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<\/a>I woke up this morning to the announcement that the age of missionary service has been lowered for both males and females.\u00a0 My first reaction was, \u2018hurray!\u2019<\/p>\nAbout 30 years ago the General Young Women Presidency visited Christchurch New Zealand and had an open forum with leaders and Laurels. \u00a0At that stage I shared my frustration that as a young woman there was little in the church for girls to \u00a0hope for, that there was little systemic interest in my intellectual and spiritual welfare and \u00a0that \u00a0in comparison with the boys, I didn\u2019t feel relevant. \u00a0These women were sympathetic and promised to take my concerns back to the brethren. \u00a0It took 30 years of debate, but its nice that things do move in the church \u2013 albeit slowly!<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jesting aside, \u00a0my delight today comes from a number of places.\u00a0 Firstly, if I had been permitted to serve a mission at aged 19, I would have gone in a heartbeat.\u00a0 Instead I felt like an unwanted spectator as I\u00a0 watched my then boyfriend prepare for his mission.\u00a0 The attention, and interest lavished upon him by our church community was in stark contrast to my own feeling that I was simply an annoyance and a hindrance.\u00a0 In the void left by his going I was simply called \u00a0to wait or marry. \u00a0I wish that I had the opportunity of preparing with him, being called within months of each other, and naturally growing up apart from each other in a place where I was safely in the service of others.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Secondly, I\u2019m delighted with the potential that this has created for Young Women to be thinking about another option to bridge the gap between adolescence and womanhood.\u00a0 One that feels relevant and meaningful.\u00a0 This will hopefully wash over into the new youth curriculum, nudge out the emphasis on marriage, and push those domestic conversations into Relief Society where they belong.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Thirdly, it signals an interest in the young women of the church, who up until now have been largely neglected in comparison to the boys.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t ask them to lag behind the boys by 2 years, it doesn\u2019t tell them that they are less useful, and it pays attention to them as more than simply brides and breeders, and only missionaries by default.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Of course there is room for further questions and improvements.\u00a0 Peggy Fletcher Stack questioned President Holland at the press conference today as to why they haven\u2019t reviewed the two years for young men and 18 months for young women.\u00a0 His response was appropriate. He acknowledged that the emphasis by the brethren had been placed on the decision to lower the age, and signaled a \u2018wait, and lets see how this works out\u2019 approach to further developments.\u00a0 I\u2019m grateful that he didn\u2019t respond with the usual closed-ended revelatory declarations.\u00a0 He talked, albeit briefly, through a process of thoughtful decision making which included a consideration of all the options and their consequences.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
My joy this morning is compounded by the new youth curriculum which makes no distinction between gender ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/269\/2012\/10\/Screen-shot-2012-10-07-at-10.03.57-AM.png\" "\\"Screen")
<\/a>roles but places an emphasis on growing an understanding of Jesus Christ as our Saviour. \u00a0\u00a0Its about time. \u00a0Now the only things they need to revisit are the \u00a0nature of LDS missions, the missionary \u00a0\u2018uniform\u2019, the leadership arrangements in the mission\u2026.. (but that might be another blog eh?).<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
To those young women \u2013 whose lives have changed today \u2013 I wish you all the very best.\u00a0 Blessings to you all!<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I woke up this morning to the announcement that the age of missionary service has been lowered for both males and females.\u00a0 My first reaction was, \u2018hurray!\u2019 About 30 years ago the General Young Women Presidency visited Christchurch New Zealand and had an open forum with leaders and Laurels. \u00a0At that stage I shared my […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1182,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-794","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-new-zealand-mormon-feminist-thought"],"yoast_head":"\n
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