My wife and I had our first child in high school. Obviously I didn't serve a mission. I was 22 when I received the Melchizedek priesthood. My first calling after that: Ward Mission Leader. Seriously....i was the only elder to not serve a mission in our ward. I was in that calling for 3 years all the while being an over the road truck driver. I did the best I could. When I was released, the bishop said we had more baptisms in that 3 years than in any of the 50 years he'd been in that ward before, and thanked me. I have no idea what I did, but apparently it worked...
Sometimes you don’t realize you’ve made an impact on others until you’re called out for it, and it sounds like you did a lot of good for a lot of people.
I am currently investigating the church and have been for about 3 years now. Yesterday I got that 1% of confirmation that this church is true added to the 99% that I already had. I have been meeting with the missionaries after every sacrament meeting this year almost and I love learning and being able to ask them questions about the church. Also, I have never been to church before but everyone here seems so genuine with their beliefs. Every speaker that goes up to the podium cries when they are done talking and I simply feel the spirit every time I go. I think it was a prompting to start going to church because that led me to start meeting with the missionaries and learning more and opening up a dialogue with my parents about my experiences with the church and how it has helped me. Yes, I'm a minor so I have to get permission to go to church, get baptized and so on so I hope my parents will let me get baptized this spring or summer. I think they think I am making a quick decision to get baptized but I have been following this church for 3 years and that has lasted way longer than my other interests that have went away after a few months or so. I see personallyt how much I have changed for the better and I am so grateful for finding this church. I never had Jesus Christ or Heavenly Father in my life before and then I thought I knew what happiness was , but oh how wrong I was! I have learned the happiness is not merely found from materialistic things and such but rather real, everlasting happiness can only be found from the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thanks for reading this if you have gotten this far.
Brendan Leonard I fully understand man! I’m 19! I recently got baptized! It’s been the best experience so don’t give up! My family didn’t like it, not all of them. You can do this and bear your testimony and it will work out just never give up! Heavenly Father never will give up on you!
I have not gone on a mission and have no plans. I personally feel Heavenly Father would rather have me out here in the mission field as a member and teach others through friendship. As to finding a future spouse, I don’t have a requirement for them to have served but I would rather than have lol!
while not agreeing with religion i was raised religious and used to see the world how you do kwaku. hoping you live your best life cause you deserve it ily Ɛ>
I was someone who did not have a testimony and was REALLY pressured to go. It was an expectation from my family and I was never asked if I even wanted to serve. I ended up not going, and I have to say it was a pretty shameful experience going to church and institute. This was about 10 years ago and I hope the culture is changing. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Plus, not everyone can just quite work and basically put there life on hold and go halfway around the world for two years. (Even if they are worthy and believe strongly enough.)
I have a son that's returned from his mission in Orlando Florida! I have another son that is serving in California, right now and another son Serving in Dryden Canada, it's incredibly COLD THERE right now! My son who returned from serving the full two years, has told me countless time's, that his Mission was incredibly Hard, but it was the best PART OF HIS LIFE SO FAR!!!! He has been back a year working really hard,to have a career and attend church! He learned how to rely on the Lord, and build and strengthen his relationship with God and follow the Spirit more! He said he would do it again, in a heart beat! He had an experience while on his mission, I will share with you! He was teaching a family in a very rough part of town, a place where drug deals happen in front of you all the time! Anyways they prayed on who they should visit that day and distinctly got the feeling to visit a family and the wife came to the door, her daughter was really sick that day, she asked the Elders to please give her a blessing! They lived in an appartment the husband wasn't home!So the wife got folding chair's to bring outside for the daughter! They were on the grass, the whole neighborhood was loud and Crazy, cars going by , talking, drug deals etc! As they placed their hands upon her head, my son said he could no longer hear anything but the word's he said in the Blessing! When the blessing was done, there was a whole crowd of people standing around them! A woman who prayed a long with them, was crying and asked to be baptized! This family lived slightly out of there mission area, but they felt this house was where they should teach! And got permission to teach them! The little girl got much better, and the family joined the church! Miracles happened all the time and it taught my son how God works, and how he loves his children! As far as family goes, I know that can be hard, but a mission will teach you things College can't! If they see how important it is to you and they love you,I think they will come around, and especially because you have shown respect and love for there BELIEFS 💜😊🌷 It will truly be something you learn from,I wish you the very best!
Love your family where they are. It's ok for them, they have their present light and knowledge; your example will expand that for them. Seek first the kingdom of God, then everything else will be added to you.
I want to go on a mission someday when the time comes but my family is super anti too. If I may ask, how are you funding your mission because I know some people get help from families but my problem lies there. I guess I will have to work very hard to get all the money to go.
