President Oaks recently touted the sister missionary age requirement change as “part of the Lord’s plan to overcome the tendency of waiting until the late 20s to have a first marriage.” In light of this guidance, the Missionary Department has added a section to the mission leaders’ handbook, titled “Matchmaking in Missionary Life”. Relevant excerpts have been included below.

“Mission presidents may use discretion to assign elders and sisters with compatible personalities to the same districts.

It may even be appropriate to take note of elders and sisters who demonstrate unusual compatibility and to keep or put them in similar districts or zones to allow for continued association.

Suggest to young missionaries the following methods of flirting:

• Call on desired missionaries for reading quotes and giving prayers.
• Comment on missionary-appropriate style choices such as ties, earrings, shoes, and socks.
• Ask to take pictures with a desired missionary.
• Adjust a desired missionary’s name tag if it is skewed.
• Elders: place hands slightly longer than necessary or stroke hair during requested priesthood blessings.
• Sisters: offer sincere verbal encouragement following any display of strength or problem solving, regardless of outcome.

Mission presidents are reminded that while the primary purpose of missionary service remains the gathering of Israel, inspired matchmaking may, in appropriate cases, support both objectives simultaneously.”

The updated handbook is now active and will affect any current and future missionaries. The Alternate Universe was not able to reach any mission presidents for comment.