Comments about ‘In defense of sister missionaries – McKay Coppins on MormonTimes.com’

When I read this initial blurb of sisters not being useful in the field, I had to check from whence the comments came.....obviously out of Utah where there are too many hands to go around. I can tell you if it wasn't for the sisters that taught and helped me understand the finer details of the Gospel, South Africa would be one faithful LDS member short.

As a dad of 3 daughters it frustrates me to read this kind of junk in the 21st century and after all we have been taught and know about our potential and the divine appointed position of women. Lets deal with real stuff guys.

A few years ago during an interview with Elder Scott of the Twelve, he asked me if there were any sister in the ward who may be elible to serve a full time mission. He asked me as bishop to encourage them to serve missions. His words were in effect, "The Church needs sister missionaries." I saw first hand on mission how effective sisters were. I had 6 sisters in my zone, and was nicknamed the "RS Pres" by some, but week in and weeek out the best stats were always from one of those sister companionships. As a bishop I saw was again aw how effective sister were. When the Mission Pres replaced the sisters with elders, the work almost stopped. My wife put off mission plans to marry me when we met - not complaining, but she would have been an awesome missionary. If you are able and have a desire, and have no plans to be married - go, The Church needs good sister missionaries.

serve an important roll in missionary work. I'm glad they are out there. When Bro. Coppins says "and the rest of us are expected to encourage them" I hope he means encourage them to pray and make there own decision not encourage them to go on a mission. To me that would be very similar to pressuring them to go even if they think they shouldn't. It is up to the sister to make that important decision. I encourage the young sisters to pray and decide.

AMEN, Mr. Schulte! Teach your daughters that ANY "r.m." that would "roll their eyes" at the need or usefulness of sister missionaries is simply NOT worthy of her!!!! In the end, that kind of attitude can be VERY helpful in determining the quality of that "r.m.".....many are called, but few are chosen!

I say every young woman should prepare to serve a mission. If she gets married she will still be better for having prepared. Then, my Mother served, my Wife served, and I have two daughters who have served. I've seen first hand how the depth of spiritual understand and preparation for life's challenges gained by sister missionaries helps ladies throughout their lifes. I say yes, prepare and yes serve if inspired to do so.

It's too bad that the sisters have to wait till they're 21. The maturity of sisters is way higher than 19 year boys, and they are certainly better prepared than mommies boys.

To: "me". I liked your comments..you hit the nail on the head. Good for you

I married one of those sister missionaries because she was so hardworking, spiritual, loving, and cute. We raised a daughter who said her whole life she was going on a mission but at age 21 prayed and decided it wasn't what she was supposed to do-yet. A young man trying to talk a sister out of serving a mission is wrong, unless he is seriously proposing. I've watched sister missionaries work in my ward over the years and I am amazed at their capacity to teach and love the people they work with. It is a love that I feel is far greater than that of the Elders. That is not an insult to the elders, but a simple statement of my observations.

President Benson served his mission, came home just as his future wife was leaving on hers. For 3-1/2 years they wrote each other and then got married.

What a great privilege to understand how well sister missionaries complement this great work and wonder. Im very thankful for a companionship of sister missionaries who took the time and patience to teach me in 1984. Sister Rider and Sister Hinton have touched my life in a manner that has made me the man I am today. Im eternally grateful for the beautiful spirit and teachings they gifted me with. I have since lost contact with them but will NEVER forget them. Let me also tell you that I had the privilege of serving with some of the best sister missionaries in the world in the Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission from 1986-1988. They were the greatest and most spiritual sisters I have known and they customarily baptized more than any companionship of Elders. They brought such a sweet and tender spirit to a nation in need of the gospel and were very successful. Im very thankful for you sister missionaries and I can sincerely say that I LOVE AND RESPECT you with all my heart. Thank you for being such an important part to our lives and we will be forever grateful.

My wife didn't serve a full-time mission, but she did serve with me as a Stake Missionary in Washington, DC. At that time Stake Missionaries were teaching missionaries. We had more member referrals than the full time Elders in the Washington Ward, because we lived there and knew the people.

All sisters who are interested in a mission should pray for guidance of the Spirit. Boys should pray for guidance, too. Missionaries are called by the Lord, and a mission isn't something that a girl or a boy should automatically do without a confirmation of the Spirit.

