With more women now serving missions than ever before, the nearly 9,000 sister missionaries currently serving in the Church may have record numbers of men eagerly anticipating their return.

According to the Church's missionary department, the number of full-time sister missionaries serving has increased annually each of the last three years.

The advantages of waiting for a sister missionary may include a shorter wait, 18 months, and a better-qualified spouse.

Joseph Fielding McConkie, professor of Ancient Scripture at BYU, says waiting for a sister missionary is more prevalent now than it was 10 years ago.

"It's a compliment to the young men," McConkie said. "This suggests that they are brighter than they used to be."

McConkie calls the newly returned sister missionary the greatest unknown treasure in the world.

"The typical scenario," McConkie said, "is you have the returned missionary sister come home and she is just a marvelously refined young lady and she intimidates the returned missionary elder and he takes out the 19-year-old."

Gordon Mills, professor of organizational leadership and strategy at BYU and former mission president, said many now see the tremendous value of a mission.

"Those who have served missions have an edge," Mills said. "A mission allows people to grow and solidifies their faith. When you put those two together, it allows for a new dimension to the marriage."

Mills said a mission may be the greatest preparatory work that we know of to show one's commitment to the Lord.

Now there may be more who are willing to postpone marriage to allow for sister missionary service.

Jared Barfuss, 25, a junior from Fullerton, Calif. majoring in philosophy waited for his sister missionary. Two months after her return, they were married-to each other.

"I knew it would be beneficial for our family in the future," Barfuss said. "It would be good for our relationship, because it would be one more thing we had in common. In my heart, I was committed to her."

Barfuss also said a returned missionary spouse would prove beneficial for teaching his children the gospel.

Aaron Robinson, 22, a sophomore from Folsom, Calif. has 17 months to go before his missionary is released.

"She had her papers when we first started dating. But when she turned (them in) I got mad," Robinson said. "The minute she got the call, I flipped out. I was tempted to propose, but I decided not to make it that hard for her," Robinson said.

Robinson said that after the initial moments of internal conflict, he now stands as a committed and supportive man.

"When she left, I told her I was going to wait for her," Robinson said. "If it's right it will work. And I know it's right."

For Steve Benson, 25, a senior majoring in political science from Newulm, Minn., things did not end up as he had planned.

"The agreement was that when she got back, we were going to see what was up," Benson said. "When she got back, the relationship just wasn't heading anywhere, so we decided to date other people."



Copyright Brigham Young University 18 Feb 2003