I have been on a roller coaster the last few days.

I got a new granddaughter yesterday which was great.

I have grandkids ranging in age from 22 down to infant.

A grandson got his mission call today. It is to a poor and dangerous country. Everyone is posting their excitement about it and all I feel is sad. Sad that he withdrew from college weeks before the semester was over to wait for this call. Sad that it will be 4 years till he sees his older brother who is not going to be home till after he is gone. Worried about his safety. Not in agreement with the whole missionary thing at.all.

I don't even want to respond to the FB post about it. I can't lie and if I say what I really feel, all he@@ would break loose.

Today, I really miss my ex husband (also exmo) who died in 2014 and was someone I could commiserate with about the family.

I.Hate.this.cult.

(((gemini)))

I too just left a mission call 'party'. He is my sons life long childhood friend and like another son to me. He was called to the Ukraine. Everyone was hooting and hollering and so many happy tears. I am nauseated. This sweet, kind, naive 18 year old kid is going to the Ukraine? Anyone out there familiar with this region?
I hate this cult as well. Despite all the posting and cheers, this is NOT normal. Especially after the Brussels bombing I think it's safe to say, the Lord doesn't always keep his missionaries safe. I am so grateful my son is out of the cult and going to college!

The Ukraine was where Malaysia Airlines flight 17 was shot down by a surface to air missile. At one point afterward the Mormon church removed 23 missionaries from the Crimean peninsula due to civil unrest. It's not a place I would want to send anyone I care about.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865597699/23-Mormon-missionaries-in-Ukraine-transferred-due-to-civil-unrest.html?pg=all

I have a good friend who lives in Ukraine. He says things aren't so bad now. Not all parts of it are dealing with unrest. The real trouble is mainly in the east.

But I don't blame you for worrying and/or being sad about the mission itself. It's a waste of time and money, especially in a place like Ukraine.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/2016 02:13AM by knotheadusc.

Gone girl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I too just left a mission call 'party'. He is my
> sons life long childhood friend and like another
> son to me. He was called to the Ukraine. Everyone
> was hooting and hollering and so many happy tears.
> I am nauseated. This sweet, kind, naive 18 year
> old kid is going to the Ukraine? Anyone out there
> familiar with this region?

Donetsk? Kharkov?
I tried hard to look like a local in Kiev and yet that didn't protect me from a street scam attempt. Imagine one dressed in a suit, tie and nametag. Russians and Ukrainians are not stupid. And they,ve got the Lord if they need him, He presides over the Orthodox Church.

I have this idea to contact someone at www.ubcchicago.org for more information on how to deal with this matter. Tell the friend to take off his shoes when invited into someone's apartment and always accept whatever beverage is offered (mine was some Kool-aid-like drink). Elevators are shaky and potholes are aplenty, but Heavenly Father will protect him as long as he doesn't come across as a know-it-all who expects investigators to listen and never question.

Also tell him to forget about a Utah-raised young Molly when his mission is done, as all women there are a million times more beautiful, and they're just as wanting to get married. ;)

BTW, not to grasp straws but it's Ukraine, not "the" Ukraine.

My sister-in-law is from the Ukraine; Poltava. She and my brother were just there in January. She'll be over tomorrow for Easter, so if you have any questions, let me know, and I'll ask her.

Their mission wasn't so much about teaching religion as it was to help literally keep members alive. One old guy needed the mishies to measure his blood sugar and give him insulin. They were carefully trained to do this, but still. . .He said that the terror of making a mistake and killing the old guy was an ongoing terror.

At other times, they carried wood and groceries to snowbound families. The few times they tried to work in a city area, they were often spat at, and punk kids tried to provoke them into fights. It was a very hostile environment.

When the kid came back, he was like a zombie for a long time. He didn't marry until he was well into his 30's. We live in the High Desert of the Southwest; he chose to go to medical school way back East, away from family.

We got a wedding announcement, but no mention of the temple. Judging from the young man's facial hair and happy expression, I bet he has left the church. For his sake, I hope so.

I hope that things have gotten better there, for your sake, but I would encourage the young mashie to develop "symptoms" and come home as soon as he can.

I have a step BIL who served his mission in Ukraine, and there were times when he and his companion couldn't leave the apartment and had to stay away from the windows because it was too dangerous where they were. It wasn't just that, but he also had intestinal parasites when he came home.

