Come July I will have a missionary in East Coast North America, Central America, and South America.

Maybe one of them can find where The Book of Mormon really took place...

Missions these days are about converting the missionary and not the people. I say these things in the name of being a father, son, and now an ExMormon with a Mormon ghost past.

Dang, Elder Berry, your children are anchored in the mire.

You must feel like the odd man out.

Who's gonna save who?

Amyjo Wrote:
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> Who's gonna save who?

I'm working on saving them from this awful corporation but I'm failing.

Yesterday the middle child said that her patriarchal blessing said she would be very close to her mission president and his wife. I was like, WTF!

I asked her if other stuff in it was that specific. She told me that she didn't want to share anything else from it with me. I was okay with that. We obey each other's boundaries. I'm just glad she doesn't think I'm disappointed in her being Mormon anymore. I never was. She had to get over my dislike of the church her own way. I've never told them I'm disappointed in them. I've always been upfront about my feelings for their church.

That's gotta be rough. Hang in there.

"Trying" in more ways than one. Yesterday was hard. Grandma gushing was too much. Two kids having "big reveals" on the same day was, woah.


They were just family and friends affairs but seriously. My youngest wanted to go to Europe. She is going to South America. My eldest in Central America was on the video chat and that was fun. Her companion looked so bored.

But I found out that the mission was only going to give her companion a little money for good shoes. My eldest did her a solid and bought her the clothes she needs for her mission. This poor girl doesn't have the money to call home once a week. Barely has enough for the essentials. I'm glad we can help her.

My eldest also wanted to go to Europe but seems to really enjoy where she is. She is in the most dangerous of these three missions. She has hit her hump day, yeah!

$1,200 a month, or more for three kids? I coudn't imagine my nevermo family laying out that kind of money unless it was going towards college, a home, a car, etc.

Or more. I've come to terms with it. It is what it is. I love them and support them even when they do things like these.

If your youngest is going to Peru, I have a son there who would be pleased to 'be there' if she needs support.

Tom in Paris

Thanks Tom. She is going beyond the equator...

I'm sorry you'll have so many out at once. Are they all girls? How did it end up that you have so many of age at the same time? Close together in birth or twins?? ha ha

I'm actually sorry you have any out there. Glad you can at least talk to them and that is wonderful you are helping your daughter's companion to get the clothes she needs. That is SO WONDERFUL.

It works better to do our best to get along. I had to decide to quit arguing with my daughter no matter what she does or says. My aunt and I have even made peace. I have to get pretty blunt with her in terms of why I'm out. Let's see if she is capable of handling it. I tend to believe she has little emotional intelligence. She might have it, but she lets the church influence her too much.

When do they leave?

I have to hand it to you. You are one very brave guy.

I hope that all of your missionaries come home safely!

Thanks for all the wishes for their safe returns. God help me and mine.

cl2 Wrote:
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> I'm sorry you'll have so many out at once. Are
> they all girls? How did it end up that you have so
> many of age at the same time? Close together in
> birth or twins??

Irish Twins and all girls.

> When do they leave?

This summer is when I will have 3 Mormon missionaries.

Condolences.

I'm glad your children know you are not disappointed in them. I'm very proud of my Mormon daughter and her family. I'm heartsick at how the cult is manipulating them, and taking up their time and money, and trying to instill them with fear, superstition, and self-doubt.

I think it's important for us to keep our integrity, our respect for the rights of others, and our unconditional love for others. Your children, and mine are not likely to find these qualities inside the confines of the Mormon cult.

You are NOT "failing"!

It will be interesting to see how your daughter reacts, when she discovers the true characters of the mission president and his wife, whom she has already been brainwashed into revering as "saints."

I don't like the "hard-sell" of Mormons constantly promoting and bragging about each other, especially when they use their callings for credibility.

"Your children, and mine are not likely to find these qualities inside the confines of the Mormon cult."

Especially with those braggart Mormons and misguided leaders.

"It will be interesting to see how your daughter reacts, when she discovers the true characters of the mission president and his wife, whom she has already been brainwashed into revering as "saints.""

I secretly hopes she gets a bad couple. I know this is terrible.

Elder Berry Wrote:
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> "It will be interesting to see how your daughter
> reacts, when she discovers the true characters of
> the mission president and his wife, whom she has
> already been brainwashed into revering as
> "saints.""
>
> I secretly hopes she gets a bad couple. I know
> this is terrible.

I think it would be better that they are decent human beings.

I had an a-hole MP and I watched good elders and sisters knocking themselves out trying to impress the jerk MP. No matter how hard they worked, they always fell short of the Lord's expectations. The MP delighted in seeing them blame themselves for failing to meet ridiculously unobtainable missionary goals.

messygoop Wrote:
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> The
> MP delighted in seeing them blame themselves for
> failing to meet ridiculously unobtainable
> missionary goals.

I suspect the worst. My poor child bending over backward to impress these strangers because some stranger incanted a "blessing" at her telling her to worship these people! Makes me so angry.

I understand your anger and frustration. I just hope that the leaders have a genuine concern for the safety and welfare of your children. What really helped me keep my hope in humans as a missionary were people that were kind and generous. They made up for the Lord's chosen dickhead that regularly told us not to bother him with petty stuff.

I think your missionary children will experience enough "that ain't right-s" to cause their shelves to bend. Try to be patient that it will take a little time to discover that the church is not worth the reward.

Thanks for your thoughts. My eldest appears to have a decent human being as president. He has impressed her but then I wonder how much that is "the mantle" and not a real critical eye towards these people.


I do hope their shelves will bend.

So you didn't just get the one-two punch but the one-two-three punch? Dang.

Hang in there and keep that great sense of humor. And may they all come home safely.

We had 3 kids in 4 years like good little Mormons...

Community college is a much better use of time and money. I'm sorry to hear about your kids. I hope they get a clue before they marry into that cult.

Amen. I'm hoping one might consider a non-member.

Anything that’s hard is good training for life.

Mormon God is a hard sell. I’m pretty sure South America has good Internet coverage. Maybe you could keep them in SIM cards.

Three called in one day? My gosh.

It is a terrible blow. My eldest is half way through her mission thank goodness. The other younger two got their calls on the same day.

I'm never known a couple with 3 kids on a mission. That will be us from June till December.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/11/2019 11:49AM by Elder Berry.

ElderBerry, should one of your kids wind up in Massachusetts, southern NH, or little RI, use the admin's "good offices" and get me your contact info. I'd be happy to extend some hospitality, friendship, support, whatever.

This applies to any- and every-body, should you find yourself in the Bay State. I'll show you the sites, regale you with ex-Christian Science stories, and take those of you who imbibe to the original Sam Adams brewery. (You can have my free samples, too!)

Thanks! My daughter will be in New England. I will look up her boundaries.

If you click my name from one of my posts on the main page you can see my email address. I would love to get an email from you.

This is probably small comfort now but I was just as mired in Mormonism when I was the age of your children. I did the mission and everything. I even planned I'd someday marry in the temple even though I knew it was killing my non-Mormon dad who wanted to someday walk me down the aisle. I'm just sorry my dad never lived to see me leave Mormonism. He and my grandmother knew Mormonism was a scam but they couldn't get through to me.

Time changes everything. Try not to worry too much. There is always hope that someday they will know and understand what you know now. It's a process. You just have to let them make their own life choices, right or wrong, in their own time. At least they aren't I scientology. It can always be worse.

Pooped Wrote:
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> At least they aren't I scientology. It can always
> be worse.

So true. Thanks for your words of encouragement.