On the new ages for missionaries
 

18 for males, 19 for females.

I think this is a good thing.

A lot of boys don't go directly to college after high school. They stay at home, may or may not go to community college, piddle around in a low-paying job (or not), graduate out of YM program, but are not really integrated into EQ, whether in the home ward or the singles ward.

We lose a lot of kids this way. These are usually not our best and brightest in terms of education (for example, they do not have solid college plans). But we can't afford to lose these kids in the numbers I think we are.

Got a couple of guys in my ward who fit this bill.

The 19 years for females is interesting. Will we see a surge of sister missionaries? 21 is a tough age to go. Close to finishing college. I think that age was purposeful, to try and and discourage women from going on missions and get married instead. This 19 years rule will encourage women to go off to college first, so it may in effect be more dissuading than 18. But that's probably part of the plan.

I wonder if there is a new mission that is anticipated to open soon. China, anyone?

Mike--

I actually think that the number of sister missionaries will explode. If they can go on a mission at 19 and be home at 20, still young and "in the zone' of being at college.

More importantly I think it shows how much the church values sister missionaries and their contribution to the work. This will reverberate in the quality and training of women in the church for many years to come. It is a tribute to the quality of young women there are in the church where they are ready.

As the father of a 13 year old girl who was excited at the prospect of only being 6 years away from her mission it was fun to see and exciting for me.

I told my young son about the age change, and my younger daughter says to me "can girls go too?" Certainly it will increase the number of female missionaries. But we'll see in what numbers. We still have the cultural thing that it is expected of boys, but not expected of girls.

In my ward the missionaries split their time between our ward and a neighboring ward. Which on one hand sucks that we have to share, but sadly, between two wards, they report having almost no one to teach. So much so that they are being asked to teach active members just so they have something to do. (I think quality of missionary has something to do with it--the better missionaries seemed to be busy teaching).

Well, we will see what happens. I hope the couple of prospective missionaries in my ward decide to go.

Agreed.

My wife served in London at age 21, and has the same opinion as you. When she was at BYU at 19, she knew several girls who wished they could serve right then and there.

Of course, most American high school seniors turn 18 some time during their senior year. Because they must graduate (or GED, I guess), few will be out the door upon their 18th birthday. Actually, it will likely increase the number of summer avaibailities, that may be interesting. And perhaps make it even easier among peer, if they are getting ready to leave at the same time.

I agree with your point about the yms who sort of hang around w/o college plans, sort of waiting to turn 19 and sort of just languishing. That is the majority in my ward, and they don't seem to end up going on missions in my ward.