The Washington Post’s On Faith blog features this post from the public affairs director of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We excerpt here.
For many older Mormons, though, “retirement” means something else altogether.
While most people think of Mormon missionaries as young men in iconic white shirts and ties or conservatively dressed young women, few realize the scale of service at the other end of life. Yet an increasing number of older couples from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are serving in a multitude of ways around the world. At last count, that number stood at just over four thousand retirees. Their “missionary” service, lasting from six months to three years, is as varied as relief work in Africa or Central America or staffing the church’s temples, employment centers and welfare facilities. Some help in the church’s global effort to preserve and identify family histories; some serve at one of many visitor centers at church historical sites. They’re doing it all, and some are returning for two, three or even more missions, filling their final years with additional purpose and meaning.
