I just have to say - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

MikeWaters · 02-08-2008, 05:51 AM

that I loved my mission, and I miss it terribly. I miss my fellow missionaries, I miss the members, I miss everyone I knew and met. I even miss the hard times.

Not only do I miss it, I would love to do it all over again. I mourn that that place and time will never exist again.

Indy Coug · 02-08-2008, 01:26 PM

The first step to getting better is first admitting you have a substance abuse problem.

Jeff Lebowski · 02-08-2008, 02:16 PM

Nothing in life quite compares to the "adventure" of a mission. Two years in Japan for a little redneck from Utah was the experience of a lifetime. For many years after my mission I would have dreams where I found myself back in Japan. In some of the dreams, I was there as a civilian revisiting favorite places and people. Those were happy dreams. In other dreams, I found myself back there as a missionary having to pound on doors. Those were more like nightmares. "What the ???? This is not fair! I already did my time!"

myboynoah · 02-08-2008, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

In other dreams, I found myself back there as a missionary having to pound on doors. Those were more like nightmares. "What the ???? This is not fair! I already did my time!"

My mission dreams are all of this type. I guess I'm not as spiritual as Mike.

MikeWaters · 02-08-2008, 02:33 PM

Your first mistake: tracting.

Tracting is a giant waste of time. I did very little on my mission, and I don't regret it a bit.

Spent my time where it would be more effective.

myboynoah · 02-08-2008, 02:36 PM

Our missions were not as life-threatening as yours and Tal Bachman's.

Tracting was the norm, as well as street contacting which was a colossal waste of time (IMO).

MikeWaters · 02-08-2008, 02:39 PM

You gotta do what you gotta do. I had two missions, both in the same mission. THe first was english-speaking in first world and the second part of my mission was foreign-language in third world.

I did some tracting in the first part of my mission. I didn't really like it. I actually spent a lot of my time with the "eternal investigators". I preferred to talk with the people that actually wanted to talk to me. My zone leader was getting on my case about it, but I assured him publicly, but ignored him privately. I don't regret it one bit.

SeattleUte · 02-08-2008, 03:16 PM

Yeah, I miss the disentery, the absence of real books or real music or love, the Lord of the Flies ethos.

Tex · 02-08-2008, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

Yeah, I miss the disentery, the absence of real books or real music or love, the Lord of the Flies ethos.

You can't possibly come here, and miss that.

Archaea · 02-08-2008, 04:25 PM

I enjoyed it while there, but I sit here wondering how I did it, as naive, ill-prepared and uninformed as I was.

I hated tracting and that was what we did ninety percent of the time. Trudging in cold, wet weather up to dirty apartment buildings speaking to people who wished you were dead. What fun.

If I had to do it over again, I'd find much more effective and entertaining methods.

02-08-2008, 05:51 AM	#1
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,367	I just have to say that I loved my mission, and I miss it terribly. I miss my fellow missionaries, I miss the members, I miss everyone I knew and met. I even miss the hard times. Not only do I miss it, I would love to do it all over again. I mourn that that place and time will never exist again.

02-08-2008, 02:16 PM	#3
Jeff Lebowski Charon Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the heart of darkness (Provo) Posts: 9,564	Nothing in life quite compares to the "adventure" of a mission. Two years in Japan for a little redneck from Utah was the experience of a lifetime. For many years after my mission I would have dreams where I found myself back in Japan. In some of the dreams, I was there as a civilian revisiting favorite places and people. Those were happy dreams. In other dreams, I found myself back there as a missionary having to pound on doors. Those were more like nightmares. "What the ???? This is not fair! I already did my time!" __________________ "... the arc of the universe is long but it bends toward justice." Martin Luther King, Jr.

02-08-2008, 02:36 PM	#6
myboynoah Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Memphis freakin' Tennessee!!!!! Posts: 4,530	Our missions were not as life-threatening as yours and Tal Bachman's. Tracting was the norm, as well as street contacting which was a colossal waste of time (IMO). __________________ Give 'em Hell, Cougars!!! Religion rises inevitably from our apprehension of our own death. To give meaning to meaninglessness is the endless quest of all religion. When death becomes the center of our consciousness, then religion authentically begins. Of all religions that I know, the one that most vehemently and persuasively defies and denies the reality of death is the original Mormonism of the Prophet, Seer and Revelator, Joseph Smith.

02-08-2008, 03:16 PM	#8
SeattleUte fairlds.org Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 10,665	Yeah, I miss the disentery, the absence of real books or real music or love, the Lord of the Flies ethos. __________________ Interrupt all you like. We're involved in a complicated story here, and not everything is quite what it seems to be. —Paul Auster

02-08-2008, 04:25 PM	#10
Archaea Assistant to the Regional Manager Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Orgasmatron Posts: 24,338	I enjoyed it while there, but I sit here wondering how I did it, as naive, ill-prepared and uninformed as I was. I hated tracting and that was what we did ninety percent of the time. Trudging in cold, wet weather up to dirty apartment buildings speaking to people who wished you were dead. What fun. If I had to do it over again, I'd find much more effective and entertaining methods. __________________ Ἓν οἶδα ὅτι οὐδὲν οἶδα Last edited by Archaea; 02-08-2008 at 06:38 PM.

02-08-2008, 01:26 PM	#2
Indy Coug Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Between Iraq and a hard place Posts: 7,569	The first step to getting better is first admitting you have a substance abuse problem.

02-08-2008, 02:33 PM	#5
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,367	Your first mistake: tracting. Tracting is a giant waste of time. I did very little on my mission, and I don't regret it a bit. Spent my time where it would be more effective.

02-08-2008, 02:39 PM	#7
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,367	You gotta do what you gotta do. I had two missions, both in the same mission. THe first was english-speaking in first world and the second part of my mission was foreign-language in third world. I did some tracting in the first part of my mission. I didn't really like it. I actually spent a lot of my time with the "eternal investigators". I preferred to talk with the people that actually wanted to talk to me. My zone leader was getting on my case about it, but I assured him publicly, but ignored him privately. I don't regret it one bit.