So how did you like my last journalistic post? I had to post it as part of my portfolio for entrance into my major: Print Journalism. And guess what?! I got in!!! (But I will be deferring my acceptance for some time) BYU has one of the best journalism programs in the USA--to anyone who is interested you should totally check it out!
Conference weekend report:
The Mormon world was shocked when President Thomas S. Monson (the prophet, seer, and revelator of the LDS church) gave "The Announcement": young men can now serve their missions at age 18, instead of 19, and young women can now serve their missions at age 19, instead of 21. This created a positive uproar in the community, especially in the young mission-ready people of Brigham Young University.
"How many of your life plans changed over the weekend?" Professor Brown, a Political Science instructor at BYU, asked his American Government and Politics class.
He was answered by about 150 hands, out of a class of about 200.
Brown went on with his lecture. At one point, he encouraged his students to pursue an internship with the Utah State Legislature. Upon noticing little to no response from the class about it he said the following:
"I know you all think you're going on missions next semester...by the time you get your visas...you might as well stay another semester and do the internship."
Walking across BYU that first week, things were different. Left and right I heard students saying:
"I just had a meeting with my Bishop"
"I put my availability date for January"
"I turned in my papers this week"
God's Army is rising up. They heard the call and they are ready to march. Personally, it surprises me just how many have responded to the Prophet's new announcement. Is it just a bandwagon affect? At first, I thought so; however, I have thought it over. 18 and 19 is the age when young people actually start to think about going on their missions. 19 year old boys usually rise up and go but by the time women are 21 their lives have been engulfed in their education, new careers, marriage, and, even, children. This new option, as President Monson called it, is a blessing. It allows more people who are willing to serve a chance to do so at a more convenient time in their lives.
I don't know how the rest of the Mormon world has been affected by the announcement. I can only see the local affect of it--the cultural changing aspects of it. BYU is a place where the motto is "Enter to Learn. Go forth and serve". Truly, it is the training grounds of both name tag-wearing missionaries and member missionaries alike. Perhaps, that is one reason why the "cream of the crop", as those at BYU have been called, are jumping up and down for the new opportunities that the prophet has presented to us.
Has the announcement affected me?
Yes and no.
Yes: After the first session of conference there was a news conference about the announcement. Elder Holland, an apostle of the church, said "God is hastening His work and he needs more willing missionaries to spread His word to an often dark world. This is not about you, it is about the message you are called to bear." This gave me a sense of confirmation of my already-made decision to serve a mission. I had always assumed that I would go in September 2013. However, within the last few weeks before the conference I had been seeing life in a different manner. I had several friends encouraging me to go on a mission earlier. I thought it out, prayed about it, and started seeing the many ways of how God has cleared obstacle after obstacle in the recent course of my life that would allow for me to up and leave to serve. I felt it was right. After the Monson's announcement and Holland's address, I knew it was right.
No: I had made up my mind about the mission during the week prior to Conference. However, immediately after Monson's talk I texted me Bishop. During our last meeting he had given me the little white Missionary handbook with all of the missionary guidelines in it. He wanted me to read it and to get back to him on whether or not I could agree to it. So I texted him back saying "I agree to the white handbook". We had a meeting set up for the upcoming Wednesday, I got the link to my papers on Thursday morning, got my medical and dental appointments set up, and walla--today I finally finished it all. This Sunday I meet with my Stake President.
Excited. Nervous. Ecstatic. On a Mormon high :)
Conference weekend report:
The Mormon world was shocked when President Thomas S. Monson (the prophet, seer, and revelator of the LDS church) gave "The Announcement": young men can now serve their missions at age 18, instead of 19, and young women can now serve their missions at age 19, instead of 21. This created a positive uproar in the community, especially in the young mission-ready people of Brigham Young University.
"How many of your life plans changed over the weekend?" Professor Brown, a Political Science instructor at BYU, asked his American Government and Politics class.
He was answered by about 150 hands, out of a class of about 200.
Brown went on with his lecture. At one point, he encouraged his students to pursue an internship with the Utah State Legislature. Upon noticing little to no response from the class about it he said the following:
"I know you all think you're going on missions next semester...by the time you get your visas...you might as well stay another semester and do the internship."
Walking across BYU that first week, things were different. Left and right I heard students saying:
"I just had a meeting with my Bishop"
"I put my availability date for January"
"I turned in my papers this week"
God's Army is rising up. They heard the call and they are ready to march. Personally, it surprises me just how many have responded to the Prophet's new announcement. Is it just a bandwagon affect? At first, I thought so; however, I have thought it over. 18 and 19 is the age when young people actually start to think about going on their missions. 19 year old boys usually rise up and go but by the time women are 21 their lives have been engulfed in their education, new careers, marriage, and, even, children. This new option, as President Monson called it, is a blessing. It allows more people who are willing to serve a chance to do so at a more convenient time in their lives.
I don't know how the rest of the Mormon world has been affected by the announcement. I can only see the local affect of it--the cultural changing aspects of it. BYU is a place where the motto is "Enter to Learn. Go forth and serve". Truly, it is the training grounds of both name tag-wearing missionaries and member missionaries alike. Perhaps, that is one reason why the "cream of the crop", as those at BYU have been called, are jumping up and down for the new opportunities that the prophet has presented to us.
Has the announcement affected me?
Yes and no.
Yes: After the first session of conference there was a news conference about the announcement. Elder Holland, an apostle of the church, said "God is hastening His work and he needs more willing missionaries to spread His word to an often dark world. This is not about you, it is about the message you are called to bear." This gave me a sense of confirmation of my already-made decision to serve a mission. I had always assumed that I would go in September 2013. However, within the last few weeks before the conference I had been seeing life in a different manner. I had several friends encouraging me to go on a mission earlier. I thought it out, prayed about it, and started seeing the many ways of how God has cleared obstacle after obstacle in the recent course of my life that would allow for me to up and leave to serve. I felt it was right. After the Monson's announcement and Holland's address, I knew it was right.
No: I had made up my mind about the mission during the week prior to Conference. However, immediately after Monson's talk I texted me Bishop. During our last meeting he had given me the little white Missionary handbook with all of the missionary guidelines in it. He wanted me to read it and to get back to him on whether or not I could agree to it. So I texted him back saying "I agree to the white handbook". We had a meeting set up for the upcoming Wednesday, I got the link to my papers on Thursday morning, got my medical and dental appointments set up, and walla--today I finally finished it all. This Sunday I meet with my Stake President.
Excited. Nervous. Ecstatic. On a Mormon high :)
