Comments on: Guest Post: Returning Early with Honor

By: tradewarrior

tradewarrior — Sun, 03 Apr 2016 19:36:25 +0000

There are rumors that 30% to 50% of returned missionaries go inactive. Our best and brightest. Why are we not having a global conversation about this topic? What are we afraid of?

By: tradewarrior

tradewarrior — Sun, 03 Apr 2016 19:33:32 +0000

I don’t think it’s an American psyche. It’s a Mormon culture psyche born of pride and unrighteous dominion. When you lack the capacity to lead with love then the default is checking or ticking boxes. Keeping up appearances is like holding the apple in the air and growing an apple tree from the fruit to the root by shear force of will and perfect obedience. Love accepts all offerings and does not compare or measure.

By: jader3rd

jader3rd — Sat, 02 Apr 2016 18:52:49 +0000

Does the quality of your missionary service really determine success for the rest of your life?

Only in the way that the missionary age is the time in your life where most people set out the course of their lives. It’s not set in stone, and it can be overcome, but it has more to do with the time in your life, than it being the mission.
I think it boils down to the American psyche and not being able to handle the idea of being a failure. I think that instead we should embrace the fact that we failed at something, and then use it as motivation to improve whatever is facing us next.

By: whizzbang

whizzbang — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 04:29:06 +0000

I served as a ward mission leader from Sept. 2011 to last May. If I never have another calling again I would be fulfilled. I LOVED the missionaries that came here. From 2013-the present there were 12 that went home early. Some were for physical ailments, some didn’t have a testimony and were honest about it and some had some menatl health issues to figure out at home, which is fine. It’s a real contrast the best sister missionary we had served for only 3.5 months and went home and people still talk fondly of her and that was just over 2 years ago now. The best elder we had, just the best went home after 2 years finished his mission and promptly went inactive and now is living with his girlfriend and supposed to get married but he isn’t active at all. It’s so sad really. His Mom emailed me trying to get help for him but I can only do so much not living where he does. So to me the ones that have gone home early make a difference and the ones that served the fulltime need to continue to serve fulltime!

By: Cameron N.

Cameron N. — Thu, 31 Mar 2016 03:10:00 +0000

http://www.mormonchannel.org/listen/series/mormon-channel-daily-audio/elder-hollands-thoughts-on-early-returned-missionaries?cid=social_20160330_59943836&adbid=10154145529672450&adbpl=fb&adbpr=94574597449

By: Lauren Baldwin

Lauren Baldwin — Thu, 31 Mar 2016 02:35:52 +0000

According to my research, all three of your insights are correct and emphasize different facets of the issue of missionary identity. At the Association for Mormon Letters Conference, where I originally presented this analysis, we discussed that the many narratives surrounding missionary service may contribute to missionaries’ unrealistic expectations for themselves. Church members circulate stories of missionaries perceived as unusually successful. LDS children are raised on stories of missionaries who baptize hundreds of people, not only finish but extend their missions, have dozens of trainees, etc. During my time as a missionary I saw many elders and sisters–including myself–strive to become the kind of missionaries we knew stories about, especially if the missionaries in those stories were family members. Those stories largely shape missionaries’ perception of what it means to be successful. The emotional issue for a missionary, then, becomes not whether he is successful according to God’s standards, but whether he feels he is successful according to the social standard set by church culture.

By: John Lundwall

John Lundwall — Wed, 30 Mar 2016 16:46:42 +0000

I agree with Dave, though here is my two cents. Mission service is a normative predictor, much like graduating high school and college is a normative predictor for future income. Most returned missionaries remain active in the church all their lives. A mission cannot guarantee “success,” however that is defined, and in point of fact, while we should celebrate all missionary service, the truth is there are missionaries in the field who should not be there, and some who are not who should.

And further, mission and church service is only a normative predictor for normative cultural values. Salvation operates under a different context, and is why there are some Mormons standing at the temple veil who are going to hell, while there are some atheists at the bar who will make it to heaven.

By: John

John — Wed, 30 Mar 2016 16:43:56 +0000

Mission service is a normative predictor, much like graduating high school and college is a normative predictor for future income. Most returned missionaries remain active in the church all their lives. A mission cannot guarantee “success,” however that is defined, and in point of fact, while we should celebrate all missionary service, the truth is there are missionaries in the field who should not be there, and some who are not who should. And further, mission and church service is only a normative predictor for normative cultural values. Salvation operates under a different context, and is why there are some Mormons standing at the temple veil who are going to hell, while there are some atheists at the bar who will make it to heaven.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 30 Mar 2016 16:35:30 +0000

What a helpful discussion. It remains a puzzle how *any* young Mormon who serves a mission, whether it lasts 24 months or 18 months or 3 months, should feel like (or be made to feel like) a failure. Their service, whether blazingly productive, eminently average, or even half-hearted and reluctant, should be celebrated.

By: Ben

Ben — Wed, 30 Mar 2016 00:06:05 +0000

And of course, serving the full length of one’s mission is no apotropaic against feelings of failure. Talk to virtually any European missionary. Sure, we ate pastries and lacked mosquito netting and parasites, but usually we can count baptisms and lessons taught on one hand.