We’ve all heard the stories of young people having a terrible time on their missions. These are especially prevalent in the ex-Mormon community where they are used to show how harmful the LDS Church is. Just this last week I was listening to another podcast about a Sister Missionary coming home early because religious scrupulosity (undiagnosed at the time) was causing debilitating physical symptoms. She could not live up the the high standards she and the mission had set for herself. She has since left the Church, and is living a full life with her husband and children.

Every time I listen or read one of these stories, and have some cognitive dissonance in relating to my own mission. I had such a great time on my mission! For those long time W&T readers, you know that I’ve posted about my mission many times. You can read some of then here, here, here and here.

I am so grateful for my missionary experiences. I learned so many life skills on my mission. I attended a year of collage before my mission, with a GPA of 2 point something. After my mission I had a 4.0. I learned to talk to strangers, to get along with weird people (some of my companions). In fact it was so well known, that my mission president actual told me he was sending me the troubled missionaries because he had heard how well I got along with everybody. I learned public speaking skills, and because of that I taught effective presentation skills at my work.

I had a great mission president, that was easy going and not a stickler for the rules. Our mission in Southern Chile (Concepcion) was really spread out. None of our living arraignments had telephones. I would go 2-3 months without talking with anybody in the mission office, including the President. “Teach then correct principles and let them govern themselves” seemed to be the mission mantra.

I have grandkids getting to the age that they will be going on missions soon. I often wonder what their missions will be like. I realize it will never be like mine, those days are gone. I think even the most laid back Mission President is restrained with all the new rules and requirements. For example, on my mission the Zone leaders had a regular companion (both in the companionship were not Zone Leaders, only one). When I was Zone leader we had a Zone Leaders conference in the middle of the mission. I traveled alone by train (as did most of the other ZLs) to the meeting, and then that evening came home alone on the train. I did not fornicate with any of the lolitas on the train. Today a missionary would be sent home for riding a train alone, yet I did it at my Mission President’s direction.

I don’t feel bad for the 50 or so people I taught and baptized. There was no coercion, no baseball baptisms. Most were adults, and any children were baptized with their parents. There was no pressure, and they all enjoyed church. I don’t know how many are still active, but I would guess maybe 20%.

I hope my grandkids get to go to a foreign country, and learn a new language. This will forever change them for the better. I hope they meet interesting people, and eat weird food (tripe soup anybody?)

For those that went on a mission and found it a positive experience, how do you process that with your current feelings about the Church? If you could have a do-over, would you not go on a mission? Even with everything I know today, I would go again (despite the pants pooping incident) . You?