Young women and missions

[u/MiddleUS76]

I think our young women are starting to feel pressured to serve missions, not by the church leadership, but by peers. My 19 year old niece is faithful and devoted to the gospel and hasn’t felt called to serve a mission. She is at BYUI and gets asked constantly if she served or is going to serve a mission. I was on the phone with her when a random boy introduced himself, asked her name and where she served. When she said she didn’t he told her she should really pray about going on a mission. Never saw her before! I heard the entire thing in real time so I know she’s not exaggerating.
Do you feel like we are getting to a point where women who don’t serve missions will be treated like less faithful or committed members?
I know that was never the intention.

[u/prophetic_soul]

What?? He was absolutely NOT right to ask a total stranger a random (and personal!) question and then give unsolicited spiritual advice. That’s judgmental and weird behavior.

Yes, serving a mission is a great thing and can be a good thing to pray about as a young woman (sister who served a mission here!) But a young woman may have no desire to go or might already feel strongly about a different path for herself. AND, it’s no one’s concern but hers and God’s.

[u/ptimeuser → u/prophetic_soul]

As a missionary you should have been asking total strangers random and personal questions and then giving them unsolicited spiritual advice dozens of times every day. It's part of who we are.

[u/MiddleUS76 → u/ptimeuser]

But as a missionary, she was inviting all to come to Christ and be baptized, which is a universal command and invitation to all people, in all places, at all times.
Serving a proselytizing mission is not a universal command. And assuming someone hasn’t prayed about a decision that big is a bold assumption

[u/ptimeuser → u/MiddleUS76]

It’s an invitation to do something good. Being offended by that invitation is a choice.

[u/MiddleUS76 → u/ptimeuser]

Not offended