You who were rebels on your mission:

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by tooblue

Ya big baby, you should've put him in his place then and there and not wait for the next meeting ...

Its easy to look back and say what I should have done. Keep in mind I was only 20 years old. I was still under the idea that leaders in the church infallible (They are called of God right?). Add that on that I am not the most confrontational person in the world.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by Archaea

I was so thrifty, I came home with extra money I had invested in German securities.

I was pretty thrifty also, although I didn't invest in securities. Instead, I designed a portable stereo (this was before there were boom boxes, mind you) and purchased compnents and tools to build it. It would break down for easy packing but could be put together for use in the next apratment.

I also saved up and bought a full length black leather coat that my MP's wife hated. I got it becasue I thought it looked sort of menacing and for some reason I liked that but I discvoered that it was actually pretty practical at cutting the frigid wind in Canada where I served, so I ended up wearing it more than I thought I would. I still have it, although the lapels are a little large to wear now.

[Archaea]

It was really just a fancy Certificate of Bank Deposit.

Now we served when our monthly outlay was 200 bucks. I came home with about a thousand and unfortunately left a couple hundred marks in an account that I lost. I know it wasn't much but for some reason, God has given me insight into financial matters, except for teaching others who lack such insight, i.e., the wife.

[tooblue]

Originally Posted by Mormon Red Death

Its easy to look back and say what I should have done. Keep in mind I was only 20 years old. I was still under the idea that leaders in the church infallible (They are called of God right?). Add that on that I am not the most confrontational person in the world.

Understood ... whereas I am an extremely confrontational person.

[DirtyHippieUTE]

This may surprise some but I was that AP who would always seem to be waiting at your appartment the night you stayed out too late. I had just come out of basic training and obedience to rules was kind of programed into my head. I honestly don't think I ever knowingly broke a rule (by omission or comission).

Fortunately, I had some serious slacker zone leaders who showed me that a guy can be a good person without waking up every single day at 6:30. It was frustrating for me because I worked my butt off to be successful and some of these slackers didn't seem to care.

One elder (Elder Parada) put his arm around me after I had just scolded him for various slacker issues. He said (translated), "Well... My friend... I'll try harder. That's all I can do." It may seem simple but it was the "my friend" part that got me. We were friends. Despite our different opinions regarding mission rules we were still good friends and I truly enjoyed his company.

Life was a little easier after that. It was much easier to love the sinner and hate the sin.

As far as presidents go... Mine was more like a boss. He ran things very well and didn't put up with a lot of crap. I think he decided early on that he didn't care about becoming every elder's idol or substitute father. He was kind and all but never that drippy MP that everybody seems to fawn over. I think it served him well. I've known several friends who had a MP that spent way too much time working on their talks so that the elders would go home and talk about what a great man their president was. Our mission was pretty much about work and common sense.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by DirtyHippieUTE

This may surprise some but I was that AP who would always seem to be waiting at your appartment the night you stayed out too late. I had just come out of basic training and obedience to rules was kind of programed into my head. I honestly don't think I ever knowingly broke a rule (by omission or comission).

No it never surprised me, as you're just a yewt. Sorry had to do it.

My trainer actually broke me in to the idea that not all rules were created equal, when our first appointment turned out to be a double date, and it was no joke. He had eyes for a seventeen year old beauty with an eighteen month old baby. The next thing I know, I'm sitting there barely speaking German as we go to play squash with two gals hitting on me, and me wondering where the hell my comp went. He was interesting to say the least.

We woke up whenever he thought he had enough beauty sleep. I woke up on time.

I also remember going to the gym where another elder attacked me to wrestle and another elder showed off his perfect tan he acquired during lunch and on pdays at the gym. This was in the seventies.

Needless to say I just kept my head down, probably grumbled a bit, when they gave me beer to drink, thinking that was a hoot. Eventually the rowdy group left, and I got some great comps, but alas I labored indefinitely as an eternal DL. I wanted to be ZL so I could get out of the rain and drive a car, but aparently President Killpack thought my written reequests for a car for every elder was too much.

[RockyBalboa]

About 7 months left in my mission...Good Ol' Roger Ball from Idaho,,,aka King B Beef Jerky man and Millionaire several times over became our new Mission President.

Our first ZL meeting with all the ZL's we told the President the last thing you should do is tell the missionaries that you trust them to do the right thing.

He ignored our advice and that mission went to hell in a hand basket for about 18 months.

He just needed time to find his niche as MP, but when he said to the missionaries "I trust you to do the right thing and follow the rules." He basically signed the spiritual death warrant of that mission.

My 2 years were up and things were really beginning to unravel. About 6 months later the MP went on a binge and purge throughout the mission and sent several elders and a few sisters home.

It took him being out there for 2 1/2 years before the mission got back to the point where it had been.

The point: NEVER trust 19 year old men away from home.

[DirtyHippieUTE]

Originally Posted by Archaea

when they gave me bear to drink

That must be an awful drink...

You didn't get any Bear Spray on you did you?

[non sequitur]

I could write a book.

One thing that stands out is the time I got into a very heated "discussion" with the MP. I was a ZL and lived in an apartment with 6 elders. Two of us were zone leaders. One of the missionaries had a tape player that he used for filmstrips. The tape player had a built-in radio with a.m., f.,m., and short wave. Every once in a while we would use the short wave to pick up armed forces radio and listen to sporting events. The mission presidet got wind of this and told the other ZL to inform the missionary that he needed to turn his radio into the mission home. I told the missionary that it was his radio and that the MP had no right to take it away from him. I told him not to turn it in. The other ZL couldn't wait to go running to the MP and tell him what I had told the other missionary. The MP was pissed. I mean, really pissed! I was called into his office, where I was informed that I was no longer a ZL and that I had been transferred to the least desireable city in the mission.

We got into it pretty good. I recall that at one point I told him he was a joke and that none of the missionaries had any respect for him. And he was giving it back to me pretty good also -- I think you could classify it as the exact opposite of gentle chastisment.

I never spoke with the MP again until after the mission. I saw him at a reunion and he came across the room and gave me a big hug. It was kind of awkward, but I returned the hug. I guess that means there was a happy ending.

[Robin]

Originally Posted by non sequitur

I never spoke with the MP again until after the mission. I saw him at a reunion and he came across the room and gave me a big hug. It was kind of awkward, but I returned the hug. I guess that means there was a happy ending.

IMO there should be NO 'happy endings' with missionary presidents.