Saturday, October 6, 2012

Change in Missionary Age

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced today that young men will be eligible to apply for missionary service when they have graduated from high school (or its equivalent) and have attained age 18. A few thoughts about this change:

- The pool of potential missionaries will increase. I'm sure it is not an entirely uncommon occurrence for a young man to graduate from high school with full intentions of serving a mission, only for that intention to dwindle with time, or become impossible through transgression. With missionaries able to depart immediately following high school, they will not face this awkward waiting period.

- There will be less demand for male BYU dormitory housing. Dorms are mostly occupied by pre-missionary boys who are attending BYU for a year before they can serve a mission. If most boys serve before they start school, they will most likely live off campus upon their return.

I think this change will be positive. I wish I could have gone right after high school.