Senior Mormon missionary tried to woo me. #lds #mormon #missionary

When Authority and Attraction Collide: The Uncomfortable Reality of Senior Missionary Dynamics

The scenario unfolds in quiet hallways and security monitoring stations: a senior Mormon missionary tried to woo me, according to firsthand accounts shared on the Mormon Stories Podcast. The person recounting this experience was in their twenties, working in a college library security position, when they encountered a missionary in his seventies assigned to Church Headquarters. What began as friendly conversation between two people tasked with the monotonous work of surveillance evolved into something more uncomfortable, a dynamic that raises important questions about power imbalances, institutional oversight, and the pastoral care of volunteers within the LDS Church's extensive missionary system.

This is not an isolated anecdote. It reflects broader patterns worth examining: How does the Church address inappropriate behavior by senior missionaries? What safeguards exist to protect younger employees and volunteers from advances by authority figures? And what does the historical record reveal about institutional responses to such situations?

Background: The Senior Missionary Program and Its Vulnerabilities

The LDS Church's senior missionary program, formally launched in 1986, represents a significant expansion of volunteer service opportunities. Unlike traditional two-year missions assigned to young adults aged 18–21, senior missions allow couples and single individuals over 50 to serve in various capacities, from teaching English to security work at Church facilities worldwide.

By design, senior missionaries are supposed to be among the Church's most trusted volunteers. Many are retired professionals with decades of experience and established reputations within their communities. They receive formal training and operate under ecclesiastical authority. Yet this assumption of trustworthiness can paradoxically create blind spots.