Got my first email from my daughter in Guatemala. Here are some pain points.

"I had to ride a futuristic looking subway train around the airport to get to my terminal and gate. They also did not have payphones. I went to ask the help desk and when they asked if I had a cell phone I just cried, but I was good. A man let me borrow his phone to call home."

"Guatemala Airport: When we landed, we all had to go through customs immediately. Some missionaries tried to exchange money and got really ripped off."

"I am doing great! Everything in Guatemala City, after the volcano is pretty much back to normal; however there is ash everywhere still."


And on a positive note.

"Guys, I have eaten my weight in fresh fruit! They have so many different kinds! My favorite are the mangoes and lechee!! "

I've tried to get my kids to try Lechee to no avail. Now it is one of her favorite fruits! Sheesh.

But no way to call us!!!????!! Not helping kids not get ripped off? Ash everywhere?

Where were the tapir riding handlers? Ash is everywhere.

Grrrrr. Just like the Mormons to rely upon the goodness of non-Mormons in this "evil" World.

Maybe she could go help the people affected by the volcano. Oh, wait- no. She needs to tell them that religion is the most important thing ever.

LOL! Grrr.

My missionary daughter is in Nova Scotia right now. She's eaten moose, has seen 4 moose, eaten lobster...

She absolutely loves her mission (sigh) and the Maritimes (cool!)

6 iron Wrote:
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> She absolutely loves her mission (sigh) and the
> Maritimes (cool!)

Mine loves her mission too and she hasn't even got there. That is the benefit of a MTC in Central America.

She should be wearing a face mask. Ash can harm the lungs.

You need to realize that Mormons have no authority from God, or from anything else. You and your daughter have HUMAN RIGHTS, and you and your daughter have a right to "offend" or "disobey" those irresponsible, unintelligent "tapir riding handlers". Come on, who is more important, some yahoo with poor judgment (who is most likely abusive, also) or your own child?

Is there any way you can contact your daughter, to tell her to wear a mask?

Does your daughter have mace?

A lot of parents give their missionary a cell phone. She should have it with her, on her person, at all times, to call for help in an emergency, or to call home if she is depressed, or for a hundred other reasons. My TBM friends had the Mission leaders try to confiscate their child's cell phone, and they made a big stink about it, and threatened to go and get her and bring her home. She was allowed to keep her phone.

TSCC should have bodyguard missions, or assign each pair of missionaries a "minister," to make sure they are safe and healthy.

I'm friends with an extremely wealthy Mormon family, and they hired a bodyguard for each of their daughters, while they were at BYU. They lived in their own secure house in Provo. The bodyguards also drove them places. Still, one daughter ended up marrying a Mormon con-artist, who were after their money. The wealthy family had all serious boyfriends investigated, and they con-man had clean police record, with no priors. This also happened to me. He conned my parents, too, so no one had him investigated. He did have prior arrests for assault and battery, and also insurance fraud.

You already knew about the mission to which your daughter was being sent. You knew about the volcano. You allowed her to go, anyway. Probably you didn't have enough money or Mormon clout. rich Mormons have their children sent to whatever country they choose. I know this from the inside! Some used their connections with David Haight, with whom I also had a connection. One friend told him that if her son wasn't sent to France, that she would not allow him to go on a mission at all. The kid went to France. My wealthy cousins were all sent to England, and one to Scotland. My brother wanted to stay closer to home, so my parents got him sent to the Northwest States mission, through a GA relative. Yes. This happens ALL THE TIME.

Yes, bad things could happen--but, as a parent, you have the power of preventing a lot of the obvious disasters from happening! Mormons brainwash and lie and scam people into thinking they have no power, but they DO.

If you daughter hates you for a while, she at least will be alive and healthy to hate you. Later, she will thank you--or not. Man, do what you think is right. And, if you fail, you at least tried.

I've been pushing her to wear the face mask. Don't know if she ever will.

exminion Wrote:
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> Yes, bad things could happen--but, as a parent,
> you have the power of preventing a lot of the
> obvious disasters from happening! Mormons
> brainwash and lie and scam people into thinking
> they have no power, but they DO.

I'm one of two parents. We aren't rich or influential. If I forced the issue and she went stateside she would never forgive me.

> If you daughter hates you for a while, she at
> least will be alive and healthy to hate you.
> Later, she will thank you--or not. Man, do what
> you think is right. And, if you fail, you at
> least tried.

I tried. She is an adult being supported by other money than my own. Short of going for the divorce route and intervening, all of my little family knows how anguished I am over this and the lack of wisdom and support LDS Corp has for missionaries.

I told them last night how disappointed I was that nothing has changed in LDS Corp missions. IT is still throw the kids to the wolves and their lord will provide.