Oh my goodness, so much to say after watching that. So I did not serve a mission, but I so desperately wanted to. In preparing to serve, I got my life back on track. There were some commandments that I wasn't living and some things I was struggling with but that desire to serve is what pushed me forward so I kept trying and kept studying and kept praying. Then I met the man I ended up marrying! He had served! Being an RM wasn't a pre-req that I had for my husband but since I was baptised I had always had a strong feeling that the man I married would be an RM simply because of the kinds of young men I saw going on missions and the qualities that they had. He served in South Africa, came home early for disobedience, worked on himself some more and then was allowed to go back out and finish his mission but in a more local mission. He has a wonderful testimony of the Gospel and he pushes me every day to be a better disciple of Christ. I knew he had come home early and why when I married him. Did that bother me? No way! I don't remember who said it, maybe Elder Bednar, but apostles have told us that we shouldn't look for someone who is already perfect but who has perfect potential. I struggle to understand how people can be so judgey when the whole dang point of the gospel is to NOT judge, to LOVE thy neighbor, and to focus on getting back to Heavenly Father, AKA not worrying about someone else's journey more than your own. That said, I have a friend whose husband returned early because of an injury he sustained on his mission. Even now it's really hard for him, but you honestly do not know why someone came home early and I guarantee if they did, they probably struggle with that every day, no matter who's at fault. I'll get off my soapbox in just a second...I just wanted to add that I'm still going on a mission, just as a Sr couple later in life, and I know that Heavenly Father has another mission in mind for me in the meantime :)
Hi Guys, great video! I joined the church when I was 21, and instantly knew I had no greater desire than to share this gospel with every possible person I could. I often relate to Lehi in his vision of the Tree of Life, who said: "As I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit." (1 Ne. 8:12) To me, the question wasn't "if" I was going on a mission, but "when." I was halfway through my undergraduate degree at a Catholic college; and despite working a few part time jobs, I was just barely affording my expenses to get my education - I certainly didn't have money to save for a mission. But I had faith that if the Lord called me on a mission, everything would work out. I prayed the day after my baptism about when to serve a mission, and the distinct, undeniable impression I received was that I wasn't supposed to go. This was an answer I didn't want to accept. I thought there was no way the Lord would be telling me not to go on a mission, so for the next year and half I prayed, hoping the answer would change; and it never did. I had to wait atleast a year before I could serve anyway, so I decided to just continue preparing with the plan to go. I studied PMG everyday, was a ward missionary who gave all my free time to the missionaries (literally would go tracting with them for a few hours a week), and was giving the Book of Mormon out all around my Catholic college. I spoke with my advisor at school telling him my intentions to serve a mission, and he told me they would not allow me to defer. If I wanted to serve a mission I was going to have to leave school my final year, and then reapply to schools when I got home (after being out of school for two years). I started to get a little concerned that the answer I was receiving to my prayers did not change. I knew the Lord blessed the faithful, so I was hoping to ride that knowledge and press forward with faith. Then General Conference rolled around. During the Priesthood session Elder Bednar gave a talk in which he famously declared that we are called to the work, not a place. He quoted D&C 80:1-3, and it was at this moment the Spirit opened my eyes to the revelation I had been missing. I was asking almost every night in prayer when I could serve a mission, not realizing that all along I was. Like Kwaku said, I was reaching specific people that I would not have reached if I were assigned elsewhere. I never saw missionaries anywhere near my school, but because I was there the Lord had a missionary on the campus, in the classrooms, and in the dorms. I tacked on a theology minor my senior year, at which point the theology chair informed me that I was the first LDS student he was aware of in the school's history. He commonly asked me to share the "LDS view" on topics we discussed in classes, opening the door for all these students to hear the restored gospel that they would have never heard if I were on a traditional mission. I graduated in 2017, and was married/sealed the same year. My wife was the same person who shared the gospel with me, before leaving on her mission in 2015. She had just returned a month after my graduation, a reunion that never would have happened if I went on a traditional mission at the time of eligibility (Jan 2017). I have since served as Ward Mission Leader twice, and now get to teach the gospel to children of my own. These are blessings I still could have received if I had served a traditional mission, but for whatever reason this is the path the Lord advised for me. And I love it! Many say going on a mission is the hardest time of their life, well the two years of receiving the answer not to serve was the hardest time of mine... but like all who have served I have no regrets following the Savior!
A mission should be a time to gain a solid testimony if you haven't already been converted by the spirit, as well as learn how the spirit communicates with you. To learn how to receive revelation. And it also should start all those solid habits that make a successful human being. But I agree with Kawkuel in the sense that the internet is going to bring the majority of those last souls unto God. Missionary service from these online shows are already a big part of conversion and people finding it who never have known it before. It's fantastic. And so many young people struggle to be social these days so the internet era will be without a doubt the final conversions. I believe this anyway.
This video has been really helpful! I’ve never felt called to serve and I’ve felt kinda guilty about that at times.(not that’s anyone has ever pressured me) I’ve just felt like maybe I was doing something wrong if I didn’t want to go on a mission like all my friends. Listening to kwaku talk about how he felt called to serve in a different way gives me a lot of hope! I’m excited to see what kind of service I can do for the Lord, even if it’s not a mission. Also! side note: I think that (at least for my friends and I) saying we want to date RM’s is basically just saying I want to date a man worthy of marrying in the temple. None of us would stick our noses up at someone who didn’t go on one (and I don’t feel called myself so that would be incredibly hypocritical.) I genuinely hope people aren’t that rude about whether someone went on a mission or not! Missions are incredibly personal and I completely understand if someone gets personal revelation to go on another path of strengthening their testimony.
I am planning to go on a mission saving and planning for school I Got personal revelation so that is the biggest reason why I want to go. I am still just an investagator and 17 but I know this is something the lord needs me to do. I dont care if guys have been on a mission priesthood matters I want him to be able to bless our future children and create a Godly household. But mission That does not matter to me
I have a friend who started her mission last October. Her boyfriend, who's also a friend of mine, joined the Church last February. This past December, my missionary friend felt the Spirit tell her that she needed to go home and marry her boyfriend. She's gotten nothing but flack from her parents (who are active members), but she's determined to do whatever the Spirit tells her, and she and her now-fiancé have their Temple Wedding planned for this March. I'm so happy and excited for them! As Latter-day Saints, we need to be more respectful of others' personal revelation. We also need to realize that, in the grand scheme of things, eternal marriage far outweighs full-time missions, in terms of importance.
"- You know which song I feel weird singing nowadays? - "Baby got back?"" Thanks guys for being serious and open about your faith, while also having such a light hearted sense of humor. I'm not Mormon, but I love learning about other faiths, and your channel is my favorite source for learning the basics about LDS! Bless you =)
Neither of my parents served missions, and although our family recognizes missions as important, faith-building experiences, it’s not necessary in order to be a loved child of God. I personally don’t plan on serving a mission either, and I don’t really care whether or not I marry a return missionary, because in my opinion, serving a mission is just another way to prove how strong you are in your faith, and there are other ways of showing that to others and to God.
