Posted by:
Mnemonic
(
)
Date: February 20, 2011 10:56PM
So our TBM friend's son had his missionary farewell today. DW said she would help out with food for the guests. While everyone went to church, we stayed at their house and prepared relish trays and kept an eye on the other food that was cooking. After church was over there was 75-100 people who showed up to eat and say goodbye to the missionary. They moved out of our neighborhood several years ago so we were surprised by how many people from our neighborhood were there. We saw neighbors we hadn't seen in years even though they live just a few houses away. Everyone was so friendly and asked how we were doing. I couldn't help thinking that if they really wanted to know how we were doing they would call or stop by and say hello once in a while.
We gave the missionary a memory card for his camera and a flashlight. Both were things he had said he needed. He was very surprised by and thankful for our gifts. I also gave him my letter which I had revised since posting it here last. I have attached a copy below if you care to read it. I had changed the tone of it quite a bit from last time.
You know, as long as you forget about the weird things they believe, Mormons can be a pretty fun bunch to hang out with. I thought it was interesting because you get really strange vibes off some people. Some seem very genuine and sincere and others are kind of plastic and fake. I don't know if part of that was because we weren't dressed in "church clothes" and hadn't gone to the church or not.
The one thing that really bothered me, though, was the fact that his father wasn't there. He is in the bishopric and had to stay for the meetings for some reason. I kept thinking to myself "It's about family." You would think the bishop would tell him to go home and not worry about it, but no. The "church" always has to come first, but remember "It's about family." Nobody else even seemed to noticed he was missing.
Mnemonic
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Dear Missionary,
A mission is an important time in the life of young LDS men and women. I hope that your mission is an incredible experience filled with good memories. To that end, I would like to give you some advice to help keep you safe, healthy, and happy.
I want you to remember that you are a volunteer, not an employee of the LDS church. If you need to take a break then do so. Don’t work yourself to exhaustion. Stress and overwork can weaken your immune system and leave you vulnerable to getting sick. Also, don’t work if you’re sick, and by sick I mean running a fever. If you have a fever you should be in bed, period. DW had problems after returning home from her mission as a result of working too hard on her mission.
Take care of your health. Eat right and exercise. See a doctor if you’re not feeling well. A friend of mine ignored his symptoms until he couldn’t. By the time he saw a doctor he was so sick he had to be sent home. He had developed ulcerative colitis and had to have a colostomy. He spent months in the hospital and still uses a colostomy bag to this day.
Stay focused on what’s important, and the things that are important is the relationships you make. It’s not about hours worked or numbers of baptisms. It’s about service. The relationships you make will have lasting effects on your life and on the lives of the people you’ve served long after you’ve returned home from your mission.
Call home once in a while. I know your parents, and especially your mom, would love to hear your voice. They don’t need to be long calls, just 5 minutes. Enclosed are two AT&T calling cards. They won’t last for 120 minutes because international rates are higher. If you need more let me know. I can send you a new one or refill those.
And last, but certainly not least, have some fun and enjoy the scenery, the culture, and the people you meet while you’re there. This is an once-in-a-lifetime experience. You may never visit these places again. Take LOTS of pictures.
Stay safe and healthy and have a good mission.
With Love,
Mnemonic