I hear you Elder Berry. There is really nothing you can do. It is like trying to "help" an alcoholic. Hopefully she will hit her bottom and not get too hurt in the process. I wish all missionaries could wake up and leave the cult because I know from my mission what an enormous waste of time it was.

I wish there were a patron saint for cult-members that we could pray to so they would be kept safe while immersed in the cult. Sadly there are no such figures for atheists like me.

Guatemala is unfortunately one of the most violent countries on earth. I do hope your child stays safe.

IKR?

Current U.S. State Department travel advisory for Guatemala:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/guatemala-travel-advisory.html

Read it several times.

Payphones? Has anyone of normal missionary age these days ever seen a payphone in person?

I wonder which airport the "futuristic looking subway train" was? This young lady obviously hasn't been in many airports because automated trains are so common in those.

I remember riding one in an airport on the way to my mission, many decades ago. We had time to ride it several times: the church is so cheap that we stopped at three different U.S. airports on the way to our foreign destination, and had layovers longer than five hours at two of those.

She hasn't been to many airports.

Guessing ATL? Not very futuristic in my opinion. But it IS efficient!!

She loves reading dystopias.

Sad about the phone situation and having to beg someone to help.

Liking fruit doesn't seem worth the pain of everything else.

It's probably harder on you than it is for her.

Cheryl Wrote:
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> It's probably harder on you than it is for her.

I get really depressed thinking about her.

I don't blame you. It's both depressing and anxiety-inducing to me and I've never met the young lady. May God or the forces of the universe or whatever is good be in her favor. We're certainly pulling for her.

Hubby will be there in a couple of months. I will try to take some extra precautions. I think it is horrible that LDSInc doesn't do a better job helping and protecting young and older people that go out to work for them. My grandmother was mugged and injured on both her senior missions. She should never have been sent to either place, DC and New Orleans.

Have they talked to her at all about safety? A lot of people have had long-term health problems from being down there from one thing or another. I know this must weigh on you Elder Berry :(

Susan I/S Wrote:
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> Hubby will be there in a couple of months. I will
> try to take some extra precautions. I think it is
> horrible that LDSInc doesn't do a better job
> helping and protecting young and older people that
> go out to work for them. My grandmother was
> mugged and injured on both her senior missions.
> She should never have been sent to either place,
> DC and New Orleans.

They are horrible. It is simply a system to get people out with as little support as possible and a tiny office team to correlate all 100+ people's needs.

> Have they talked to her at all about safety? A
> lot of people have had long-term health problems
> from being down there from one thing or another.
> I know this must weigh on you Elder Berry :(

No. Pisses me off. My wife and other kids defended them last night. It is inexcusable.

It's a good (but expensive) life lesson to never exchange your money in an airport. Hopefully your daughter will pick up tips from experienced missionaries.

Best wishes to her.

summer Wrote:
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> It's a good (but expensive) life lesson to never
> exchange your money in an airport. Hopefully your
> daughter will pick up tips from experienced
> missionaries.

Crossing fingers.

> Best wishes to her.

Thank you.

Send her medical face masks to cover nose and mouth for breathing. Volcanic Ash is a killer. Major lung damage can happen quickly and it never goes away.

WHY isn't the mission/supervisors providing these for their protection? Why aren't they there to make sure they don't get ripped off on exchanges and to get them in tune with local customs and what to watch for?

Good luck.

JoeSmith666 Wrote:
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> Good luck.

Thanks, I'll need it and she will in spades.

Hope you have your passport in order in case you need to go get her.

Working on it.

Little known fact.

The average person can fly to Guatamala. Freak her out. Let her catch a glimpse of you here and there.

Hi Elder, I was really worried about one of my sons (Elder Boner). His missionary emails were so over-the-top. After a couple of months, I resorted to just skimming through them. I suggest you do the same with your wonderful daughter. Send her cards with notes of encouragement, and some cash on her BD.

After EB was home a couple of months—his mission was forgotten. But be prepared for some crazy shit—“we blessed a lady’s dog who had cancer, he got better” stands out in my mind! Bro-hugs, Elder Boner’s Dad.

BYU Boner Wrote:
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> Hi Elder, I was really worried about one of my
> sons (Elder Boner). His missionary emails were so
> over-the-top. After a couple of months, I resorted
> to just skimming through them. I suggest you do
> the same with your wonderful daughter. Send her
> cards with notes of encouragement, and some cash
> on her BD.

Ok. Luckily for me she knows church stuff is not going to fly with me.

> After EB was home a couple of months—his mission
> was forgotten. But be prepared for some crazy
> shit—“we blessed a lady’s dog who had
> cancer, he got better” stands out in my mind!
> Bro-hugs, Elder Boner’s Dad.

I would actually like it if she pulled the blessing of dogs stories out. She is very factual, analytical, and grounded. I've never heard any of my kids go off about spiritual experiences. Maybe it is just my isolation from that side of them? At any rate, she knows she would be mocked if she told us something like that.

