Recently, there has been a shift in standards, a toxic trend sweeping across BYU campus. An honorable mission is no longer sufficient; the standard has been raised to include, “What leadership positions did you hold?” This offensive development degrades noble men, valiant and true in the gospel. It must be abolished!
And, men aren’t the only ones who are suffering from this plague. Even women are now being disparaged for choosing, and often being commanded by God, not to serve a mission. We, as Mormons in general, must stop falsely associating missions, and what happens there, with spirituality. President Monson and more than 50 percent of the apostles never served missions. These men are spiritual giants! If they can become apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ without serving a mission, then anyone else can be righteous without holding a leadership position, or even serving a mission. Spirituality is not determined by the destinations arrived at, but by the journeys that take us there. Being a leader and serving a mission mean nothing of themselves. Trust me, I accomplished both.
Unite with me, men and women, RMs and non-RMs alike, in upholding the moral standards we believe in. For some this article will be a call to repentance. To the rest, this is a call to arms! Help stop this toxic trend by using the hashtag #StopSpiritualGoldDigging on social media. Together, we can stop this plague before it becomes a scourge that degrades spirituality into a mere box to be checked.
Darius Hughes
Menifee, California
