So my daughter missionary was allowed to call home on Mother's Day, but not today for Father's Day. Why is that? I can't think of any reason for this policy. I asked her on Mother's Day and in a letter to please try to call me and that Fathers are people too. I know it is not under her control.

Had a great time fishing with my two younger kids today...wish I could have at least talked to my oldest, the missionary.

Stupid church. So glad I don't attend.

I thought about that too. I don't have a missionary out but it struck me as unfair, as I drove by the house of a friend yesterday, who has a son in Europe. I know he called her on Mother's Day - she told me about the conversation. I also knew that her husband wouldn't be getting a call. My only guess is that the church wishes it's missionaries NEVER got to call home so they could control them better. But they need moms on their side so they allow it for Mother's Day and Christmas.

My wife who is TBM offered to let the Elders when they dropped by last night the opportunity to call their dads, and one said that if he called his dad from his mission when he wasn't supposed to his dad would get PISSED. (or mad) and that the best way that he could honor his father was by keeping the mission rules.

What a bunch of BS

Most of the fathers have served missions, and know about the BS. The Big Fifteen probably fear a heart to heart between Dad and the elder, while Mom, unless she was a sister missionary, will probably just repeat standard dogma.

What? How uncool!

It's been that way pretty much forever. I'm not sure why they are only allowed to call on Mother's Day & Christmas.

Even worse if there is a death in the family - e.g. a parent dies missionaries are STRONGLY encouraged to stay on their missions and skip the funeral.

I understand that calling on Christmas amd Mother's Day is a tradition and is not required. A MP does not have to allow it. So sad.

I knew very few missionaries that kept the no phone call rule. We used our common sense and bought prepaid phone cards. Or used different mobiles.

all part of control/enforcement of silly rules:


"I REQUIRE that my children wear swim fins & masks while they're in the house; there's No Value to it other than teaching Obedience"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/18/2012 03:20PM by guynoirprivateeye.

You seem like you would be an awesome parent. I was always forced to dress appropriately.

I guess it's some sort of misguided respect thing for motherhood................... strange though that you can be excommunicated for openly talking about Heavenly Mother, even in a positive manner.

This one is too easy.

A missionary will never tell his mother, "I have lost 40 pounds and have had chronic conjunctivitis for seven months with no permission to see a doctor. I may be losing sight in the right eye. Pray that it comes back when I get off my mission."

That mother, no matter how TBM, will be on the phone IMMEDIATELY demanding to speak to the mission president.

Whereas, the very same story told to his father, who served a mission himself, will bring a very different result. He will say, "You have to count on God to watch over you, your faith will sustain you. Suck it up and we'll get that eye tended to first thing when you get back. Try and get some antibiotic ointment from one of the members on the QT. And don't let mom know. I love you son." And he goes back to the game on TV.

Anagrammy

A prime reason WHY I never went on a mission...or wanted to...

Anagrammy, at one time I had pneumonia, scabies and lice all at the same time. I couldn't give a crap about mission rules on the phone issue. I called home at least twice a month and I never felt an ounce of guilt.

Aren't you a woman? It isn't a trial of your nuts for women. You go or don't go, no big deal. Call or don't call--whatever. Come home early and there's no big hoo-haw, right?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't women get a pass on the cojones test aspect of a mission?

Ana

It wouldn't have mattered if I were a woman or not. I was a free thinker and only obeyed the rules that made sense to me. (My brother was the same way on his mission.) I had plenty of elder friends who thought similarly and we happened to be more "successful" than many of the Mobots.

And, yes, I am a woman and I took my mission as seriously as any elder. Coming home early would have been a "big hoo-haw." It's a tad insulting for you to insinuate otherwise but I get where you're coming from given the patriarchal nature of the org.

As for anatomy strength, vadge is way tougher than nuts.