I knew it was coming. Just didn't know when.

After a few months of reduced attendance and activity, followed by a complete and total abatement, the FT missionaries have requested to meet me to "see how I'm doing."

My close ward friends all know. Their reactions have ranged from "I hope this is just a temporary thing" to "in all honesty I'm surprised you didn't leave years ago." I've been very happy with the reaction. It means that I can remain cautiously positive that our friendship can survive.

The mishies however are employees of the Church. The ward mission leader and the bishop are friends, so I'm sure that conversation happened.

I've agreed to take them to breakfast. They originally wanted to meet at my home. Responded that we'd need to meet in "neutral territory." I'm generally interested in talking to them about the policy changes and hope to enlighten them by not being adversarial. However, I doubt they know much of the policy change as they've have no access to outside media.

Will be sure to report back.

please do..

Slight correction: Missionaries are not employees of the corporation. They are abused volunteers coerced into nearly mandatory services that is cloaked as freely offered. In reality they are hounded and guilted (and sometimes blackmailed and bribed) into their position of powerlessness. If you can get them to realize and admit this you will have won the lion's share of the debate.

I know what you mean, and it is possible that the pair who show up might realize this, and just enjoy a nice breakfast.

But from reading mishie blogs, there are still a goodly number who see themselves as holding hands with Jesus as they walk up to your door. They want you to take Jesus' hand, too. When they move, you can hear the kook-aid sloshing about inside them... spooky...

Pooped Wrote:
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> Slight correction: Missionaries are not employees
> of the corporation.

I read the OP's statement to mean that they were employees of
the Church in their real-life jobs.

Just being facetious. Contrasting someone who's just reaching out to me because they're obliged to ("employee") versus those who genuinely care - my friends.

Tell them you're doing great, that you're so much happier, that your mind is clear and the future looks fantastic.

Still, I think it's none of their business "how you're doing."

That excuse sounds intrusive and somewhat negative to me.

I tend to assume others are doing well unless I have evidence to the contrary.

since when is a volunteer considered an employee ?

Consider that you don't owe any official visitors from the church any explanations at all. Your close friends know. Isn't that enough?

You're right. I don't owe them anything. But I want them to know exactly why I'm leaving. I was a cheerful, active, millennial member who went out of his way to try and make the place lively. Even if I'm just a drop in the bucket in terms of tithing dollars, I want them to know that their actions have real life consequences to the sustainability of the church.

This bishopric has chosen to speak through the mishies. That's fine with me.

We had a new senior missionary couple who kept showing up unannounced. I'm not exaggerating when I say they kept circling the house looking in windows and knocking on anything that might lead to entrance. I let them in a couple times so they just kept showing up to pray with us. One day my husband, who is ill, was sitting in his chair just wearing a shorty robe while I had on shorts and a tank top sans bra. I was so tired of them, I just opened the door and let them in. Haven't seen them since!