I left Argentina about two weeks early so I could attend the winter block at BYU. I was also recuperating from a bad bout with meningitis.

I sometimes regret not stopping in Peru to see Machu Picchu as that was an option for some folks returning from South America.

If memory serves, you could also extend your mission for a short time. Does any one remember that?

When missions transitioned to 18 months, could the then currently serving missionaries opt to shorten their sentence?

RE: 18 month missions

If you had been out a year, you could opt to go home between 18 and 24 months. The mission president was supposed to okay each request according to the needs of the mission. In practice, few bothered, though my mission president did let the most senior go home first.

If you had been out less than a year, you had no choice. I fell in that category. Learning that was the happiest day of my life.

(We had a nephew of a GA in our mission and heard about this two days early. Story has it that HQ was ticked off when our MP called to confirm.)

I must have been in that group that could decide for themselves if they wanted to stay 18 or 24 months. I had finally made it into the mission office where I could feel the air conditioning during the day. It seemed too petty to give it up. :-) Actually, there was a LOT of pressure to extend to 24 months, so I buckled.

I had the choice to stay out but there was no way I was going to let that happen no matter how much pressure we were getting. It was hard to come up with a way to say no that didn't reveal my glee at how close my return date was getting. It would have killed me to stay another 6 months.

Left 6 weeks early for school. I had some jerks giving me shit for it on the mission, and my parents weren't happy either.

Left 1 month early in order to catch the start of spring semester at USU. One of the better decisions I've made in my life. Couldn't get off the mission fast enough.

I had been on my mission 2 and a half months (2 months in the MTC and 2 weeks in Sweden) when the length was change from 18 months back to 2 years. Everyone in my mission was able to choose how long we wanted to stay. I ended up staying 20 months. Got me home in time to start the fall semester at BYU.

They announced the return of 2 year missions when I had about 2 months to go before going home on my 18 month mission. There was no way I was going to extend. No way at all. In fact, there were very few who opted for the increased time in the first 6 months of that program, at least based on the missionaries I knew.

Called to 24 months. Chopped to 18, I stayed out an extra month as a Z.L. in Indiana at MP's request. I needed all the extra credit I could get for my grade. LOL

I left about three weeks early, because it meant being home for Christmas.

I left 2 weeks early, which was pretty normal back in those times (1970's). When a certain number of new missionaries entered the country I was aerving, and equal number had to leave. The gov't of that country and the church had an agreement not to exceed a total number of missionaries at any one time. They were pretty strict about it.

I went out as 24 months, it changed while I was out. I was one of those out less than a year, so I automatically got 18 months.

I was in a car accident (ok, kind of..another story) spent a month in the hospital on my mission. Put in a formal request to cover the month I was not able to work. MP immediately denied the request, said he had far too many out and had to close areas.

I left a month early so I could start the winter block at YBU too. It was nice to spend Christmas at home instead of being invited over somewhere feeling like a charity case.

Went out as a 24 monther and had the option to go home at 18 months or stay out up to 24 months.
I jumped at the 18 months. Mission leadership knocked me down to a junior companion because of it.
Bastards.