Just got an invite to the mission reunion! IVE neved been to one but I hated my mission; worst experience of my life. But it did help me fall away.
I was woundering if anybody else has gone to one of these after they left the church, and what was it like.

I only went to one, about a year after I got back. Me, one of my former companions, and his sister got high and met the rest of the group at a Provo restaurant, I wound up making out with his sister later in the night, so overall a pretty good evening.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/2013 08:50AM by ladell.

Since I never went on a mission (I played professional baseball out of high school), I would go home (late December through February) and here about how 'X' returned from his mission, or "X" is going on his mission from people at my ward.

The return parties were really festive; although they resembled the shenanigans of an episode of "The Walton's" entitled 'The Quilting Bee.' In that episode, Ma Walton thinks it is time to get rid of one of the daughters (I think Erin) because she was 17. Ma Walton proudly announces a "Quilting Bee" for Erin. So all the little old ladies in Walton's Mountain show up to help make the quilt; and all the little boys show up to court the soon to be 'blushing bride.'

The misshy return home party was, in essence, a signal to the single or un attached girls in the ward; he's home and he is ready to marry....come get 'em.

Then again, I grew up in Southern Idaho, there may have been nuances at that location to many may have not had in a city ward.

Example. There were about five old ladies who met twice a week used one of the rooms at the ward for their quilting. They would get together and hand sew every piece. I was always amazed at their craftsmanship (straight lines square or triangle pieces) all done by hand. Those quilts were always given to 'new married' couples.

Go. In drag.

:)

I've gone to almost all of my mission reunions, and I've been out of the Morg since the mid 1990s. Like any reunion, it's a way to keep in touch with people who were important to you in the past. So if there are people you were close to and would like to see, go to the reunion. You say you hated your mission. If you hated the people as well, don't bother going.

The attitudes of the people who attend vill vary based on how long ago your mission was. If you've only been home a few years people tend to still by gung-ho about the church, bragging about their callings, etc. If it's been a while, the people tend to be a little more laid back. I came home from my mission in 1984, so everyone is definitely at the mellow end of the spectrum.

I had something of an unusual mission. My mission president and his wife were some of the most kind and loving people I've ever met. And their attitudes rubbed off on their missionaries. My mission president knew I'm gay and left the church, and it didn't matter to him at all. So I guess what I'm saying is that your results may vary. If you had a judgemental mission president you might run into a lot of judgemental people at the reunion.

My mission president and his wife both passed away last year, and I went to both funerals. When anyone asked what I was up to I always mentioned my same-sex partner that I've been with for years. Nobody seemed to care.

Mission reunions, are a waste of time. If you happened to have a good friend on your mission than you can get together with in a more comfortable venue.

i went to my mission reunion not long after i returned. i was still in the closet, so i took an unbelievably beautiful girl i was dating to show up all the idiots who tried to make my life miserable while i was a missionary. worked like a charm. all the guys that i hated wanted to kiss my ass. none of the cool people that i wanted to see showed up. we left early and had a good laugh all the way home.

I went to exactly one. I was still very TBM at the time, but the missionary vibe made me leave early, and vow never to return. It was like a bunch of back-slapping, yo-dude, boy-werent-we-great-in-highschool weirdos. The AP's still thought and acted like they were in charge, and everyone tried to show off their girlfriends..like they were property or something.

One and done, never again.