There is no cut off age for single women, and single women can serve multiple missions as well. For single men there is a cutoff, (there hasn't always been, but there is currently) I assume because the church wants to encourage them to focus on career and family, and also because they are needed in local leadership roles. But older men and older couples can serve as well (like 50+, but usually once they can retire.)
I went at the cutoff. I was 26 when I went. Things just didn't work out financially and in some other ways for me early on, and I almost gave up on the idea. I thought well now I should concentrate on other aspects of my life. I talked with my bishop and he felt if I was still willing, I should serve a mission, and the ward would help. I think whichever path I chose, Heavenly Father would still help me, but serving a mission was something I really wanted to do. I'm glad I went despite my age. I grew a lot as a person, and learned and matured so much. I baptized a number of people, but my biggest conversion was myself. I met another missionary out in the field who was a convert while he was 27. Despite the cutoff, and after he had been a member a year, they allowed him to serve a mission also, and he was a great one.
I think it was elder Scott that was dating his future wife jeanine when she told him she wanted to marry a returned missionary so he decided to go on a mission. I think a lot of these things come down to our individual relationships with Heavenly Father and individual situations.
As an active member I didn't serve a mission. However you will be less than in the -Mormon- community. Everyone always asks if you served, where did you serve etc.
I did all the paperwork, I took a mission prep class in institute, I got my call to Sweden, and I had to wait 2.5 months longer than I wanted because of my birthday. In that waiting time, I went hiking on some really pretty, but dangerous, waterfalls, and I fell 70 feet off a cliff. After waking up from my 3-month coma and recovering for a few months, I still wanted to go. However, I was just being bullheaded at that point. Upon further reflection, I realized a mission wasn’t right for me. That wasn’t what I wanted to hear from God, but I’m glad I finally began listening to Him. Except I’m kinda mad that I haven’t seen my ancestral homeland! I’m Swedish! And my brother had the same call, so he’s seen it, but I haven’t!
cindybin2001 Yes, Sweden does take in refugees. It is charitable from where I am looking - helping people in need. Unfortunately this brings up some cultural differences. Sweden definitely has no policy banning free speech (in that way too a very liberal country), only restrictions for hate speech, slamder etc. I visit Sweden once a year and live right next to it in Finland. I know the country is facing some issues, but the picture you have of the country is just plain wrong.
cindybin2001 and sanni v, don’t worry, it doesn’t matter much to me, because I never went to Sweden. Although maybe Heavenly Father was protecting me from the rapists.
Jupiter Crash maybe! Now that I’ve fallen 70 feet, survived the coma, and have mostly recovered after 2.5 years, doing all that seems preferable to rape!
Jupiter Crash our Heavenly Father knows that any sorrow we may experience in this life is very short term. Of course He’s unhappy when we’re sad or hurt, but He lets us live with sorrow and difficulties in this life.
At 2:42. Kwaku is correct. Not everyone can serve missions. Many missionaries go out without a testimony. That can be a barrier to completion. Unfortunately, many women will not marry a guy unless he is an RM. But this does guarantee marital success. I have known quite a lot of women who snagged the RM and he turned out to be a tyrant to live with. They had to get divorced.
If a man has a conversion by the spirit by reading The Book of Mormon, and knows it is true. That is what every woman should want. The mission is a great goal, we definitely want to bring all those we can to God, but if someone knows it's true by virtue of testing the spirit for revelation. These people are already going to be ready to do missionary work from that moment on. Mission's are not just about those 2 years. It should be the goal the rest of your life to bring souls unto Christ!
This was a little frustrating to watch. This is the second time I've heard women bashed on this program for wanting to marry returned missionaries. My wife went to BYU because she wanted to put herself in the best position to marry a returned missionary as possible. I don't know if that was a total dealbreaker for her, but it was definitely a high priority for her. Was she wrong for that? How could anyone say that she was wrong for that? Do we not teach that everybody receives personal revelation? Who is anyone to say that she couldn't have received personal revelation that she needed to marry a returned missionary? She didn't grow up with a worthy priesthood holder in her home, so from her perspective, it's completely understandable why she would think that marrying a returned missionary would give her the best chance of making sure she had that in her own home. I'm sure she knew she shouldn't marry just anyone who was a returned missionary, and she never said anything along the lines of it being wrong to marry someone who wasn't a returned missionary, but for that to be a priority for her is not something anyone else should judge her for. Judging a woman for prioritizing marrying a returned missionary without knowing her situation and reasoning is no better than someone judging a male for not serving a mission or returning home early without knowing his reasoning. Also, she died five years ago. We weren't even married for 10 years before she died. Because she married me, she ensured she had an eternal marriage before she passed away. Can you guarantee that would have happened for her if she had decided being a returned missionary wasn't important? We'll never know. But the fact is, because she prioritized marrying a returned missionary, she did, and she has an eternal marriage because of it. Again, everybody receives personal revelation, and I believe she was guided by the spirit to make that decision for her. Any woman who makes the same decision should not be judged. Anyway, I know this was filmed four years ago, but I just wanted this all to be put out there for anyone who happens to come across this video. Don't judge women for their decision to marry an RM. You don't know their reasoning or how they grew up, all of which is crucial information.
