Missionary Girlfriends

[skippy740]

My girlfriend waited for me and we married soon after my mission was completed.

Yes, my mission president ALSO said that she wouldn't wait for me. Yes, he wanted me to focus... but if you knew me, you'd know that I was already focused.

For all missionaries, I'll quote "Best Two Years": Your girlfriend won't wait for you. Your wife will.

In your letters, share testimony and church stories. Your missionary should be writing about his experiences, NOT how much he misses you. That's okay for a signature close, but not for an entire letter. He should write about what he's learning, his companions, his triumphs and struggles. Keep your letters talking about his mission and you'll grow together while you're apart.

If they're more "lovey-dovey" then they'll quickly get boring and you will probably move on to someone else... who is more interesting!

[pam]

My sister met her husband on her mission. They were both missionaries. He was her Zone leader and eventually became an assistant to the President.

They both came home. Kept in touch as they did with many of their former companions etc that were from the same area.

They realized during some of their get togethers that they REALLY REALLY liked each other.

Well they just celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary and have 3 awesome kids.

[Hheinze]

That's great!I'm so happy for you...I'm going through some tough times waiting for my missionary and I didn't expect it being as hard as it's been just this past week.
Anyways,my missionary is going to Samara, Russia and we have a mutual friend serving his mission in Moscow: Elder Larsen from Danville, CA.
Ask your missionary about him for me!!!Hopefully they have met!
Best Wishes,
Heike.

[Generally_Me]

Heike,
The OP posted in october of 2007; her missionary should be home by now.

[Amuller09]

Hi, Well I have heard all the statistics and pay attention to what many people say. What my heart says is a whole different story.
I know i will be able to wait, the one thing i am concerned about is the changing of personalities.
I have known my boyfriend since we were sophomores in high school. (we dated for about a month when we were sophomores and started up again when we were seniors) Of course he changed somewhat during that period of time, but so did I. He was Mormon, I was not. But now (since we have started dating again) I am so different. I feel like our relationship is so strong because of this fact. And when i say different i mean in a good way.
There is also the saying that everyone changes in college. This is true, but me and my boyfriend have been together since high school and a year an a half in college. I feel like we have changed but we changed together. He leaves in a couple months.
Does anyone have any advice for me? encouragement or even reality

[annamaureen]

Originally Posted by LoudmouthMormon

95% of girls waiting, don't stay waiting the entire mission.

Reminds me of my friend... the week her boyfriend left for the MTC she was a sobbing wreck. Four months later she was ring shopping! Everyone I know who planned on waiting for a missionary ended up getting engaged to someone else. Two years is a long time, especially when you're young.

However, that's just my experience! Good luck to the original poster.

[Melissa569]

Originally Posted by cjcampbell

Speaking of guidelines... Mission Presidents tell missionaries all the time that they will not meet their eternal companion in the mission field.

So, seriously: 38 years ago my mission president, Paul H. Dunn, told me that I would lose either my girlfriend or my hair while on my mission. He went off chuckling to himself. I really hate being bald, but we have been married for nearly 36 years now.

Honestly, I think that just sounds like something to help keep them from getting interested in anyone on their mission, or getting distracted, rather than being actual truth (saying this repsectfully, of course).

I also notice that those young men who choose not to go on a mission often get ridiculed. And I do have an opinion about this...

I think missionary work is very noble and honorable, but I'm not sure how I feel about the pressure for ALL young men to do it... Regularly attending church, leading a good life, and studying scripture is one thing. But being a young man and going 2 whole years without being able to acknowledge your need for the oposite gender, and devoting most of your time to serious missionary work... That's not really something every person can do. And by pressuring all young men to do it regardless of who they are inside, I really think you lower the calliber of those out on the field (no offense). Because you will have individuals with their own personal ideals and attitudes about various subjects (particularly the oposite gender), who are being trusted to represent our faith to the rest of the world. And because they are individuals with varying feelings / opinions and degrees of devotion, they may not all follow the rules completely. Especially when the women they are dealing with out there do not share our church's ideals.

[Melissa569]

Originally Posted by annamaureen

Reminds me of my friend... the week her boyfriend left for the MTC she was a sobbing wreck. Four months later she was ring shopping! Everyone I know who planned on waiting for a missionary ended up getting engaged to someone else. Two years is a long time, especially when you're young.

However, that's just my experience! Good luck to the original poster.

Yeah, two years is a pretty long time to wait for a guy, in the prime of your youth and beauty. Especially when, being young, its really hard to tell if you want to spend your whole life with someone (particularly after not getting to spend any time with him for two years). Not to mention the fact that when he gets home, he's going to have every single young woman in the local wards wanting to date him.

