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| A 3,000-member choir of full-time missionaries and other Latter-day Saints provided the music for the Work of Salvation worldwide leadership broadcast in the Marriott Center on the campus of Brigham Young University on Sunday, 23 June 2013. © 2013 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. |
Catherine can just barely be seen in the lower left corner of this news release photo. She is the first young woman shown in the bottom row and is wearing a light peach short-sleeved blouse. As a member of the MTC choir, she sang with a LOT of other missionaries in a special broadcast about the future of missionary work.
During the broadcast, it was announced that missionaries will begin using innovative approaches to missionary work, including the use of the internet and the opening of local meetinghouses to guided tours.
One news article explains that the number of full-time missionaries worldwide has dramatically increased from some 52,000 to an unprecedented 70,274 after the October 2012 announcement that the age of eligibility for service would be lowered from 19 to 18 for men and from 21 to 19 for women. Fifty-eight new missions were created to accommodate the increase, bringing the total number of missions worldwide to 405.
The article goes on to quote Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve:
“We have asked, ‘What will all these missionaries do?’” said Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve in his address during the broadcast. “Our answer is that they will do the same thing that missionaries have always done; they will follow the Savior Jesus Christ and preach His restored gospel.”
In this digital age, he said, the use of the internet will be an important method of contact, because for people today, online media are often their main point of contact with others, even close friends.
“During less-productive times of the day—chiefly in the mornings—missionaries will use computers in meetinghouses and other Church facilities to contact investigators and members, work with local priesthood leaders and missionary leaders, receive and contact referrals, follow up on commitments, confirm appointments, and teach principles from [the missionary guide] Preach My Gospel using Mormon.org, Facebook, blogs, email, and text messages,” Elder Perry said.
Internet access and use of digital devices by missionaries will be introduced in phases over the next several months and into next year.
We look forward to hearing from Catherine on her next P-day. We're guessing the news that she will begin using the internet and digital technologies as part of her work will be welcome news! :)
A second news article about the broadcast points out that female missionaries comprise more than 20 percent of the total number of missionaries, which translates to 14,650 young women now serving missions. (Go girls!) The Church announced in April 2013 that the increasing number of female missionaries has led to the creation of a mission leadership council that will include both men and women as missionary leaders. Yay!
If you'd like to view the entire broadcast, it is available here:
http://www.lds.org/training/wwlt/2013/hastening/special-broadcast?lang=eng
The Blog Editors
1 comment:
Well, I was looking for Hermana Crotzer, but could not pick her out from the few glimpses we got of the choir. It was a great meeting!
Gary
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