Thank you for sharing your perspective and personal experiences. I want to express my sincere condolences for the loss of your wife. I can only imagine the depth of your love for her and the impact she had on your life. Clearly her choice brought you both a sense of fulfillment and the blessings of an eternal marriage. Each person's journey is deeply personal, and it's essential to approach these matters with understanding and empathy. Everyone has different preferences and priorities when it comes to choosing a partner. As you mentioned, marrying a returned missionary may be a significant consideration for some individuals, and it's not our place to judge or invalidate their personal revelation or priorities. I do believe it's also essential to remember that there are many faithful and temple-worthy members of the Church who, for various reasons, may not have served a mission. Circumstances may include military service, medical diagnosis, disability, or a variety of other reasons. I can attest to this personally, as I was given the option of being honorably released from service due to my own physical disabilities. The worthiness and commitment to the gospel by these individuals should equally not be questioned, undermined, or seen as lesser in value when compared to those who served a mission. I believe it is this sentiment that was ultimately attempted at being conveyed in the episode, albeit (I recognize), not in the way that you had hoped. Once again, I offer my condolences for your loss and my gratitude for your willingness to share your thoughts. Your insights serve as a valuable reminder to approach these discussions with sensitivity and respect, avoiding hasty judgments. Thank you for your feedback and shedding further light on this topic.
Wayne Gale to serve a typical mission as a young man (where you knock on doors and stuff) the age range allowed is 18-26. After that, you can only go as an elder person with your spouse (after retirement or such).
Wayne Gale Sadly, nothing I’m aware of. Of course there is humanitarian projects occasionally with the church after things like natural disasters. You can of course receive callings and help directly in your ward and no calling in the church is limited by having served a mission. I’m sorry to say but there is not really an equivalent alternative.
Wayne Gale You can still be called to literally any calling in the church without having served a mission (President Nelson, the current Prophet, never served a mission) so I wouldn’t worry too much about that. It is also not a saving ordinance so your potential exaltation is not limited by a mission either. As for if you will be looked down upon, that honestly depends on where you live and your circumstances. For example, a worthy young man who is attending BYU looking for the love of his life will most definitely be looked down upon (even if it isn’t obviously rude) for not having served a mission especially by potential partners. But in a home ward in the town you grew up in let’s say New Jersey, I’d be surprised if you were ever looked down on. Granted, you have the undeniable advantage of being a convert who converted after the age cutoff so I doubt anyone would ever give you much trouble for not having served.
My sister in law family are very non mormon mormons. Her brother never went on a mission and didnt feel a need to. She never wants to have kids. Her sister married over 35 and nobody married in the temple
Not everyone goes on missions or even gets married. So, when that’s the case, the bishop and the individual counsel to receive it when the individual is ready. That age differs for each person.
You would be surprised the amount of people that gain their testimonies on their mission so not having a testimony shouldn’t be an excuse unless you seriously don’t believe in the church. Kinda disagree with a lot in this video 😐
The worst part about this is, no matter how many comments we could leave to help try to see the faults in your religion, you will still view us as "the world" which your religion says to ignore. Just for a day, I challenge you to see the other side, see what arguments refute yours. If your belief is true and reasonable, it will hold up to your research. Please. It makes me sad to see people controlled like this. :(
Jaron Loar, there are a lot more people that take that challenge than you think. I myself have, and the further into my studies I have gotten, the stronger my testimony has become because, as you said, it has held up to my research. I know you think we are being controlled, but it’s simply not true. It’s our faith, just like you have yours. And there are reasons we believe the way we do. But thank you for your concern...sincerely. :-)
It’s a commandment to prepare and go on a mission. Kwaku is excused because he isn’t able but notice how he was prompted to serve by making this series. Every male member is supposed to want to and try to, but if the Lord removes the call through health then you are honorably excused. If you can’t go because of worthiness, then own the fact that you made a choice that took away this path but it isn’t the same as being honorably excused. Do it because you love the Lord. If you don’t love him enough or know him enough to feel comfortable going then keep preparing before you go. If he gives a command then he will also prepare a way for you to obey.
@redsoxfan what exactly are those "consequences" of not going? serving a mission is not a commandment, whether you want to accept that or not. if you go with a pure intent then you would be bless but nothing affects you negatively if you decide not to.
My wife and I had our first child in high school. Obviously I didn't serve a mission. I was 22 when I received the Melchizedek priesthood. My first calling after that: Ward Mission Leader. Seriously....i was the only elder to not serve a mission in our ward. I was in that calling for 3 years all the while being an over the road truck driver. I did the best I could. When I was released, the bishop said we had more baptisms in that 3 years than in any of the 50 years he'd been in that ward before, and thanked me. I have no idea what I did, but apparently it worked...
SO COOL - wish get know you better - teaching the young and bringing the word of the lord to them and letting god do the rest is what important
Sometimes you don’t realize you’ve made an impact on others until you’re called out for it, and it sounds like you did a lot of good for a lot of people.
I am currently investigating the church and have been for about 3 years now. Yesterday I got that 1% of confirmation that this church is true added to the 99% that I already had. I have been meeting with the missionaries after every sacrament meeting this year almost and I love learning and being able to ask them questions about the church. Also, I have never been to church before but everyone here seems so genuine with their beliefs. Every speaker that goes up to the podium cries when they are done talking and I simply feel the spirit every time I go. I think it was a prompting to start going to church because that led me to start meeting with the missionaries and learning more and opening up a dialogue with my parents about my experiences with the church and how it has helped me. Yes, I'm a minor so I have to get permission to go to church, get baptized and so on so I hope my parents will let me get baptized this spring or summer. I think they think I am making a quick decision to get baptized but I have been following this church for 3 years and that has lasted way longer than my other interests that have went away after a few months or so. I see personallyt how much I have changed for the better and I am so grateful for finding this church. I never had Jesus Christ or Heavenly Father in my life before and then I thought I knew what happiness was , but oh how wrong I was! I have learned the happiness is not merely found from materialistic things and such but rather real, everlasting happiness can only be found from the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thanks for reading this if you have gotten this far.
