I'm home and sick. My daughter was able to video chat us several times today for what amounted to a couple of hours. It was wonderful.

I hated all the faith promotion parts but we really got to talk. It was so nice.

One bright spot in this dreary thing of being a non-believer parent of a Mormon missionary.

That is wonderful. Hope you feel better.

What a wonderful experience for you when you're feeling sick!

I hope you get way better very soon!

It really is wonderful that you were able to video chat with your daughter. It begs the question though, where's the sacrifice? My mission was all about forgetting myself and giving up things like communication with friends and family members who were distractions from the Lord's work.

If missionaries can now phone home weekly, what is the point of a mission? We were told that we couldn't phone home because it was a distraction from missionary work. Now it's okay. Maybe missionary work is now less important than phoning home. Maybe more effort will be made to make missionaries comfortable. My mission was about being uncomfortable - the more uncomfortable the better.

Does your daughter knock on doors? If not, what does she do with her time? Do you feel that her testimony is being strengthened by sharing her experiences with you every week? Is she inspiring you to go back to church, or your TBM wife to be a better Mormon? I'm afraid that's really what it's all about. The leaders don't give two craps about the missionaries or parents of the missionaries. LDS Inc. wouldn't allow the phone calls if there wasn't something in it for them, and that something, i think, is a strengthened testimony for the missionary and their parents. I think that's what they're banking on. The weekly phone calls will make both parties stronger Mormons. If it backfires and creates more homesickness/missionaries returning home, say bye bye to the weekly calls.

Anyway, I'm so happy you can chat with your daughter more frequently. It probably makes you feel better and that is a good thing.

heartbroken Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Does your daughter knock on doors? If not, what
> does she do with her time? Do you feel that her
> testimony is being strengthened by sharing her
> experiences with you every week? Is she inspiring
> you to go back to church, or your TBM wife to be a
> better Mormon?

She does mostly street contacts and we found out yesterday she is allow to hitchhike as long as there is a woman in the car?/?@@#

I told her I would prefer she not do that.

I don't think her testimony is being strengthened. We talked about all the bad words she had learned in Spanish. It was fun. She told us her favorite songs she hears on the street are "Calma" (she called it Vamas a la Playa because she didn't know the name) and "Magicka."

She knows better than to try and reconvert me. She's lucky I wasn't hanging out in my non-approved underwear because I'm sick.

It seems like she's saving her testimony type things for the email. Only a little of their faith promotion stuff crept in our talks.

> The weekly phone
> calls will make both parties stronger Mormons. If
> it backfires and creates more
> homesickness/missionaries returning home, say bye
> bye to the weekly calls.

I think you are right and I hope it doesn't end but I also hope these kids don't think they need to stay either. It is bitter sweet but it is logical. If Mormons are about family then at least this makes more sense than a "sacrifice" where it isn't needed.

My daughter is in a remote Central American village and has great Internet in a café. The world is getting more and more connected. There is no reason for the isolation to continue.

I'm glad to hear that you were able to talk to your daughter today. Thank goodness for bright spots in the tough going. She's sure lucky to have you as her dad.

I'm happy to hear that, EB. It's critical that you get time with your daughter, even if only electronically, and that she knows how much you love her. Over time, that's all that really matters.

Lot's Wife Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Over time, that's all that really
> matters.

Time with her is all that really matters!

That is so great! Get well soon.

I'm glad that you got to spend so much time talking with your daughter, EB. I hope that you feel better soon.

Thanks for all the well wishing and here's to you all not getting sick this season!

As a disclaimer, as a missionary I would have dreaded calling home each week. Luckily, they don't have to if they don't want to. I would not have been "Mormon" and faith promoting enough in my calls to please my parents.

How many girlfriends are going to be visiting her missionary's parents on Mondays?

I hope so. If that keeps him from going crazy like some of my comps were.