Well, I'd already flunked out of two colleges in as many years, so probably I would have flunked out of another two!

I am one of the lucky ones who actually benefited from going on a mission. I had to learn patience and discipline, in order to get through that last nine months without my MP learning just how inactive I'd become.

With Saucie's help, there's a good chance I'll finish growing up by the time I'm 80. I'm sure she has her fingers crossed. (I hope it's worth it, but obviously that has not been much in the way of a goal in my life. But I sincerely believe my dad would be proud.)

I would have gotten through school faster and started my adult life sooner. I must admit that learning Spanish has been valuable in practicing medicine in California, though, and I picked up carpentry and handyman skills as well, which allows me to fix a few things around the house on my own.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/01/2019 10:20PM by scmd1.

I did not know that you served a Spanish-language mission! Which one was it?

Unless you served in Miami, I bet you have trouble understanding your in-laws once they get a head of steam up, cuate!

I served in Bolivia La Paz. We were shipped off to Peru for a good chunk when things got dicey.

I understand maybe two-thirds of what the in-laws are saying unless they speak as they would speak to a two-year-old. I understand more than their own kids do, though. My in-laws deliberately didn't teach their children to speak Spanish, which I think was stupid on their part.

EOD, please let me know once you've read this. I don't want to leave part of it up permanently.

I have read it and committed the good parts to memory! Thank you!

I'm not sure what my viet-nam era draft number was, so IDK; If If If I'd been drafted, IDK
If I'd come back & re-taken my job (kept my seniority), I could have 'really' retired by now, made some wise investments, prolly married a different gal, different kids, etc.

life as a Ry crew member wasn't a glamor job, U seldom got to go to planned events since it's a 24/7 operation, very seldom any days off given. My social & financial life would have been almost 180 away from what happened.s

There were at least two fatal accidents while I was gone that I MIGHT have been involved with, Marysville & Kalama, WA.

My thoughts are those of Alan Arkin, "Grandpa" in "Little Miss Sunshine": "Listen to me, I got no reason to lie to you, don't make the same mistakes I made when I was young. F*ck a lotta women kid, not just one woman, a lotta women."

I missed out. But my stay-at-home friends and even my girlfriend did not miss out. Not even at BYU. Plenty of sex to go around back then, just not for the idiots on missions.

Two full years of NCAA sports competition rather than the mission where malnutrition and malaria ended it for good.

I went 1 year to college then mission. I loved college, was doing well, and wish I had simply stayed home and kept going to college. When I got home I thought I was supposed to hurry and get married - big mistake. I finally got back to college but then was in a big hurry and made some wrong decisions. It took until I was 50 years old to finally free myself from the church.

I used to have a recurring nightmare that I was back in the mission field on a new mission. Would I go on a mission if I had it to do again? HELL NO!!

Actually that was a very nice 2 year vacation in Argentina.
I stayed sober No drugs (downside no dames either) traveled a lot I already spoke Spanish but improved its use.
All in alll it was a great benefit in the rest of my life.
IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW YOU USE IT!!!

I would have experienced two years much closer to what a normal 19-20 year old experiences (without needless guilt). Plus, I would have graduated from college much sooner.

I dropped out of college to go on a mission. I was planning on a mission, followed by eternal marriage and babies. It took me another 30 years to finally finish college. No eternal marriage, no babies and no regrets for either, but regrets about not finishing school back then? I have lots of those regrets.

It was 18 months for me and I must say I did NOT mind spending those months on the French Riviera. I took a break from work to sort out my life plan. It taught me how to get along with really difficult people and stand up for myself. I have no complaints.

The mission got me out of my 100% Mormon life in 100% Mormon environments and let me see a whole new people and culture. It was what I needed having been the perfect dupe for the church up to that point. I had a whole different viewpoint when I returned from that country and ended up at BYU. I liked non-Mormons better than Mormons at that point.

And, I use Spanish every day in my life still.

I'm one of the exceptions to the rule. The mission helped me in many ways. Made it possible for me to be a strong willed apostate, stand up to my family, and know clearly why I was leaving, versus, just becoming a sinning Jack-Mormon which is what I most likely would have done without those 2 years instead.


In many ways the mission was the catalyst I needed.

Continued with my worldly and wicked ways.

I was looking for something to pull me away from that lifestyle and allow me sometime to develop in a new environment that had rules and responsibilities.

For me, the mission did exactly that. No regrets for going.

I would have played around in college more I guess. Which is another waste of time for most people. But if your young and immature it's probably better to grow up a little before you get a real job. I wish my Mormon upbringing and public education would have helped me discover my abilities sooner. This is the great failure of public schools and the Christian Churches, we spend $9,000 a year per student (over $100,000) to get every snowflake educated and most haven't learned what their talents are, how to work, appreciation for western civilization and manifest destiny, why America is Exceptional and the envy of everyone else on the planet, Where to find wisdom in living.

Young people are lost.