To anyone who served on Temple Square, I'd love to hear your stories! What was it like serving so close to the COB and GA's? How was it being chosen to serve because of your looks? Did you ever get sick of Mormons pretending to be investigators? Did apostates ever have any interesting discussions with you? what was the environment like there?

She is now teaching by telephone and is one of the missionaries who answers chat on TSCC's website. (in addition to the regular hours at temple square)I can't wait until she gets home so I can ask her these same questions..

We already discussed how it feels for her to be called based on her looks and we pretty much agreed that they don't call the "prettiest" missionaries to go there, but she agrees that they definitely do their best to avoid sending any sweet spirits.

They also have a fairly new mission president there and I think he's a bit more of a "spirit of the law" kind of guy than previous mission presidents.

Of all places she could have gone, I'm really glad she is there. She's safe, and well fed, and a lot of roomates which comes in handy when you hate your comp.

I was called to serve there because I was transfered from the Puerto Rico mission due to temporary health problems. MANY of the Utah missionaries were there for the same reason. It's one of the places they dump missionaries that are either waiting to get into another country or were ill and needed to come back to the states.

My mission president was the worlds biggest asshole. He had his Mercedes Benz shipped in from his home in Alaska so he wouldn't have to drive mission vehicles. He had to drive me from Bountiful to Salt Lake once and he was going 95 in his Mercedes. Arrogant to the extreme. He had a business in Alaska that ended up going bankrupt after his mission. Gee, so much for being blessed.

Anyway, he wanted to be GA very desperately. Every conversation with the missionaries was peppered with name dropping about the GAs he had just talked to. He could not open his mouth without talking about the GAs. He was condescending and mean to the entire mission because he was so afraid that we would reflect badly on him. It was all about him and his need to make GA. He's now the president of the Alaska temple.

In those days, Utah Wollen Mills was downstairs from the mission office right across the street from temple square. Wealthier missionaries bought expensive suits there. The whole mission seemed to be competing for best dressed. (I too wore nice suits rather than ugly dresses. But also because it was cold half of the year and you can layer three pieces, a blouse, suit jacket and coat.) The elders seemed to have very nice clothes. This was during the yupie era--1985.

It was also something of a rowdy mission. Lots of disillusioned missionaries because they had gotten transfered there from somewhere else, or because it was too easy (compared to Puerto Rico it was not even the same solar system) or because they were mistreated by this president or because they saw Mormon culture up close or whatever. I quit and went home. Some others did too.

It was a very comfy mission! It's a shame missionaries are not as comfortable all over the world.

In those days missionaries were assigned to Temple Square on a rotating basis. It was just another transfer. You'd be there a few months and then be transfered back to a regular assignment teaching and baptizing.

I always thought being stationed there was supposed to be a posh assignment. When I went to visit Temple Square in 2008 the sister missionaries didn't bother trying to convert me...probably wasn't "white and delightsome" enough I suppose.

in 2008 the missionaries were each assigned a duty for the day. maybe gate duty, or tabernacle, etc. They typically weren't walking around looking to convert people, they were doing their duties and giving their tours and providing testimonies, at the predetermined time in their tour and then moving on to the next.. There was never a hard push from temple square more than.. "if you want to hear more, you can fill out this card.. if not, have a nice day skiing."

Now they've changed the mission again. The missionaries no longer have assigned duties for the day and they are instead just strolling around looking for people to latch onto and give the tour. They spend half of their day doing this and the other half of their day teaching people by phone until the real missionaries can show up or answering chats from TSCC website. Oh yes, they also have a much more relaxed dress code.. no more mid calf skirts.. the new rule is that the skirt must cover the knee caps, but the frumpy mid-calf requirement is gone.

Also they are called there now for the full 18 months. They used to have a short 3-4 month period where they could go out into the regular mission field somewhere in the states to get a taste of normal mission life but they're phasing that out now.

About 15 years ago, the church stopped using volunteers, and instead only had girls. Typically the best looking from around the world. Marketing analysis showed that people responded better to good looking girls than to pimply faced boys. Go figure.

So much for only needed a few young women and missionary work being a PH responsibility. (thanks gordo!).

Would some important buisnessman(priesthood leader potential) passing through SLC be more likely to stop and talk to the pretty 21 something Asian girl or the nineteen year old pimply faced boy from Fresno????

Whiskey_Tango why did you use "Fresno" in your example? Just wondering as I was a RM from Fresno.