I was at JFK several months ago and met about 6 missionaries returning from Ukraine. Several had been in districts where they had to be evacuated during the Russian invasion. There were some members there trying to get the missionaries to share how well the church is doing and tell some faith promoting stories. The most social of the missionaries kept changing the subject to how glad they all were to be home and to see their families and girlfriends in a few hours. I did not hear the church is doing well or hear any faith promoting stores.

Well, I'm glad that you are commiserating with us. I'm sure you must be very worried. Perhaps you can PM him on Facebook and tell him that his safety is the most important thing, and that if he ever needs your help, to contact you.

I wish I could tell my 19-year-old self the truth. I wish I could have gone to college and not throw two years away. I do regret my mission. Even though I went in 86-88 it seems that was such a critical time to throw so much effort towards nothing.

I'm sure the kid is pressured by everyone to go. I'm sure that he has no support from anyone if he were to decline serving.

Please let him know (I'm sure you already have) that you are there for him no matter what happens.

Good luck to you all.

So sorry you have to deal with this. Now that I am out of TSCC I feel sad when I hear of relatives going. I hope your grandson stays safe.

My nephew is in South America and was sick right off the bat. Now he's sick again. When I asked his parent about it they said he looked fine in his pictures. Seriously? Parent wasn't worried? It's going to get worse as he's going to a much more remote area where things will be much harder than being in the city.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/2016 01:12AM by formermollymormon.

I don't understand this way of thinking--that children barely out of high school are sent off to some very shaky places far away and put in the care of some (often times) very shaky people and for a very shaky purpose. I just don't get it!

And if my child should be ill or injured, s/he might be coerced to either remain and finish or return to shame and disappointment? I just don't get it!

I don't get it either. They are lucky to get any converts at all. They have contacts that say they will come to church and they don't show up. This is a constant theme in my nephew's mission letters. Very few people are interested. He did manage to baptize an older lady. He said they would visit with her for hours. She wanted companionship and that's why she was easy pickings. He's even made comments that the numbers aren't the focus.

My son's TBM inlaws sent their voluptuous blond daughter to Equador.

While she and other missionaries traveled on a bus, she nodded off only to awaken to a gun barrel touching her head. All missionaries were robbed except her because her backpack was underneath in the bus cargo compartment.

Her TBM family went on and on at how lucky she was that her things weren't stolen.

LET'S REVIEW THE FACTS:

Georgeous blond wakes up on bus in South America with gun to head.

TBMs so grateful that SOMEHOW her backpack was protected in the cargo hold.

Is it just me or ...

That's an insane story 'better go anondo' and illustrates the delusion of these parents. I was one of them. My oldest son was called to Ecuador. He has shared many crazy stories. Unfortunately at the time I was positive he was being protected by his mp and God himself. I feel so irresponsible now that I can see the situation from a higher vantage point. He was just a young kid! He's out of the church now. As is my second son (finally). I am hoping I won't have any grandchildren born into this horrible 'church'/ culture.

But congratulations on the new baby. How lovely!

I'm sorry for your predicament, Gemini. And I guess I missed that your ex had passed. I'm sorry. I know you were able to keep a decent connection.

Just let your grandson know that you are there for him. If he ever needs someone to communicate with who will listen and won't expect faith-promoting stuff where there is none, you will be glad to listen.

It's criminal what they do to those kids.

Yes, I want to tell my grandson that he can talk to me about anything. I am really worried for his safety because he is so trusting, and seems so innocent and naive.

There is some good that can come from it. I grew up a lot during my mission and learned a foreign language, which I use a lot in my work and helped me graduate college early due to testing out of many courses. I am SO glad to be out of the church now, but the mission experience gave me some opportunities that I am grateful for. Learning Russian or whatever language they speak there could be a great thing.

Any progress towards asking your grandson to snub this call? How dangerous in this place?

I believe travel is one of the best things a young person can do to expand his mind and horizons.

It is so unfortunate that these kids are wasting that opportunity by going in with the intention of avoiding the culture while attempting to impose their own. Add to that the terribly dangerous attitude that they will be magically protected and it becomes a recipe for disaster.

Hopefully your grandson will be able to gain some valuable perspective and experience by leaving his comfort zone without coming to any serious harm.

about grandchildren being sent to awful places for absurd reasons.

Now, if one of them became a medical specialist of some sort and decided to take part in "Doctors without Borders," I would be proud.

But no more family on missions. I am SO grateful for that one.