I don't know about volcanoes, but we started wearing N95 masks after the Thomas Fire here in SoCal, because even though were being badass during the initial burn and didn't wear protection, the ash got kicked up everywhere. N95, not some crappy nuisance dust mask.

I'll bet she doesn't even realize that according to TSCC, Jesus supposedly showed up in the same part of the world she's in and wiped out cities and tens of thousands of people with a volcano, among other things.

Yeah, *that* Jesus.

Very Christ-like.

Chicken N. Backpacks Wrote:
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> I'll bet she doesn't even realize that according
> to TSCC, Jesus supposedly showed up in the same
> part of the world she's in and wiped out cities
> and tens of thousands of people with a volcano,
> among other things.

She doesn't I don't think. The Limited Geography Theory isn't something my kids know about.

Who, in their right mind, would send their kid into an active volcano zone?

PollyDee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Who, in their right mind, would send their kid
> into an active volcano zone?


If the "kid" is eighteen or older, she doesn't need a parent to send her.

I'm sorry I can't find anything constructive to write. Please know that I've been reading this thread and thinking of you and your daughter. I'm glad to see that you're still on the board. Oh, Elder Berry. What a messed up world.

It feels like a return the anger stage. I feel like I would be more effective if I divorced my wife but my kids would not be happy and I don't think I would be.

Living with a cult is like living with a health condition which flares up periodically and drives one crazy then clams down for a bit but never goes away.

This flare up is 18 months.

No doubt the cult took her passport, as well. I'm so sorry that you're going through this Elder Berry! I was an emotional mess when my daughter was globe trekking for 18 months. She had everything we could think of for emergencies, and to contact us - satellight phone, computer, passport, travel health insurance, access to money etc.- yet, I could not help but worry.

Nobody in the world will love or care for your daughter as much as you. I was thinking that you ought to send her a care package and smuggle her a phone, credit card, money, and a second passport if possible.

...and a mask...

I wish I could convince her that these things are crucial for her but she is completely indoctrinated and brain washed.

I wish the cult were more severe in their ways. She supports gay marriage and they don't. Why don't they add a temple recommend question about that?????

Since the bold and innovative new President is a spry polygamist, we could very well see some new interrogations for the Temple.

I'm praying for it.

Please tell your daughter to first wash and then peel all fruit she eats. Fruit can carry some serious digestive destroying bacteria if not first washed and peeled.

Also, <<<<I've tried to get my kids to try Lechee to no avail. Now it is one of her favorite fruits! Sheesh.>>>>

I know how you feel. I gave my dad a book on aerobic exercises that he stashed under his bed and never read. A few years later he came to me with this new exercise routine he had been taught by a friend called (you guessed it) AEROBICS!! I walked him up to his room and pulled out the book he'd stashed. His reply. "Oh". Sheesh is right.

Pooped Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> His reply. "Oh". Sheesh is right.


LOL!

I would have felt that way, too. And there is no being able to talk logically to a TBM. I've tried with my daughter. It only causes problems, so I keep my mouth shut nowadays. I've been able to for almost a year now. Ha ha ha. Not much self restraint with me.

I have a neighbor who wasn't very active mormon growing up. She has a horrible time sending her kids off on missions, but 3 of 4 have wanted to go. She has a daughter in Mexico somewhere right now. She always comes to talk to me about how much she misses them because she says she knows I won't give her the standard line of how many blessings they are getting, etc.

Interesting thing. The 2 who have returned so far had a good time on their missions from what I can tell. BUT since they came home, life hasn't turned out quite the way they expected in terms of "blessings" from their service. The daughter hasn't married and has gained a lot of weight. The son, who I'm sure is gay and used to spend a lot of time talking to my ex, went to BYU as an athlete and he was supposed to have a scholarship, but the treatment he received as so poor, he decided not to continue in the sport. My daughter even sent me an e-mail asking if I thought the kid is gay. She knows him really well. He is the only son. I'm fairly certain he was so determined on his mission because he thought it would all be taken care of. Really nice kid. At least he knows where we are (2 doors down from his parents) and is close to our daughter. The parents are going to be--I can't begin to imagine how they are going to take this.

Time can't pass fast enough for the next 18 months for you. We'll all be here listening. I'm so glad my daughter decided not to go.

Mine worked like a charm when I was in Europe years ago. The ATM gives you your money in whatever the local currency is. Pounds in the UK, Euros everywhere else when I went. I took out about $200 or so each time I hit the ATM (it was in the hotel, which was very safe) and I traveled with a tour group, so we had "herd-safety."

Good luck. I would be worried silly! (((HUGS)))

When I was in Canada a number of years ago, the ATM gave the best exchange rate. It was convenient, too.

As long as it's not Michael R. Ash, she should be OK ;-)