Did you know that serving a mission is not a saving ordinance? I’m sure you did. So why do we, as members of the Church, tend to treat it as such?
I could give countless examples of youth who feel pressure to serve a mission, whether they desire to or not. Many are afraid they might be cast out of their social circle or even their own family if they choose not to go. There are parents who not only disapprove, but publicly declare their shame and even disown their own child for deciding not to serve a mission. How incredibly heart-breaking.
Serving a mission is not a saving ordinance.
What I mean by this statement is that our goal as parents should be to help our children get to the temple. There may be twists and turns and bumps and detours along the way, and that’s okay. That’s what Christ’s atonement is for. Serving a mission is not a prerequisite to receiving our endowments. The question, “did you serve a mission?” is not even asked in the temple recommend interview.
There is a group of young men and women who do not go on missions for a variety of reasons. What about them? Are we making them feel isolated? Are we making them feel like second-class citizens or worse? We don’t need to know their situation. All we need to do is to love them.
When we approach these beloved children of our Heavenly Father, let us not fixate on the fact that they are not currently serving a mission. Instead of asking high school seniors “when will you be serving a mission,” or “are you going to serve a mission,” maybe we can simply just ask them what their plans are after high school. Truly be interested in them and not solely their mission plans.
I write this article not to discount the importance of serving a mission. As a mother I absolutely hope that my children choose to go. It is a great opportunity to teach leadership skills and to solidify their testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have never met a missionary, regardless of how long they were in the field, who didn’t acquire a deep love for the people they served. They undoubtedly build relationships that last a lifetime and are never forgotten. Faith-building mission stories are the cherry on top of Mormon Sacrament meetings. They also provide great tales to tell your spouse over and over and over again. But I digress.
Serving a mission is an important decision which must be made in a deliberate, prayerful, and private manner. Let us respect those personal decisions and not be so quick to judge.
We can do better at being more welcoming and inviting. We can do better at making sure everyone in our church knows that their contribution, whatever it may be, is an important one. We can do better, as Christ commanded, at bringing even one soul unto Him – whether they served a mission or not.
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2 Responses
This is so good, I have a friend who’s son came home early, and I think they felt a bit of this, and I have a nephew who chose not to serve but is an active memeber and married now. But I am with you, I hope my children choose to serve, we’ve even talked to Isaac about this. Asked if HE would like to serve not just because he thinks we want him to (I think that’s important too). In the end, if he ends up not serving I hope he is just loved for who he is a Child of God.
This is so true, this week as I was doing my reading, I realized the most vital things are to love everyone and to make sure my own growth spiritually is on track. I cannot ever judge another person and their situation just because I have different challenges. What a great post. Thank you!