Brendan Leonard I fully understand man! I’m 19! I recently got baptized! It’s been the best experience so don’t give up! My family didn’t like it, not all of them. You can do this and bear your testimony and it will work out just never give up! Heavenly Father never will give up on you!
@@Thor40117 thanks!
How did it go?
you should do an episode about women serving missions
Yes !!!
Yes please!!!
Yes I am planning to go on a mission
Did you serve on one?
I have not gone on a mission and have no plans. I personally feel Heavenly Father would rather have me out here in the mission field as a member and teach others through friendship. As to finding a future spouse, I don’t have a requirement for them to have served but I would rather than have lol!
while not agreeing with religion i was raised religious and used to see the world how you do kwaku. hoping you live your best life cause you deserve it ily Ɛ>
I was someone who did not have a testimony and was REALLY pressured to go. It was an expectation from my family and I was never asked if I even wanted to serve. I ended up not going, and I have to say it was a pretty shameful experience going to church and institute. This was about 10 years ago and I hope the culture is changing. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Plus, not everyone can just quite work and basically put there life on hold and go halfway around the world for two years.
(Even if they are worthy and believe strongly enough.)
I’m working on my mission paperwork right now and honestly it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. My family is super anti and it’s so hard.
I have a son that's returned from his mission in Orlando Florida! I have another son that is serving in California, right now and another son Serving in Dryden Canada, it's incredibly COLD THERE right now! My son who returned from serving the full two years, has told me countless time's, that his Mission was incredibly Hard, but it was the best PART OF HIS LIFE SO FAR!!!! He has been back a year working really hard,to have a career and attend church! He learned how to rely on the Lord, and build and strengthen his relationship with God and follow the Spirit more! He said he would do it again, in a heart beat! He had an experience while on his mission, I will share with you! He was teaching a family in a very rough part of town, a place where drug deals happen in front of you all the time! Anyways they prayed on who they should visit that day and distinctly got the feeling to visit a family and the wife came to the door, her daughter was really sick that day, she asked the Elders to please give her a blessing! They lived in an appartment the husband wasn't home!So the wife got folding chair's to bring outside for the daughter! They were on the grass, the whole neighborhood was loud and Crazy, cars going by , talking, drug deals etc! As they placed their hands upon her head, my son said he could no longer hear anything but the word's he said in the Blessing! When the blessing was done, there was a whole crowd of people standing around them! A woman who prayed a long with them, was crying and asked to be baptized! This family lived slightly out of there mission area, but they felt this house was where they should teach! And got permission to teach them! The little girl got much better, and the family joined the church! Miracles happened all the time and it taught my son how God works, and how he loves his children! As far as family goes, I know that can be hard, but a mission will teach you things College can't! If they see how important it is to you and they love you,I think they will come around, and especially because you have shown respect and love for there BELIEFS 💜😊🌷 It will truly be something you learn from,I wish you the very best!
Keep it up!!! You can change people’s lives and maybe even your families!!
Love your family where they are. It's ok for them, they have their present light and knowledge; your example will expand that for them. Seek first the kingdom of God, then everything else will be added to you.
I want to go on a mission someday when the time comes but my family is super anti too. If I may ask, how are you funding your mission because I know some people get help from families but my problem lies there. I guess I will have to work very hard to get all the money to go.
stardustgirl I’m in Orlando Florida!!
Oh my goodness, so much to say after watching that.
So I did not serve a mission, but I so desperately wanted to. In preparing to serve, I got my life back on track. There were some commandments that I wasn't living and some things I was struggling with but that desire to serve is what pushed me forward so I kept trying and kept studying and kept praying.
Then I met the man I ended up marrying! He had served! Being an RM wasn't a pre-req that I had for my husband but since I was baptised I had always had a strong feeling that the man I married would be an RM simply because of the kinds of young men I saw going on missions and the qualities that they had. He served in South Africa, came home early for disobedience, worked on himself some more and then was allowed to go back out and finish his mission but in a more local mission. He has a wonderful testimony of the Gospel and he pushes me every day to be a better disciple of Christ. I knew he had come home early and why when I married him. Did that bother me? No way! I don't remember who said it, maybe Elder Bednar, but apostles have told us that we shouldn't look for someone who is already perfect but who has perfect potential. I struggle to understand how people can be so judgey when the whole dang point of the gospel is to NOT judge, to LOVE thy neighbor, and to focus on getting back to Heavenly Father, AKA not worrying about someone else's journey more than your own.
That said, I have a friend whose husband returned early because of an injury he sustained on his mission. Even now it's really hard for him, but you honestly do not know why someone came home early and I guarantee if they did, they probably struggle with that every day, no matter who's at fault.
