Well written "flash-back" memory of Philipine Mission from a young exmo who posted this on another exmo forum under the moniker Candlelight25. It is a 2 minute read +/- half-a-minute: Worth every second.

"Flashback and here I am again, crouching in the dirt outside a shack that has been carefully constructed from thin tin sheets and worn plastic ad-posters. It's hot and I'm sweating, but my sweat is no match for the river of tears streaking down your face. I can't understand your words, but I understand the sadness emitting from your heart. You hold your daughter in your lap. She is also crying, albeit for a different reason. Perhaps she is crying out of fear of the constant grumbling in her stomach. A starving beast that will never be silenced. With my best effort, I tune my ears to the conversation you are having with my companion.

"My companion wants you to come to church. I nod my head. Yes, I want that too.

"My companion wants you to be baptized. I nod my head, again. Yes, I want that too.

"But Church is far, and you are not young. You cannot walk, and you cannot ride. I have pesos in my pocket, more than I need. You don't have pesos in your pocket, you don't even have a pocket. You don't have money to get to church. But my companion tells you that you will be blessed for going to church.

"I nod, yes, you will be BLESSED.

"If you go to church, you can be baptized. And here's the best part--after you get baptized you can give your potential pesos to our church. That is, if you have any. Nevermind the fact that our church doesn't actually need your money. Nevermind the fact that I come from a land where our church has a frickin' MALL the size of your entire village. Nevermind. That's not the point. The point is my church needs your pesos. The pesos you don't actually have. My church needs your pesos more than you do. My church needs your pesos more than your daughter needs food. Just remember, you will be BLESSED."

I served a mission to the Philippines in 2012, but forced my mission president to send me home early because I absolutely could not serve will all my heart, might, mind and strength.

The almighty numbers game. The almighty pesos.

I've really grown to hate that corporation.

Not the people in it. Just the organization.

I was one of the early missionaries. The Philippinres was all one mission back in 1969-71. My attitude was "...I am bringing a message to these people. If they won't hear it, that is their problem."

But I was a robot for the church at the time. I had desires to get into the air conditioned mission home and be a spiritual giant. But my attitude of take it or leave it was not getting me enough baptisms to anoint me with that privileged life.

I just learned to love the people because in spite of widespread poverty, I could see that they were happier than I was, and they treated me like I was special even when I was not deserving.

But it took me a long time to remove the tentacles of Mormonism that were established in my brain. I slowly pulled on them and they eventually gave way. To this day I have a special place in my heart for all Filipinos and for all asians. I even found one of my companions here on RFM.

On my mission ( 76 to 78 ) , it was ALLLL about the numbers , also. We were all made to feel like dipshits if our #'s weren't high enough .

very touching. thank you.

Ano ba iyan? What tripe. :(

Thanks for sharing that.

Just adding one more note/coffin nail:
It really doesn't matter what country you are in; Holy Joe's filthy scam of a church needs MONEY for the mormon god more than poor children need to eat.

EVIL CULT.