tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423921455000578633.post4937090996808325176..comments2023-06-12T03:19:15.523-07:00Comments on Come What May And Love It: Called to ServeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423921455000578633.post-88973736980598869702013-06-18T12:27:36.183-07:002013-06-18T12:27:36.183-07:00This is old news by now I guess, but I just came a...This is old news by now I guess, but I just came across this post and I love it! Totally agree. Yeah I'm going on a mission, but it still bugged me when people would come up to me and ask me - and they hardly even knew me! - because it took me a while to decide, and if I had decided not to or I hadn't made the decision yet, I would feel VERY uncomfortable with everyone asking. Anyways, I have a lot of respect for girls who stand by their personal decisions to NOT go if that is the right thing for them at the time!Hannah Marie Whipplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14955722136164176961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423921455000578633.post-83551828502386835022012-10-09T21:00:53.118-07:002012-10-09T21:00:53.118-07:00STILL, I don't think we should FORCE anyone or...STILL, I don't think we should FORCE anyone or PRESSURE anyone to serve. Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08510735284543202249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423921455000578633.post-57594916935585791722012-10-09T20:59:58.769-07:002012-10-09T20:59:58.769-07:00I guess 'requirement' was a poor word choi...I guess 'requirement' was a poor word choice on my part. I definitely agree with you that being a worth priesthood holder is much more important than a full service mission, and that was more along the line of what I meant.<br />I think the two qualities should be sought out as a pair. I think that if a worthy priesthood holder chooses not to go on a mission for reasons other than military or medical it is a bit of a red flag. Even money issues can be solved, and you and I have seen that happen in our home ward. <br />Serving a mission when, of course, given the opportunity shows a strong commitment to the Lord and a willingness to give back to him after being given so much. Josh is right, it is a commandment, and I am looking for a man who is willing to give his life to his Savior, and to me, a full time WORTHILY SERVED mission is proof of that. <br />Again, I think the misunderstanding is just poor word choice on my behalf. I do not think anything less of men who did not have the opportunity to serve full time missions... really I don't think less of men who didn't serve either... but usually (in my experience) there's something potentially dangerous behind one's reason not to serve.Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08510735284543202249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423921455000578633.post-49192350841749164952012-10-09T17:00:09.252-07:002012-10-09T17:00:09.252-07:00I just want to emphasize President Monson's co...I just want to emphasize President Monson's comment that the admonition to spread the gospel is a priesthood responsibility, and thus every worthy and able-bodied young man should prepare to engage in full-time missionary service. I understand completely that there are perfectly worthy men that joined the Church past that time or were otherwise denied that opportunity; however, it does continue to be a commandment.<br /><br />I really liked President Monson's statement that not every young man is required to serve at age 18. I stated that it was an option. And while many young men will leave to serve as missionaries at age 18, President Monson emphasized that young men should leave only when they are mature, worthy, and ready to serve the Lord as missionaries.<br /><br />I think the reason why young women are encouraged to marry returned missionaries is because RM's have already been through the temple, and so hopefully are keeping the covenants that they made therein. What is really important is marrying someone is that you'll be able to marry that person in the temple so that those vows can last for time and all eternity, be that man a returned missionary or not.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15010579553325713737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423921455000578633.post-19938263919003115412012-10-09T14:58:12.017-07:002012-10-09T14:58:12.017-07:00I think serving a mission is very important. And ...I think serving a mission is very important. And I agree with you that young men and young women should not go on missions until they are ready to serve for the right reasons. However if all the righteous young women in the church have on their list of requirements "RM" then aren't we creating a culture where we are forcing these same young men to serve because they are afraid of not getting married if they don't serve.<br /><br />Wouldn't a much better requirement be righteous Priesthood holder? And having served a mission can indicate that a young man is a righteous Priesthood holder. But it is not a guarantee. And not having served does not necessarily indicate that a person is not a righteous Priesthood holder.<br /><br />I was a Sister Missionary. And most of the Elders with which I served where good Elders. But I can also think of a few who were horrible missionaries. Let me just give you one example. My companion and I were tracting and we met a woman who was so interested in the Gospel. But we were Spanish speaking missionaries so this woman was not in our area. (We had Spanish speaking wards and branches in my mission.) When I found out which Elders we would have to turn the name over to, I begged the Zone Leader to keep the name, but that didn't work out. The Elders couldn't be bothered to leave their apartment to go meet with her. We were following up with her, hoping to maintain her interest until the Elders visited. They never came. Finally, the Zone Leader let us take back the name but by then time had passed and she was no longer interested. Definitely not my idea of a righteous Priesthood holder.<br /><br />On the opposite side I have two examples. But I could come up with dozens of realistic scenarios were righteous Priesthood holder would not have served missions. (ex: Men serving in the Military who joined the church while serving and whose commitment to the military would prevent them from serving.) When I was in college, I knew a great guy who was a convert to the church who did not have the opportunity to serve. He was so worried he would not find anyone willing to marry him for that vary reason.<br /><br />My other example is very near and dear to me. I am not married to a returned missionary. I met David shortly after he joined the church. He was way beyond the age of being able to serve a mission. If I had held on to the requirement I once had for my husband to be an RM I would have never married David and that would have been a huge mistake. He is a righteous Priesthood holder and the perfect husband for me.<br /><br />I totally understand the admonition to marry a returned missionary. The church wants every young woman to marry a righteous Priesthood holder. I agree 100%. But not every returned missionary meets that qualification. And not every righteous Priesthood holder is a returned missionary. Cindyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08569944694134863014noreply@blogger.com