I'll get off my soapbox in just a second...I just wanted to add that I'm still going on a mission, just as a Sr couple later in life, and I know that Heavenly Father has another mission in mind for me in the meantime :)
Hi Guys, great video! I joined the church when I was 21, and instantly knew I had no greater desire than to share this gospel with every possible person I could. I often relate to Lehi in his vision of the Tree of Life, who said: "As I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit." (1 Ne. 8:12) To me, the question wasn't "if" I was going on a mission, but "when." I was halfway through my undergraduate degree at a Catholic college; and despite working a few part time jobs, I was just barely affording my expenses to get my education - I certainly didn't have money to save for a mission. But I had faith that if the Lord called me on a mission, everything would work out. I prayed the day after my baptism about when to serve a mission, and the distinct, undeniable impression I received was that I wasn't supposed to go. This was an answer I didn't want to accept. I thought there was no way the Lord would be telling me not to go on a mission, so for the next year and half I prayed, hoping the answer would change; and it never did. I had to wait atleast a year before I could serve anyway, so I decided to just continue preparing with the plan to go. I studied PMG everyday, was a ward missionary who gave all my free time to the missionaries (literally would go tracting with them for a few hours a week), and was giving the Book of Mormon out all around my Catholic college. I spoke with my advisor at school telling him my intentions to serve a mission, and he told me they would not allow me to defer. If I wanted to serve a mission I was going to have to leave school my final year, and then reapply to schools when I got home (after being out of school for two years). I started to get a little concerned that the answer I was receiving to my prayers did not change. I knew the Lord blessed the faithful, so I was hoping to ride that knowledge and press forward with faith. Then General Conference rolled around. During the Priesthood session Elder Bednar gave a talk in which he famously declared that we are called to the work, not a place. He quoted D&C 80:1-3, and it was at this moment the Spirit opened my eyes to the revelation I had been missing. I was asking almost every night in prayer when I could serve a mission, not realizing that all along I was. Like Kwaku said, I was reaching specific people that I would not have reached if I were assigned elsewhere. I never saw missionaries anywhere near my school, but because I was there the Lord had a missionary on the campus, in the classrooms, and in the dorms. I tacked on a theology minor my senior year, at which point the theology chair informed me that I was the first LDS student he was aware of in the school's history. He commonly asked me to share the "LDS view" on topics we discussed in classes, opening the door for all these students to hear the restored gospel that they would have never heard if I were on a traditional mission. I graduated in 2017, and was married/sealed the same year. My wife was the same person who shared the gospel with me, before leaving on her mission in 2015. She had just returned a month after my graduation, a reunion that never would have happened if I went on a traditional mission at the time of eligibility (Jan 2017). I have since served as Ward Mission Leader twice, and now get to teach the gospel to children of my own. These are blessings I still could have received if I had served a traditional mission, but for whatever reason this is the path the Lord advised for me. And I love it! Many say going on a mission is the hardest time of their life, well the two years of receiving the answer not to serve was the hardest time of mine... but like all who have served I have no regrets following the Savior!
What a great story and testimony! I know I'm years late in responding but I still had to.
A mission should be a time to gain a solid testimony if you haven't already been converted by the spirit, as well as learn how the spirit communicates with you. To learn how to receive revelation. And it also should start all those solid habits that make a successful human being. But I agree with Kawkuel in the sense that the internet is going to bring the majority of those last souls unto God. Missionary service from these online shows are already a big part of conversion and people finding it who never have known it before. It's fantastic. And so many young people struggle to be social these days so the internet era will be without a doubt the final conversions. I believe this anyway.
This video has been really helpful! I’ve never felt called to serve and I’ve felt kinda guilty about that at times.(not that’s anyone has ever pressured me) I’ve just felt like maybe I was doing something wrong if I didn’t want to go on a mission like all my friends. Listening to kwaku talk about how he felt called to serve in a different way gives me a lot of hope! I’m excited to see what kind of service I can do for the Lord, even if it’s not a mission.
Also! side note: I think that (at least for my friends and I) saying we want to date RM’s is basically just saying I want to date a man worthy of marrying in the temple. None of us would stick our noses up at someone who didn’t go on one (and I don’t feel called myself so that would be incredibly hypocritical.) I genuinely hope people aren’t that rude about whether someone went on a mission or not! Missions are incredibly personal and I completely understand if someone gets personal revelation to go on another path of strengthening their testimony.
preach 🙏🏻I love this video it is so necessary! I' m so happy it exists
Yes!! I was waiting for this videooo
I am planning to go on a mission saving and planning for school I Got personal revelation so that is the biggest reason why I want to go. I am still just an investagator and 17 but I know this is something the lord needs me to do. I dont care if guys have been on a mission priesthood matters I want him to be able to bless our future children and create a Godly household. But mission That does not matter to me
I have a friend who started her mission last October. Her boyfriend, who's also a friend of mine, joined the Church last February. This past December, my missionary friend felt the Spirit tell her that she needed to go home and marry her boyfriend. She's gotten nothing but flack from her parents (who are active members), but she's determined to do whatever the Spirit tells her, and she and her now-fiancé have their Temple Wedding planned for this March. I'm so happy and excited for them!
As Latter-day Saints, we need to be more respectful of others' personal revelation. We also need to realize that, in the grand scheme of things, eternal marriage far outweighs full-time missions, in terms of importance.
So glad you guys are doing this. Yippee.the 💛💙❤💚🧡💜
I JUST GOT MY MISSION CALL ON TUESDAY!!!!!!!!!!
Adam Robinson well where did you get called
Yea,come on where ya goin?
I'm serving in the Baton Rouge Louisiana mission
@@adamrobinson3263 congrats!
Adam Robinson Congrats ...enjoy it serve well
"- You know which song I feel weird singing nowadays?
- "Baby got back?""
Thanks guys for being serious and open about your faith, while also having such a light hearted sense of humor. I'm not Mormon, but I love learning about other faiths, and your channel is my favorite source for learning the basics about LDS! Bless you =)
Man, really appreciate your videos !!!!
Keep it up S/O from Africa
In D&C in says we should obtain the word before declaring it.TAG
Neither of my parents served missions, and although our family recognizes missions as important, faith-building experiences, it’s not necessary in order to be a loved child of God. I personally don’t plan on serving a mission either, and I don’t really care whether or not I marry a return missionary, because in my opinion, serving a mission is just another way to prove how strong you are in your faith, and there are other ways of showing that to others and to God.
David, I have to be honest. I hear more stories about guys who will refuse to date a girl if she HAS gone on a mission 😬😬😬
That's weird. Why would they?
Wow weird! Guess guys are intimidated? What a strange standard.
Awesome as always
"A lot of guys now won't date a girl unless she's gone in a mission" THIS. IS. SO. TRUE
Only one third of young men go on a mission. The truth is certainly a deterrent.
