. . . of a Mormon Mission. Many pundits wonder what Romney can do next. They say his political fortunes are over, as he isn’t a powerful force in the Senate like Kerry or McCain. He doesn’t have a faithful ideological following like Huckabee. For a weakened GOP, unless you count the continued success of the other House, they hardly want to be reminded of the lost opportunity for expanded power by giving him a political position. To be honest, he was always a political outsider even when accused of belonging to the ruling party elite. Those who have studiously followed his rise know he built what he did out of whole cloth. Conservatives never completely supported him and the only office he held was Governor in a Democratic state (Chris Christie is similar, but he lost all chances of going anywhere with his support of Obama during Sandy). He never had any solid backings in the Party other than his own will and inertia. Unless there is a surprise in the wings, he has nowhere in politics to go.
The other possibility floating around is he will go back into business. Sounds logical at first, but his current history says otherwise. He hasn’t seen the inside of a corporate boardroom outside of a friendly visit since taking over the Salt Lake Olympics. He has enough money and to spare to last the lifetime of his whole family put together. Since he isn’t the greedy Gordon Gekko that the media and others have painted him, he is old enough to retire from making more money. On the other hand, if he does do anything of his own volition this will most likely be the course taken. He is known to have saved big risky businesses. Perhaps he could take on advocating small upstarts. Just because he lost the U.S. Presidency doesn’t mean he can’t do some good as a private citizen.
Yet, he could have greater things in store for him than Earthly positions and jobs. Even Mormon commentators in the traditional media didn’t talk about religious opportunities. With the expected increase in missionaries there is going to be the need for leaders. He and his wife seem very qualified for the position of Mormon Mission President. Where? Only the Lord and his servants know, if they decide this at all. Utah, however, should be on the top of the list.
Having him as a Utah Mission President might at first sound silly and pandering. In a way it is, but only because there are real feelings that have been hurt in the LDS community by his loss. It would be helpful and healing to see him visibly busy doing something for the Latter-day Saints. For decades a large number of U.S. Mormons, regardless of the minority who haven’t really supported him, watched and hoped for great things each step of his political career. He was them and not just one of them (although fabulously wealthy). The first defeat brought sorrow, but there was always next time that did come around. Now there is nothing. Emptiness for nowhere else to go. He wasn’t an idol, a star, or messiah to those who admired him, but a Mormon everyman kicking against the odds of history and culture. And so it seemed to many that when he lost the people he belonged to lost also. His assignment as a spiritual leader would give hope again that secular positions of even the highest land are temporary goals.
He was a Bishop and a Stake President long before a politician in more than a small corner of the land. Boston is a huge spiritual center of the Eastern U.S. His handling of the Temple building groundwork proved he has talent to be used. It would be a waste to let him sit idle from here on out. There is all the possibility he could be tapped as a Seventy Area Authority. For the record; becoming a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, while never impossible, seems highly unlikely by the numbers and history.
Even if he does continue in politics somehow or became a business leader again, he would answer the call of the Lord’s servants. He is just that kind of guy. Many need to be reminded of that and learn by his examples past, present, and hopefully future. Besides, it would be nice to hear a spiritual talk from him to see what he is “really” like when not under pressure to impress.