Monday, May 23, 2011

Returning home from a mission

Today is the first Monday in over two years that I'm not expecting an email from my brother. I talked to him for about 20 minutes last night and have a few thoughts and will also answer a couple of questions I've received from people lately as I've mentioned my brother is coming home and we didn't talk much on his mission.

1) A mission is the best investment you could make. Most importantly, it makes you think about how to help people and bring them to Christ, which in turn gives you a chance to see Christ involved in others' lives and therefore helps you learn that Christ lives and loves us.
2) A mission also gives you responsibility in a way and at an age that no other experience can give you. I have not felt as much responsibility on a day-to-day basis until right now in my current job. My mission prepared me for this job as much as any other experience.
3) As a result of the experience, my brother is ready to make getting married a priority. Interesting that it's true, but he is now far more ready for marriage than most people his age. And I can say that being married has only been a help for me in all areas of life.

Now some questions:
Q1) Why do you only talk 2 times per year with missionaries?
A) Because they need to stay focused every day on what they're doing and not be distracted by phone calls (or TV or dating) and because some missionaries are too poor to call home more often than that, so to be fair, everyone has the same rule.

Q2) Why do only men go on missions?
A) Women and older couples can also go on missions actually. I would estimate that 10-20% of the total mission force is made up of women and older couples. Men, however, have the priesthood obligation/duty to do missionary work. Essentially, all are invited to go on missions, but young men are required/expected to go on missions. D.C. 20 makes clear that teaching the gospel is a priesthood obligation (See D.C. 20:59 about a deacon's duty to invite all to come unto Christ: 59They are, however, to warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ.

Have a good day :)

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