I find out a few days ago that my parents are going to go on a mission - no surprise. They plan on submitting their paperwork in May and being gone by September.

Then dad says, "we're not sure if we are going for 12 or 23 months - it all depends on how my health holds up."

My response is, "what health problems do you have?" - no response yet. He's all chatty until I ask that question.

This just reminds me how much I love the misplaced priorities of the mormon church. It is such an anti-missionary tool. Look at my family. 5 out of 7 children do not go to church. And out of 14 grandchildren only 1 goes to church. (And I don't see that lasting forever. Peer pressure to have friends. Sort of like, if you don't smoke this joint, I won't be your friend. If you don't join the church, we can't be your friends. Same difference, both will get you thinking crazy when using.)

So, SLC can stick their retention numbers right up their ass.

I digress...

With health problems, you would think my dad would want to be around family. And to be concerned that he may not be able to make 23 months is very alarming, because what will be accomplished if they go on a mission and he passes away.

Nothing!

It will not be a great example to the family. It will just show, yet again, that church is more important as family.

So, as I told my wife, "I guess in a way, they are doing us a favor, showing our children how fucked up the churches priorities are. Church first, family last."