Rumors of 19 year old females going on missions

[Pheidippides]

It shouldn't be a family decision, that's my point.

It's rare, but it happens, and if it does the church shouldn't let 18-19-20 year olds make those types of decisions.

Something simple like, The Lord now wants you to serve your family during this painful time.

My BIL was not allowed to come to my daughter's funeral. He was in the MTC and the funeral was 20 minutes away. It may have been that he chose to stay out - I only know what I was told - but even at the time it seemed to be a silly decision by whoever made it. So I agree. Even if it's just leave for a period of time based on relationships - who better to comfort an LDS family than a son or daughter that has been steeped in the work until that moment.

[fusnik]

Seriously. I wouldn't have taken you for someone who believes the church should get involved in a family decision.

It shouldn't be a family decision, that's my point.

It's rare, but it happens, and if it does the church shouldn't let 18-19-20 year olds make those types of decisions.

Something simple like, The Lord now wants you to serve your family during this painful time.

[creekster]

i didnt extend. I actually went home around 6 weeks early

I came home two+months short of two years so I could start school again. It was an honorable release. Supposedly my MP had to get permission from SLC to allow it. So I got that going for me.

[MarkGrace]

I went home a couple weeks early so that I'd only miss one March Madness, which is what I had planned from the outset.

[The_Douger]

I went home 9 days short of the day I entered the MTC. The way the changes worked that time, I didn't really feel like spending a third Christmas and Thanksgiving on my mission. So, I went home. Everyone from my group did as well, except for 2 guys.

[Northwestcoug]

I had a companion whose father passed. He talked extensively with his family, this is what dad would want. Brothers opining on what he should do. The consensus from his family seemed to be that he should stay. After the 3rd or 4th call home he asked what I would do and I said if my pops died there is nothing in this world that would stop me from going home and laying my dad to rest.

My comp left the next morning.

The church shouldn't even give you a choice, parent, sibling, dies should = automatic release.

Yeah, there should absolutely be no pressure to stay or return.

Thinking about my comp more, his dad's death was a complete shock. I'm pretty sure he was at peace with his decision to stay on the mission, and I didn't think one way or the other about it. He wrote a eulogy to be read at his dad's funeral. He finished his mission and I didn't hear from him again for a long time. I'm not sure if he feels the same way now he did then, but he has strayed in and out of activity as far as I know. I'm not making any correlation, just sayin'.

[byu71]

The church shouldn't even give you a choice, parent, sibling, dies should = automatic release.

Seriously. I wouldn't have taken you for someone who believes the church should get involved in a family decision.

[TripletDaddy]

i didnt extend. I actually went home around 6 weeks early

[smokymountainrain]

I had a companion whose father passed. He talked extensively with his family, this is what dad would want. Brothers opining on what he should do. The consensus from his family seemed to be that he should stay. After the 3rd or 4th call home he asked what I would do and I said if my pops died there is nothing in this world that would stop me from going home and laying my dad to rest.

My comp left the next morning.

The church shouldn't even give you a choice, parent, sibling, dies should = automatic release.

[falafel]

I was asked to extend. I entered August 5, 1998 and was asked to extend through the cycle going home August 22, 2000. I was hesitant, because that meant I would arrive home on a Friday and start college the next Monday. But I didn't want to tell my MP no, either. I told my MP that I wanted to extend, but asked if I could call home and discuss the logistics with my parents. When I called, they told me they had just purchased non-refundable plane tickets to come to Guatemala to pick me up on July 20 (my original departure cycle). Aww shucks.

So I got the glory (and the glory was great!) of being willing to extend without having to actually do it. Win-Win.

Something like that happened to me. There was a new president and they switched up the transfer schedule. I could either go home 3 weeks early or 3 weeks late. At the time, I didn't like the thought of not having "served the whole two years," so I stayed an extra 3 weeks. My mom was furious. In retrospect, there was no real reason to stay another 3 weeks.

[Donuthole]

The church shouldn't even give you a choice, parent, sibling, dies should = automatic release.

Yep. The only choice should be if the missionary wants to go back out. If he/she decides not to go back out, he/she still gets an honorable release. It's like winning the worst lottery in the history of mankind.

Now my creative juices are flowing and I think this would make for a compelling short film. Missionary struggles with mission life. Decides he wants to go home, but can't decide whether he's willing to accept the negatives that come from such a decision. Prays multiple times a day about his decision. Then, boom.

[fusnik]

I've always thought it very strange when missionaries don't go home at least for the funeral of a parent or sibling who dies. Especially when it is the missionary who decides they don't want to interrupt their service.

I had a companion whose father passed. He talked extensively with his family, this is what dad would want. Brothers opining on what he should do. The consensus from his family seemed to be that he should stay. After the 3rd or 4th call home he asked what I would do and I said if my pops died there is nothing in this world that would stop me from going home and laying my dad to rest.

My comp left the next morning.

The church shouldn't even give you a choice, parent, sibling, dies should = automatic release.

[RC Vikings]

Holy shit that's crazy! Go home, dude! Imagine having the rest of your life to regret missing your dad's funeral so that you could keep up appearances in your stupid mission that you could go right back to at any time.

If I was an oldest son and my mother needed me home for the funeral I would have gone if not I would have stayed out to delay the reality of losing my father.

[byu71]

For the record, I wasn't asked to extend, and I certainly wasn't going to do so willingly.

When asked to extend I have done so willingly and happily. I am a pleaser.

[thesaint258]

For the record, I wasn't asked to extend, and I certainly wasn't going to do so willingly.