Why is there an age cut off for going on a mission?
There is no cut off age for single women, and single women can serve multiple missions as well. For single men there is a cutoff, (there hasn't always been, but there is currently) I assume because the church wants to encourage them to focus on career and family, and also because they are needed in local leadership roles. But older men and older couples can serve as well (like 50+, but usually once they can retire.)
I went at the cutoff. I was 26 when I went. Things just didn't work out financially and in some other ways for me early on, and I almost gave up on the idea. I thought well now I should concentrate on other aspects of my life. I talked with my bishop and he felt if I was still willing, I should serve a mission, and the ward would help. I think whichever path I chose, Heavenly Father would still help me, but serving a mission was something I really wanted to do. I'm glad I went despite my age. I grew a lot as a person, and learned and matured so much. I baptized a number of people, but my biggest conversion was myself. I met another missionary out in the field who was a convert while he was 27. Despite the cutoff, and after he had been a member a year, they allowed him to serve a mission also, and he was a great one.
@@MsFitz134 I think the cutoff for men is *solely* becasue in our culture men generally take the initiative in courtship.
It's purely a policy thing I think. Totally subject to change.
@@davidsnell2605 Everything is subject to change in the Church. Polygamy, Blacks and the Priesthood, Temple ceremony, Peep stones, etc...
I think it was elder Scott that was dating his future wife jeanine when she told him she wanted to marry a returned missionary so he decided to go on a mission. I think a lot of these things come down to our individual relationships with Heavenly Father and individual situations.
I love the moments in the episodes where they all lean into the Camera after saying something really cool😂. It's just like BOOM. Mic drop
As an active member I didn't serve a mission. However you will be less than in the -Mormon- community. Everyone always asks if you served, where did you serve etc.
I don't ask that question very often. If I do, it is usually after hearing them mention their mission.
But why do you have to grow a 3rd foot to go on a mission?!?!?!?!
Lol!
I did all the paperwork, I took a mission prep class in institute, I got my call to Sweden, and I had to wait 2.5 months longer than I wanted because of my birthday. In that waiting time, I went hiking on some really pretty, but dangerous, waterfalls, and I fell 70 feet off a cliff. After waking up from my 3-month coma and recovering for a few months, I still wanted to go. However, I was just being bullheaded at that point. Upon further reflection, I realized a mission wasn’t right for me. That wasn’t what I wanted to hear from God, but I’m glad I finally began listening to Him. Except I’m kinda mad that I haven’t seen my ancestral homeland! I’m Swedish! And my brother had the same call, so he’s seen it, but I haven’t!
cindybin2001 Yes, Sweden does take in refugees. It is charitable from where I am looking - helping people in need. Unfortunately this brings up some cultural differences. Sweden definitely has no policy banning free speech (in that way too a very liberal country), only restrictions for hate speech, slamder etc. I visit Sweden once a year and live right next to it in Finland. I know the country is facing some issues, but the picture you have of the country is just plain wrong.
cindybin2001 and sanni v, don’t worry, it doesn’t matter much to me, because I never went to Sweden. Although maybe Heavenly Father was protecting me from the rapists.
Jupiter Crash maybe! Now that I’ve fallen 70 feet, survived the coma, and have mostly recovered after 2.5 years, doing all that seems preferable to rape!
Jupiter Crash the God I worship values learning over ease of life. I’m happy that my God will stop at nothing to help me improve.
Jupiter Crash our Heavenly Father knows that any sorrow we may experience in this life is very short term. Of course He’s unhappy when we’re sad or hurt, but He lets us live with sorrow and difficulties in this life.
At 2:42. Kwaku is correct. Not everyone can serve missions. Many missionaries go out without a testimony. That can be a barrier to completion. Unfortunately, many women will not marry a guy unless he is an RM. But this does guarantee marital success. I have known quite a lot of women who snagged the RM and he turned out to be a tyrant to live with. They had to get divorced.
If a man has a conversion by the spirit by reading The Book of Mormon, and knows it is true. That is what every woman should want. The mission is a great goal, we definitely want to bring all those we can to God, but if someone knows it's true by virtue of testing the spirit for revelation. These people are already going to be ready to do missionary work from that moment on. Mission's are not just about those 2 years. It should be the goal the rest of your life to bring souls unto Christ!
Hi, maybe you should invite the “Hey Joe Show” guys and talk about their missions.
I know I’m commenting on an old video but I need to know! Justin where did you get that shirt its so cool!
When Kwaku referenced serving missions as "giving up 2 years of your lives" ... I think that shows his true feelings about serving missions lol...
Not yet, but in 6 months I will start mission papers :)
I'm in the church. I've never served a mission (I joined the military right out of high school), so no, not all of us serve missions.
This was a little frustrating to watch. This is the second time I've heard women bashed on this program for wanting to marry returned missionaries. My wife went to BYU because she wanted to put herself in the best position to marry a returned missionary as possible. I don't know if that was a total dealbreaker for her, but it was definitely a high priority for her. Was she wrong for that? How could anyone say that she was wrong for that? Do we not teach that everybody receives personal revelation? Who is anyone to say that she couldn't have received personal revelation that she needed to marry a returned missionary? She didn't grow up with a worthy priesthood holder in her home, so from her perspective, it's completely understandable why she would think that marrying a returned missionary would give her the best chance of making sure she had that in her own home. I'm sure she knew she shouldn't marry just anyone who was a returned missionary, and she never said anything along the lines of it being wrong to marry someone who wasn't a returned missionary, but for that to be a priority for her is not something anyone else should judge her for. Judging a woman for prioritizing marrying a returned missionary without knowing her situation and reasoning is no better than someone judging a male for not serving a mission or returning home early without knowing his reasoning.
