That had to be the strangest “send off” Party ever, not to mention the fact that the kid doesn’t leave until summer (???). The mom, who is a friend of mine, was acting like a bizarro version of herself, saying things like “we have raised him to make this sacrifice, and by presenting the gospel he will change countless lives”. I could not tell if the kid was mortified to see his parents’ histrionic behavior, and all the attention was making him uncomfortable...or maybe he just doesn’t want to go and has no choice? It’s weird to see my friend, who is a smart and successful TV reporter, act like some kind of groupie! I’m kind of shook...

Being high on LDS causes strange behavior, which is normal inside the Mormon bubble. They’re all caught up in an emotionally exploitative cult.

I would only be excited to go if the country destination was interesting. If my mission was in the states I wouldn't be that excited unless it was in a very interesting part of the country. The best thing you can come back with from a mission is communication skills or another language.

momoism is ALL about the emotions, isn't it?

Your friend is very talented at Mormonism. She behaved exactly as programmed. The TBMs there would be impressed.

Many Mormons who are highly successful professionals are capable of leading this type of double life that you have witnessed. The facade they show to their own is as you say "bizarro" to the nevermo. They know better than to show you that in real life.

You caught a rare glimpse into what it means to belong to a cult.

And these days, with no one wanting to buy what Mormons are selling, the poor kid probably doesn't want to go on the mission, would give anything not to, but has been raised to sacrifice himself for his parents personal glory--making their facades glow brighter.

Who does the mother love most? Her son or her facade?

Done & Done Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You caught a rare glimpse into what it means to belong to a cult.

Yes. It was so strange to see when that happened, the crying, the 'believing' the 'testimonies.'

Can you imagine being a senior in highschool and having a missionary farewell. Can you imagine having a mission waiting for you after school? I suspose the kid is already booked. Hope he didn't get Guatamala or Ebolatown Africa.

My first year out of highschool was one of the best years of my life, on my own at college far from home.

Then came my stint of servitude for the cult - which wasn't exactly the best two years of my life.

This parent is putting extreme pressure on her son, cornering him to go.

Missionary Farewells are frowned upon by the Mormon church anyway.

She is on the extreme side and her son may yet decide he won't go.

THANK WHOMEVER! I found this kind of behavior, like you said, bizarro. I can't believe I stayed in so long. Only one of my brothers served a mission and he is mentally and physically disabled. He NEVER should have been sent on a mission. It changed him in ways that have never repaired themselves. He is 53. My mother didn't throw a party for his departure either.

I really feel sorry for the boys. I could never have gone on a mission. Even my daughter couldn't bring herself to go. She was considering it and didn't tell me, but I figured it out. I read her pretty well. She could go to Alaska for 11 summers, but she couldn't bring herself to go on a mission.

I feel sorry for this poor kid. The pressure is so horrible. The mother does love the church more than her son. Once my brother came home and my son was 2, I told him he would NEVER serve a mission even if he wanted to.

"we have raised him to make this sacrifice"

Christ, it sounds like a virgin being thrown into a volcano to appease the gods.

Yeah, he has no real choice, unless he wants to be disowned. Sacrifice is great, as long as it's someone else who's doing it, right? Meanwhile, Mom get to bask in the self-righteous glory of having a missionary son and get praise from her fellow Relief Societeers.

Mom will melt down if he ever goes inactive, much less leaves the church. Not blaming him for going with that much cult pressure, but he will have a hell of a life if he can't bring himself to push back after he returns home.

Mom's meltdown may not matter much in the long run. A friend asked a neighbor--some mucky-muck--who works at the church office building what's the biggest challenge facing the church right now. He said it's that so many children of GAs are quitting. When even the top dogs can't keep their kids in, one female TV reporter's histrionic disappointment can't make much of a difference. She probably moves in circles where the dropping out of prominent families' kids is well-known.

Your reporter friend forgot herself in the excitement, and lapsed into speaking pitch-perfect Mormonese. Most of us still can speak Mormonese, and had we been there, we probably could have finished all of her sentences for her.

"Pitch-perfect Mormonese" (luv it) is a "purr-fect" description of Mormontalk.

Years ago a Utah-first-time-visitor Thanksgiving guest was describing being among a bunch of Mormons for the first time.
One of her comments was, "They all sound the same and talk the same. I could have recorded the first conversation and then saved talking to the rest by just playing the recording."

Then she said, "Oh, I so need a glass of wine!"

She also said she felt captive. I asked if any of them had asked her the "Golden Question." I don't know. What is that? When I told her, she rolled her eyes, and we all had a huge laugh. "I like living in San Francisco more and more", she said.

She must put on a show to impress other mormons that she's one of them. Sounds like a sad but hyped up performance.