Honestly, if I had a daughter who was 18-21 years of age, I would encourage her to only date RM's, so she wouldn't have to worry about any of that drama (and neither would the young men on missions).

[ndcfromak]

I just sent a missionary off about two weeks ago, and although we both were so excited for that day, it was so, so hard. I was a big mess. A bigger mess than I thought I would be. I couldn't look at him after his setting apart, because I knew I would lose it! So I just shook his hand, and tried to keep it brief to follow the rules and keep myself from going crazy. I couldn't talk afterwards. His bishop came up to me and one of his counselors came up to me too... but I really was on the brink of tears. After that, my elder and his family got into his car, and I got into mine. And there I cried. A lot. I had tried very hard before to really feel completely good about his leaving, but it was hard because... well, like most of you, he's my best friend. So I got myself together again (at least temporarily on the surface!) and went back into the chapel. I knew that I needed to understand something I wasn't understanding about the love of the Savior. I really needed the atonement, and I needed to understand it better so that I could receive all the love the Savior was just waiting to give to me!
There was a class in the same chapel that my elder had his setting apart. It's called the Addiction Recovery Program. As a side note, in my opinion, I think everyone should look into it. You learn so much about the Atonement and your potential, and... oh, it's just so good to be there. Some people go because they have large addictions, other people go because they have minor irritating habits they just want to conquer. I never did pinpoint something that I wanted to conquer while attending, but I went to those meetings often, and plan to continue on going. Even though I couldn't think, and continue to have difficulty finding some kind of addiction I have, I am not perfect. You just learn so much about your Heavenly Father, the Atonement, and listening to the Spirit. Really, the class is just on the power of the Atonement and your relationship to the Godhead, so... if you need the atonement (which we all do) you should come! At the very least, read through the manual. There is some beautiful scripture in it.
But I digress. So I went to this meeting, and there is a sharing portion after they read something in the manual. I had missed the reading, so I went in during the sharing portion. I was the last one, and when the person conducting the meeting asked, "Do you have anything to share? How are you?" I totally lost it! Wet face, heaving breaths, the whole nine yards! I was so embarrassed I was so emotional over something I should have been taking joy in!
After they figured out I was sending someone off, I received lots of hugs and the instructor recapped the lesson. The lesson was on trusting in God. That's really all I can remember after that. I know the instructor shared something in Proverbs, but I have no idea what he was talking about. All I could think about was the message: Trust in the Lord. He loves you. He knows what's best.
We concluded with a prayer and I received more hugs. I got into my car and I knew I needed to pray. The temple was right across the chapel we were at, and it was unfortunately closed at this point, but I just parked in front of it for a while and I prayed aloud. I kept saying, "I trust you, Lord. I trust you. I trust you." Then I continued to say that through a prayer of gratefulness-- I said all of the good things about this mission I could think of to Heavenly Father aloud, in my car, through sobs. And then I asked for help to accept the blessing that my best friend, someone I love so much, and desire to love eternally is going on a mission for the Lord, and it's be best and greatest thing he can be doing right now. And having joy in this and trying to continue to grow closer to my Savior is the best thing I can be doing right now. Whenever fear struck me, I said aloud, "I trust you." The fear which I had held onto was beginning to release. It no longer was controlling me. I was releasing it through the Atonement. And then I found such complete peace.
And since that time, although I do miss my missionary so so much; although I think about him all the time, I cannot bring myself to feel terrible about his leaving. I cannot bring myself to feel that this is such a struggle. The Lord has filled me with peace. He has filled me with it. I do take such joy in this, more complete than I can explain, because I talked through it with my Heavenly Father.
So ladies. I don't mean to be over-the-top with this at all. But I, like the girl who started this blog and everyone else who has given positive advice here, wants you to know that there is so much to smile about. Sending a missionary away is difficult, but it's not like we are walking in darkness and we have to wait two years until we see the light at the end of the tunnel. There is light in our lives now, and the Savior wants so badly for us to see it, and stretch our arms out and soak it in! I have such little experience in waiting for a missionary, but I know that the Lord can provide what we need if we come to him humbly, willing to embrace the eternal happiness he freely gives.


PS~ I really can't help myself from sharing the good news that is in the Addiction Recovery Manual, so I've attached the link if you want to look at it (... which, just to be completely clear if I wasn't before, I REALLY would suggest it)!

Addiction Recovery Program

[Truegrits]

Where is it written that the girl has to wait for her missionary to return? Go on a mission yourself. Not only would you be in the service of your Lord and your church, but the time would go quicker, serving, rather than pining away. That just seems like a win/win to me...