Yesterday in General Conference (gc.lds.org) President Monson announced that they have lowered the age missionaries can begin serving. WE are so excited. If a young man is prepared to serve, let's get him out without first spending a year unfocused and waiting. And personally I predict a tripling of sister missionaries--19 is so much more convenient than 21.
I hope the Priest Quorum advisors and YM presidents take advantage of this new program to use some of mutual time as mission prep (And Laurel/YW presidents, too). Preach My Gospel has hundreds of activities to use. The Missionary Preparation manual is free online. And for the YW presidents who simply cannot resist cute things to pass out, the new teeny tiny Preach My Gospel is just so cute! Let's leave the sports to the stake sports program and kick mutual up a notch. (Was that preachy enough? Because I've got more :)
So excited! It will be interesting to see how it all works during the next year as things transition. Aren't you glad you are BYU President Samuelson? Or the admissions director? Good times!
We loved this announcement, too, and we're looking forward to mighty changes in our family next year! BTW, would you still recommend applying for and then deferring college admission?
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing BYU admissions is having an unscheduled meeting about now. Personally, I would apply as normal and let them sort it out--otherwise you'll have to track down counselors and teachers and what-not to apply post mission.
ReplyDeleteJen was wondering how that would affect girls in their freshman year at BYU. Before, they would have boys their age for that year, and then very few available in their sophomore year. In the near future, (assuming 18 is the new standard boys choose) though, freshman girls won't have any prospects except 20-year-old RMs. Will that encourage more marriages for that group? Will more girls end up going at 19, then coming home and returning to school with RM boys at their age level? What does it all mean? (I'm sure BCC will have some theories.)
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