Presumably, we have all heard the notion
that one of the primary purposes (if not the
primary purpose) of the LDS proselytizing mission, is to “convert the
missionary,” so to speak. It is widely held that those who put in the 18 or 24
months of missionary service are more likely to remain active in the faith and to
be committed to continued service to the Church.
In this piece I suggest that to the extent
that this entrenchment of commitment, activity, and service actually happens,
it should not necessarily be interpreted as a positive reflection on the LDS
Church, but as a result of normal and natural psychological processes occurring
in reaction to the experiences typically had on the mission.
