I was at the other end of the spectrum. I came home a month early (officially) but it was almost 2 months early because mission transfers were changing from the beginning of the month to the end of the month. I was supposed to go home at the end of August, but that would have killed the upcoming fall semester for school. I ended up going home a few days after the 4th of July because there wasn't going to be a transfer at the end of July nor the beginning of August. Most of the (bad apple missionaries) that I came with from the MTC also went home too!
When I went it was 18 months. Part way through they changed it back to 2 years. If you already had you call for 18 months you got to choose if you wanted to extend. I chose to extend 6 months, but a few months later I realized that would have me home too late to start school in the fall so I shortened my extension and ended up staying out for 20 months. I enjoyed my mission, but by the end, I was ready to go home. Had a really cool Mission Pres. too and he didn't hassle anyone about staying.
My mission was in this time period too and there was a LOT of pressure, mostly from other elders, to stay the extra 6 months. But I was more than ready to go home and gave them a firm no.
I was reading in another forum thread today about missionary car misuse/wrecks and it reminded me of a tragic event that happened then. One of the APs elected to stay and just days before he was scheduled to go home his VW Beetle hit a cow in the road and the crash killed him instantly.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/2018 09:14PM by Inverso.
I was held over an extra 4 weeks -- almost a month -- without being consulted. So, after 2 years of hell, those last several weeks seemed like they took forever.
Did you know that b4 my mission I was in the military for a three year enlistment during Vietnam. Ive often heard mission life compared to the military.Sorry but that's not a good comparison. Its different.
PHIL Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Did you know that b4 my mission I was in the > military for a three year enlistment during > Vietnam. Ive often heard mission life compared to > the military.Sorry but that's not a good > comparison. Its different.
That's like those who have no children and claim their dogs and cats are just like having children. You can't leave your little kids on the porch with some food while you are gone for the day. I haven't heard the comparison of a mission to being in the military. That's really stupid.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/2018 06:01PM by Aquarius123.
"Ive often heard mission life compared to the military."
Only in Utah. "Yes, I served my country, I went on a mission". Anyplace else, they're laughed out of town. My FIL (from Texas) served 2 tours, in combat, in Vietnam (Bronze Star, Purple Heart), was visiting for Christmas when he first heard that "missions are like serving in the military" crap. His response "Those mormon pussies would be shitting their pants in basic training, much less getting shot at by the VC". It's an offensive comparison to our veterans.
On my mission, there was an elder who requested to stay beyond the required 2 years. He was turned down because some mysterious unknown missionary stayed late and somehow drowned in the ocean. The mission pres.treated it like it was all mystical and a message from God that it was wrong to stay, and he threw in another warning which was people who stay late sin.
I've heard of some ppl (self) going on a mission to avoid going with Uncle's Travel Club to Viet Nam... but did the military give a leave for people (PHIL above) to go on a mission?
The army didnt release me to serve a mission. I served my entire enlistment with honorable discharge and then went on a mission.Unlike people like Mitt Romney.
I don't believe that wards had anything to do with it. They were only allowed 1 deferment (2 years), then became draft eligible. It applied equally to everyone regardless of zip codes or wards. On the other hand, if you had a rich Daddy, you could get 5 deferments for bone spurs, while playing tennis stateside.
Growing up in the era of Mormon propaganda movies like "The Best 2 Years," "Saints and Soldiers," and that one about the missionary in Hawaii ("The Other Side of Heaven"?) plus less serious but still important "Singles Ward" and "The RM," conversations were always about how special it would be for a missionary to be asked to extend, how everyone hoped they'd be asked to extend because it meant that they were more spiritual, or something, and how someone could probably say no, but shouldn't. I have no idea if anyone was actually -asked- to extend or not, but...