does Mormonism of 2011 look like the Mormism of 1940's or 1960's.

My Father did not go on a mission, nor a single uncle. They all were in the service of WWII (draft). None of my grandfather's went on a mission. It was not a worthiness issue for higher callings. Most were in bishoprics in their lifetimes...or higher. My great-grandfathers left if called as married men,leaving polygamist families, wives, and babies home alone for years at a time.

It was not the norm for young men in WWII, rather...the exception. With today's Mormonism, I can see why it would be a big deal to think of a high ranking leader in Mormonism that did not serve a mission from a Mormon person post 1960's. The mandatory worthiness of a person seems different since SWK, 1970's. Prior to that, it was a choice, not a order.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/06/2011 08:02AM by wings.

You can't make this stuff up. And the tithes keep rolling in.

I understand that the following did not serve missions (mainly because of war):

Thomas S. Monson
Henry D. Eyring
Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Boyd K. Packer
Russell M. Nelson
Dallin H. Oaks
Robert D. Hales

It is pretty easy to see why Dieter F. Uchtdorf may not have served being stuck in East Germany. L Tom Perry served a full-time mission during WWII and also as a marine afterwards. Got to respect that.

> It is pretty easy to see why Dieter F. Uchtdorf may not have served being stuck in East Germany.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieter_F._Uchtdorf

air forces.

Makes Monson's "service" seem really pathetic in comparison.

I wonder if he still flies. Maybe they'll let him fly Huntsman's private jet sometime.

Although both Monson and Uchtdorf serve the same religious corporation, you can tell that Uchtdorf has more to bring to the party in terms of experience, perspective, open-mindedness.

Monson's been a career "church leader" since his early twenties. I don't imagine he can relate to much of anyone or anything that falls outside of that narrow framework of experience.

I stand corrected, thanks.

Check out Oaks' experience, he was never a missionary, bishop, or a mission or stake president. Right to the top. I know a gung-ho guy in our local ward who has stated he wants to become a bishop (aka is running for office). Actually, he is just plain nosey and and wants to know everybody's business. He has more experience than does Oaks.

I think he was brought in because of his legal expertise.

Maybe Harold B Lee loved Tommy Boy Monson in more than just words maybe it was a little physical too

This leads me to the account of Sidney Rigdon being put in 2nd in command right after "supposedly" just meeting Joseph Smith. How does a stranger go from zero to hero in such a short time?

I don't get it.

TBM: "REVELATION! It's TWOOOO!!!!"

Sure...I got a few bridges on Ebay...

Boy oh boy I served a mission and then did 24 years in the Military both Army Reserve and 20 years active Navy wish I could be in charge of this multi rich church and drive a car that cost 900,000

If he were a woman making this kind of corporate climb back then, the lunch room talk would have been he was sleeping his way to the top.
My observation has been that nobody climbs the ladder like that without selling their soul. in or out of the church