Only from Elders unable to admit that Sister missionaries can do a much better job than they can! Age and maturity contribute to that, but Sister missionaries can open doors and reach people Elders cannot.

And to echo previous statements, a man unwilling to wait 18 months for a mission is not worth marrying!

I decided to serve a mission when I was 14. As soon as I could put in my papers. I left 1 week after I turned 21. I am married to a wonderful man who I am sure wouldn't have wanted what I was before my mission. The growth I made there and the confidence I gained were amazing. Going on a mission was the single most important decision I have ever made in my life. There was one elder who was a jerk... but the rest were great. I didn't whine, fight with my comps or even let the elders carry my luggage - I was directed by my brother on that one! I'm sure they would have. Nevertheless... my mission was incredible and I hope my daughter who is 12 goes. I have 2 sons in the field now and it is amazing to watch them grow!

"It's no secret that there is a cultural perception among some in our church that sisters are just on missions because they couldn't get married and they provide no real benefit to the missionary program."

And that is one reason why doing things out of "culture" and "tradition" has no place in the LDS Church. Other religions can pull it off, and that's fine, but it necessarily backfires in the Lord's Church if it's not done the Lord's way.

That's not a potshot, it's just what actually happens.

Thanks for your blog. I always hated hearing that when I was preparing to go on a mission. While I may be biased, I must agree that sisters have a definite place in the mission field (and I don't mean the mission office!). Sure there are some who don't belong there or are there for the wrong reason but really, there are elders like that too. From my experience the majority of sisters are serving missions because of a genuine desire. What a wonderful feeling is was to decide for myself that I wanted to serve without feeling any pressure of being expected to go. Best wishes to your sister as she embarks on her mission journey.

I am an adult convert who joined the Church "too late" and so I couldn't serve a mission. My wife is a RM and I am forever grateful that I married a sister missionary! Sister Missionaries rock! My wife's MIssion President said that he'd rather have 98 Sister Missionaries and 2 Elders to baptize!

My son, a recent RM, is dating a girl who is putting in her papers next month. And he is 100% supportive of her serving a mission and is very careful not to distract her. He'd rather wait 18 months than derail her plans to serve a mission.

If given the choice between two sister missionaries or four elders, I'd take the sisters. They are more mature, more focused, and in some cases more in touch with the spirit. Their presence can usually calm a frustrated person more quickly than others. They are choice spirits I charished every sister missionary who ever served in my Ward. This is not taking away from the Elders whom I love equally well. The sisters are just special and are always a welcome site. As for you retired folks sitting around Utah and Idaho we need you out here desperately. Please come out on missions, your service is vital and we need the help out here.

The sister missionaries need no defense. Their results speak for them.

Hey thanks to the article and comments. I served a mission and to my surprise ran into not only Elders who opposed Sister's but also a Bishop! What a shocker that was..
To those who think that only the "sweet spirit" girls go on missions I want to state that my first companion was "Home Coming Queen" for her high school. Also there were several really pretty girls in my mission.
I shut up one Elder who was known as knocking Sister Missionaries by reminding him that I had received my Mission call from the same Prophet of God that he had!
I know that it is petty but somethimes it hurts when you hear a speaker talk about how great the Elder missionaries are and not say anything about the Sisters.. I think for most people they just roll all missionaries into one and name them Elders.
Anyway.. from a returned Sister Missionary.. Thank You!!!

Sister missionaries are amazing! After about 11 years of not having sisters in our ward here in Texas, we finally got them and boom! Our baptisms started to happen. Sisters are much more personal and know how to connect with people. They do extra little things that touch people's hearts. They have ways of drawing people in that elders (I love them also)don't usually have. As a new member in our ward put it, "alot of the elders act like robots". This has made me want to prepare my son better for his mission. I want him to learn how to be sensitive and caring for people, to reach out, to connect better with others. That's a big job in a boy world filled with things that train boys to be robots (like constant video games, etc.)

It's very interesting that McKay should choose this topic. Last week in Elder's Qorum, the bishop came and encouraged the Elders with daughters to serve a mission if they "were of age, not in a committed relationship and were not currently seeking an education". I thought his comments were a little old fashion, but maybe the Church still takes this position.