LDS Freedom Forum

When I served my mission there were stories going around about missionaries not allowed to go near water, etc swimming
Did anyone else hear these stories?

It's a rule, not just some story. Or, do you mean that there were folk stories about the rationale of that rule?

Missionary Handbook:

Safety. Recreational activities should be safe. Never go swimming or take part in water sports. Avoid activities that may restrict your physical ability the rest of the week or cause injury. These activities include (but are not limited to) contact sports; winter sports; motorcycling; horseback riding; mountain or rock climbing; riding in private boats or airplanes; handling firearms, fireworks, or explosives of any kind; or similar activities.

I think the context gives a hint about the real rationale behind the rule.

Stories of missionaries practicing baptising with a log of wood and both drowning.
Why is it a rule?
What's wrong with missionaries and water?

Dusty52 wrote: ↑July 3rd, 2018, 11:36 am Stories of missionaries practicing baptising with a log of wood and both drowning.
Why is it a rule?
What's wrong with missionaries and water?

I edited my previous answer and added the quotation from the handbook. The rule is in the Safety section, just like the rule prohibiting contact sports.

Seems easy to me. The church doesn't want the Missionaries getting injured and suing the church. And the church having to pay all their medical bills, and maybe lifetime disability and care.
Basically, I guess you could say it's an insurance requirement. And that would be so even if the church is a self insurer.

We spoke to a man near here last December. He had been severely injured in an on the job situation.

At this time he had no choice but to work as self employed, as no employer could put him on the payroll. The insurance company would not insure him, so they couldn't hire him.

I know some individuals who were concerned about an employment background check. While some do search for crimes, etc., some only search for insurance claims. To be sure that they are not the type of employee that gets on the job for a few months, gets some "injury" and then is on disability for years. Time and time again.
dc

David's answer is pretty good, thanks.

But it's also because in the scriptures John the Revelator cursed the water. This was reinforced to Joseph Smith in the early church when they are told this same concept.

But even more to the point, the Lord explained a few other things to them about them wanting to travel by water. The early missionaries wanted to travel by water, and the Lord was saying...in various ways...why would you want to travel by canal to go find people when you are basically passing all kinds of gold investigators by the way side when you don't travel by land? This is also part of the point. Travel by water they thought was faster, but they were skipping all kinds of great proselyting areas by doing so and this is part of why the Lord allowed it to be this way.

Another point, why the waters were cursed is because places of water like hot springs, ocean beaches, great big lakes, etc. have always been gathering places for immorality. (Nude beaches...emerged in our era also). So with these considerations now, can you see why missionaries are encouraged to stay away from water?