Also, she died five years ago. We weren't even married for 10 years before she died. Because she married me, she ensured she had an eternal marriage before she passed away. Can you guarantee that would have happened for her if she had decided being a returned missionary wasn't important? We'll never know. But the fact is, because she prioritized marrying a returned missionary, she did, and she has an eternal marriage because of it.
Again, everybody receives personal revelation, and I believe she was guided by the spirit to make that decision for her. Any woman who makes the same decision should not be judged.
Anyway, I know this was filmed four years ago, but I just wanted this all to be put out there for anyone who happens to come across this video. Don't judge women for their decision to marry an RM. You don't know their reasoning or how they grew up, all of which is crucial information.
Thank you for sharing your perspective and personal experiences. I want to express my sincere condolences for the loss of your wife. I can only imagine the depth of your love for her and the impact she had on your life. Clearly her choice brought you both a sense of fulfillment and the blessings of an eternal marriage. Each person's journey is deeply personal, and it's essential to approach these matters with understanding and empathy. Everyone has different preferences and priorities when it comes to choosing a partner. As you mentioned, marrying a returned missionary may be a significant consideration for some individuals, and it's not our place to judge or invalidate their personal revelation or priorities.
I do believe it's also essential to remember that there are many faithful and temple-worthy members of the Church who, for various reasons, may not have served a mission. Circumstances may include military service, medical diagnosis, disability, or a variety of other reasons. I can attest to this personally, as I was given the option of being honorably released from service due to my own physical disabilities. The worthiness and commitment to the gospel by these individuals should equally not be questioned, undermined, or seen as lesser in value when compared to those who served a mission. I believe it is this sentiment that was ultimately attempted at being conveyed in the episode, albeit (I recognize), not in the way that you had hoped.
Once again, I offer my condolences for your loss and my gratitude for your willingness to share your thoughts. Your insights serve as a valuable reminder to approach these discussions with sensitivity and respect, avoiding hasty judgments. Thank you for your feedback and shedding further light on this topic.
Can you go on a mission later in life?
Michael P Yes
Wayne Gale to serve a typical mission as a young man (where you knock on doors and stuff) the age range allowed is 18-26. After that, you can only go as an elder person with your spouse (after retirement or such).
Wayne Gale Sadly, nothing I’m aware of. Of course there is humanitarian projects occasionally with the church after things like natural disasters. You can of course receive callings and help directly in your ward and no calling in the church is limited by having served a mission. I’m sorry to say but there is not really an equivalent alternative.
Wayne Gale You can still be called to literally any calling in the church without having served a mission (President Nelson, the current Prophet, never served a mission) so I wouldn’t worry too much about that. It is also not a saving ordinance so your potential exaltation is not limited by a mission either. As for if you will be looked down upon, that honestly depends on where you live and your circumstances. For example, a worthy young man who is attending BYU looking for the love of his life will most definitely be looked down upon (even if it isn’t obviously rude) for not having served a mission especially by potential partners. But in a home ward in the town you grew up in let’s say New Jersey, I’d be surprised if you were ever looked down on. Granted, you have the undeniable advantage of being a convert who converted after the age cutoff so I doubt anyone would ever give you much trouble for not having served.
My sister in law family are very non mormon mormons. Her brother never went on a mission and didnt feel a need to. She never wants to have kids. Her sister married over 35 and nobody married in the temple
This is a sad story
I am confused, how do you have garments/endowment without going on mission or marriage? I thought only way to get them is to go mission?
Not everyone goes on missions or even gets married. So, when that’s the case, the bishop and the individual counsel to receive it when the individual is ready. That age differs for each person.
Mckenzie Shoaf thanks McKenzie :) I honestly didn’t know! I thought you had to do one of them to get endowed
Hey justin that is a nice Byu hat where can I get one of those??
Aaron Clifford thanks! I bought it like 3 years ago at the BYU bookstore , so I’m not sure if it’s even made anymore 😬
Question form a Protestant: Can you get into the Celestial Kingdom and not have gone on a mission?
You would be surprised the amount of people that gain their testimonies on their mission so not having a testimony shouldn’t be an excuse unless you seriously don’t believe in the church. Kinda disagree with a lot in this video 😐
Kwaku needs to start his papers... ;)
The worst part about this is, no matter how many comments we could leave to help try to see the faults in your religion, you will still view us as "the world" which your religion says to ignore. Just for a day, I challenge you to see the other side, see what arguments refute yours. If your belief is true and reasonable, it will hold up to your research. Please. It makes me sad to see people controlled like this. :(
Jaron Loar, there are a lot more people that take that challenge than you think. I myself have, and the further into my studies I have gotten, the stronger my testimony has become because, as you said, it has held up to my research. I know you think we are being controlled, but it’s simply not true. It’s our faith, just like you have yours. And there are reasons we believe the way we do. But thank you for your concern...sincerely. :-)
It’s a commandment to prepare and go on a mission. Kwaku is excused because he isn’t able but notice how he was prompted to serve by making this series. Every male member is supposed to want to and try to, but if the Lord removes the call through health then you are honorably excused. If you can’t go because of worthiness, then own the fact that you made a choice that took away this path but it isn’t the same as being honorably excused. Do it because you love the Lord. If you don’t love him enough or know him enough to feel comfortable going then keep preparing before you go. If he gives a command then he will also prepare a way for you to obey.
Lolll I'm LDS i choose not to serve a mission because i don't want to there's nothing wrong with that
myeyepie serving a mission is not a commandment period.
@redsoxfan because he decided not to. it's not that difficult to understand.
@redsoxfan what exactly are those "consequences" of not going? serving a mission is not a commandment, whether you want to accept that or not. if you go with a pure intent then you would be bless but nothing affects you negatively if you decide not to.
@redsoxfan no, im just someone who just happens to know your religion's teachings 🙄