Mormon Missionaries Can’t Swim: Safety and Moral Considerations
Mormon missionaries swim are voluntary members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) who do various community service, humanitarian work, church work, and evangelistic activities. Depending on the assignment, LDS Church missionaries may be either male or female and serve either full- or part-time.
One thing you will learn about the Mormon Missionaries is that they don’t swim. But what is the reason behind this? Let’s find out.
Why Can’t Mormon Missionaries Swim?
Mormon missionaries are not allowed to swim during their mission. This is mainly due to safety concerns and worries about being among women in bathing suits.
The day off for missionaries is known as their “P-day” (the letter “P” stands for “preparation”). They wash their clothes and shop for groceries. They also take their car to be washed if they have one. The rest of the day is frequently spent engaging in risk-free non-contact activities like hiking.
You should examine this from three angles. The first one is related to economies of scale. A certain proportion of the youths on a task force numbering in the tens of thousands may suffer injuries. Some of them might not make it back home.
The other is parental loyalty which is so fundamental. The Church swears to watch out for the welfare of the children when it asks parents to offer them their children. That makes the Church seem like a controlling mother for prohibiting its missionaries from engaging in activities that regular rank-and-file members engage in regularly.
Mormon Missionaries
The third viewpoint—which initially resulted in the prohibition of water activities—relates to the opposition. Missions are intended to serve as grounds for testing. It is expected of missionaries to face opposition. They might sometimes be forced to drink unboiled water that will cause gastrointestinal issues, and sometimes people might even attack them.
You have to be a little more careful to avoid anything that could blow up in your face if you know that you’re fighting the Adversary for the souls and hearts of the individuals you’re serving.
You need to stay focused on the task at hand and stay away from temptation, harm, and the kinds of side distractions that might throw you off your job.
Taking a cool swim is not necessarily improper when it gets hot in the summer. However, the LDS Church ensures its missionaries avoid moral and safety concerns by not allowing them to participate in swimming and other water activities.
Related Questions
Who Pays for Mormon Missionary Expenses?
While serving, missionaries are obliged to cover their costs, frequently with the help of family.
Each missionary used to cover their living expenses, but this practice put an unfair burden on those sent to more expensive regions. To balance the financial burden on each missionary and their family, a new scheme was launched in 1990.
All new missionaries now pay a set monthly fee that is then allocated per local cost of living rates. The price can, therefore, change drastically depending on the country where the missionary comes from. For instance, missionaries from Australia and New Zealand each pay AU$395 and NZ$400, respectively, whereas missionaries from American Samoa and Kiribati each pay US$85 and AU$20.
Tuvalu, the Solomon Islands, or Papua New Guinea Missionaries are exempted from these payments.
In terms of health, the Church offers limited medical care to missionaries. However, any medical care deemed unnecessary or related to a prior ailment is considered to be the missionary’s responsibility
Although many get support from parents, relatives, or friends, young people in the Church are urged to save funds during their childhood to cover as much of their mission as possible.
A global missionary fund run by the Church and financed by contributions from Latter-day Saints worldwide is available to missionaries who cannot save the necessary funds.
How Are Mormon Missionaries Supposed to Dress?
LDS missionaries who work full-time must follow a clothing code. In the past, this meant dark suit coats and trousers for males, white shirts, and ties. Women wore mid-calf length skirts and conservative blouses. They were also allowed to wear dresses.
However, the LDS Church revised its grooming guidelines in 2013. Young men do not have to wear a dark suit when evangelizing daily. However, they must continue to dress professionally and conservatively. For instance, a suit in a light color is appropriate.
Additionally, they are encouraged to wear colored ties and are permitted to wear a suit vest or sweater over their dress shirts.
Sister missionaries are permitted to wear dresses and skirts that reach their knees. Young women are urged to dress in bright hues and patterns and arere allowed to accessorize appropriately.
Who is a Returned Missionary?
Returned missionaries (RM) refers to Mormon missionaries who have returned from their mission. These missionaries are often encouraged to start dating and seek marriage. They are also regularly called to help with the local missionary effort and are urged to continue serving in the LDS Church.
What Challenges Do Returned Missionaries Face?
Many returned missionaries find it hard to reintegrate into society and find partners. This is mainly attributed to the fact that they are used to highly structured, disciplined lives that do not allow contact with people of the another sex..
Do Mormon Missionaries Attempt to Win Christians Over?
Yes. Mormons consider all non-Mormon Christian denominations as having strayed from the authentic message of God.
When talking to Christians, they strongly focus on the “Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ,” as it was revealed to Joseph Smith. They believed that from the founding of the early Christian Church, Christianity had experienced a “Great Apostasy,” which made Joseph Smith’s revelation and the subsequent necessity to propagate his message throughout the current Christian world necessary.
Final Take
We hope this article helped answer your question; why can’t Mormon missionaries swim? Mormon missionaries are not allowed to swim mainly due to safety concerns and worries about being among women in bathing suits.
