Bishops and Branch Presidents…
As I continue to visit with HS seniors, I’ve been pleased to meet several who say they’d like to leave on their mission soon after graduating from HS.
This is wonderful!
I just wanted to remind you that if you have such a young man in your priest quorum right now, please open an online missionary recommendation folder for him immediately. He needs to be completing right now his paper work and setting appointments for his medical and dental exams.
In case you’re not aware, we can submit a missionary recommendation even before the young man is ordained an elder. Frankly, missionary recommendations being submitted in March or April will probably not depart until July or August anyway, at the earliest. He, of course, can set his availability date to whenever he wants, though typically they are given a departure a month or so beyond that date.
Departure and release dates can now be calculated on the missionary recommendation website so young people can plan their departure and return.
We remind you that we hold our annual Stake Priesthood meeting on May 12 specifically so we can sustain the worthy and desiring male HS seniors to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood. Please remind parents of their responsibility to prepare their sons to be ordained. That ordination can occur when a young man is (1) found worthy and desirous of receiving the covenant of the priesthood, (2) sustained in a stake priesthood meeting (May 12) or in a stake conference and (3) turn 18 years of age.
Once a young man has been (1) ordained, (2) graduated from HS and (3) has a mission call in hand, he can then be endowed.
Finally, we feel strongly young men make better missionaries when they have earned all or part of their missionary support funds ($400 per month, $500/month beginning July 1, 2020). However, there are cases where he simply wasn’t able to work a job or needed to help support his family. Please know there are surplus missionary funds in every ward that can be used to help support these young people who desire to serve.
Thank you for helping the youth of our stake desire and prepare to dedicate a “tithe” of their life to serve the Lord with all their heart, mind and strength.
Gratefully,
President Lewis
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