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Home » Featured, Issues & Ideas, Life & Living

Sister missionaries and the aging single population

Submitted by Chelsea Warren on Friday, 22 January 20107 Comments

Sister missionaries in the Missionary Training Center

During my Christmas break, I attended my home singles’ ward, hoping to get reacquainted with old friends. When our bishop stood up and announced that four more sisters and friends of mine had received their mission calls, I exclaimed, “Eek gads! Four more friends to write!” (Okay, maybe I didn’t say “eek gads” exactly, but it was something to that effect). I am overjoyed for these sisters, for I know they will be a force to be reckoned with in their service. But it made me think of how our society has changed over the years.

More sisters are serving than ever before as full-time missionaries. That means a huge portion of women cut out of the dating game for 18 months. The average age for men getting married has historically been higher than women. But as more sisters serve and get married later, that median age for women will make an unprecedented jump.

Also, fewer BYU students are getting married during their college years than ever before. According to the Y Facts University Marriage Statistics page, the percentage of married students at BYU has steadily declined from 29 percent in 1992 to 25 percent in 2009. While a 4-percent drop may not seem like much, it reflects a national trend of the aging single population.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s marriage data, the percent of married people in the United States has dropped 12 percent since 1950. This data also indicates that the average age for people getting married has also increased by about six years.

Please understand. I totally support sisters serving missions, being an R.M. myself. What I want to do is rally discussion about these new trends in our day.

These observations and statistics suggest some important things. One, as an LDS culture, we are not immune to the trends that affect the rest of the country, for better or for worse. Also, it shows that something in society has changed, making marriage something people are putting off in favor of other activities. What are the potential positive and negative aspects of this? And what has changed to make people wait to get married?

7 Comments »

njcrofts said:

I’ve definitely noticed the same thing. It’s really interesting. I have a good amount of friends getting married, but I know just as many or more who are receiving their calls and going on missions. It will be interesting to see what happens.

- 22 January 2010 at 4:50 pm

Megan said:

One thing I think isn’t talked about as much is that there isn’t as much of a dating etiquette as when our parents were dating. If you talk to someone of an older generation, there are much clearer delineations between what constitutes being in a relationship vs. just dating, etc. Also, there was more of a pattern to follow, which made it easier on everyone. I know we hear a lot about dating vs. hanging out, and that’s certainly part of the issue, but when it comes to actually dating, things seem to get nebulous. Particularly these days when it is more acceptable for women to initiate and even to plan and carry out dates.

- 22 January 2010 at 5:03 pm

DP said:

You said, “More sisters are serving than ever before as full-time missionaries.” That is my perception as well, but have you been able to find any data to back that up?

- 22 January 2010 at 6:35 pm

Dane said:

Way to read your facts wrong. It hasn’t steadily declind. From 1994 to 1995 it went from 26% of students to 27% being married. You should take into account the size of incoming freshman classes and how that effects overall stats. However, you are just trying to get a random statistic to support a poor attempt at journalism, and that is what you all usually do. CNN has a job for you when you graduate.

- 24 January 2010 at 9:34 am

Cindy said:

Maybe it’s the fact that the prophets have encouraged getting an education and staying out of debt so we shy away from getting married and having kids because we would more than likely get into debt and/or get less education. Oh and the fact that we don’t “live off of the fat of the land” and living today is much more expensive then it used to be due to our expectations. Just and idea.

- 25 January 2010 at 2:59 pm

Chad said:

Well said, Megan. If only every guy and girl understood what you so clearly defined, the trend of an aging single population would be curbed.

While the world cites the need for a degree, a job, a house, a car, or whatever else they think requisite before they are ready for marriage, the biggest obstacle is actually much more subtle than that; the dating culture, as a whole, has simply forgotten how to date. The steps have been blurred and contorted and now it is more difficult than ever before to find two individuals who are on the same page with one another concerning each of their roles in knowing how to progress a relationship together.

- 25 January 2010 at 4:48 pm

Chelsea Warren (author) said:

To DP, I contacted LDS Church Public Affairs and was informed that the church does not release figures concerning sister missionaries. Sorry I couldn’t provide those exact figures for you. But thanks to you all for your comments and questions. It helps us to flesh out our ideas and consider things we haven’t thought of when you comment and critique.

- 29 January 2010 at 6:16 pm