I thought missionaries could call relatives on christmas, but my mom just told me that she's pretty sure they can only call "home" i.e. the parents. I thought they could call any family member.

What are the actual rules (if it matters, all parties are in the USA)?

I was supposed to call parents and only talk for an hour. I blew that way out of the water and called other people.

I think it's mission dependent, but I know I was only allowed to call home for 30 minutes and I could only talk to immediate family members. If random friends/extended family members were there, I was not allowed to talk to them per mission rules.

Of course, I was overseas so the mission prez was worried about long distance bills, but it was ridiculous.

Never mind. I believe. You just can't make this stupid shit up.

thanks for the replies, guys. that is depressing news.

DH was allowed to call from Europe to different homes for divorced parents and a sister who was in the Army at the time. You may be in luck.

In fact, we were checked up on to make sure we didn't call home for the holidays. It was kind of a knowing "So, what did your mother say when you called home?" If you were a good missionary, you'd reply "What? I didn't call home for Christmas." This was in the Ireland Dublin Mission 1987-89.

In my opinion, it was worse in the Utah Ogden Mission where my brother served. His area was across the street from the Salt Lake Temple where I was getting married in 1993. The temple was just over the mission boundary. Not only did they deny his request to attend my wedding IN THE TEMPLE, but they put him on splits with the APs to make sure he didn't walk over and attend. My brother is a TBM, but it is a sore spot for him to this day.

I think back on these things and look now at all the Mormon posturing and handwringing about families, and no one can convince me that this is not a cult.

We weren't allowed to call home either, for any reason. We had a couple of missionaries who had to leave the mission early for "medical" reasons. In those instances, only the Mission President called the families in question. Bizarre. But then this was 1980-82 and maybe it's better now?

go along with this nonsense. But of course 11 years ago, I would have done anything they told me to.

Why on EARTH would they CARE if a missionary calls home, as long as he pays the phonebill? Why wouldn't they WANT a missionary to attend a family wedding across the street from his mission area?

It just shows how controlling and cultlike the church is. It's all about rules and authority.

He already let his mother know that he will be calling twice on Christmas, once in the morning and again in the afternoon.

I get the impression that he will make the "official" call first so he can keep the appearance of obedience to the stupid rules. The second call will probably be from one of the more liberal member's homes. I've encouraged him to break the rules in every letter I've sent him so he knows we won't rat him out.

Stupid cult.

You have conspire with your own son to break a church rule to be able to talk freely for Christmas.

Families. Isn't it about time... to ditch the middle man?

I just don't know for sure how much reality he's buying into. I do know he begs me to keep writing so I'm hopeful he will be among the reported 60% of missionaries the church loses. I'll find out in a couple of months when he gets home.

Stunted.

Yeah, my brother doesn't break rules. My aunt is trying to get lunch with him on christmas (keep in mind, she is not mormon, my parents are both converts) and she got approval from the mission president or whomever, but he's still being difficult as she tries to arrange a place, because she doesn't know what his mission borders are and there's no way he'll cross them.

My aunt is also pretty irritated because she wanted to take him to my sister's for christmas -- which is where she'll be on her way to when she stops for lunch with him -- and is only about 45 minutes away. But no, that would be apparently the worst thing in the world. I'm hoping if nothing else, he'll call me from her cell phone, but I find it unlikely.

Sorry about this, puck. (((Hugs)))

TG