A mission is sort of a waste

[_zeezrom]

I've spent the evening scanning old photos, including those of my mission and my wife at BYU Jerusalem Center.

I can't help looking at much of my mission as a complete waste of time. So many hours of each day wasted knocking on doors and trying to convince poor people to take time for church. So much meaningless effort. My wife, on the other hand visited a different country and studied history and culture. I learned about a different culture as well but over a very long time, which wasn't very efficient. I feel starting school after a short sojourn in the Peace Corps would have taken me further.

Does anyone else feel this way?

[_moksha]

Oh yeah? What about those who wish for a career in aggressive marketing or service to our country via the CIA?!!! Plus the babes at BYU are clamoring for returned missionaries and there is no other pathway advancing you to become the Elders Quorum President.

The Peace Corp is for unrepentant do gooders who will probably end up being Democrats.

[_why me]

I've spent the evening scanning old photos, including those of my mission and my wife at BYU Jerusalem Center.

I can't help looking at much of my mission as a complete waste of time. So many hours of each day wasted knocking on doors and trying to convince poor people to take time for church. So much meaningless effort. My wife, on the other hand visited a different country and studied history and culture. I learned about a different culture as well but over a very long time, which wasn't very efficient. I feel starting school after a short sojourn in the Peace Corps would have taken me further.

Does anyone else feel this way?

My daughter was in Russia. She came back speaking the language very well and gained many experiences and skills. I don't think that she sees it as a waste of time at all. Her language skills will come in handy in the future. And she met many beautiful people in Russia.

Maybe you need to see your experience in a different way.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

I tend to agree. However, despite the embarrassing moments (which were daily), and the shaming (which was daily) the opportunity to live two years in Peru became one of the most appreciated experiences I have. The fluency in Spanish has served me well. The cultural intimacy I have of Latin America has served me well. The traveling and insight I gained has served me well.

It's hard to take a giant crap on all that simply because I'm no longer Mormon. The fact of the matter is my parents wouldn't have ponied up two years worth of expenses to send me on a vision quest. Additionally, I wouldn't have done anything close to this on my own.

So. I'm glad I did it. I'm glad it happened. No regrets.

- Doc

[_zeezrom]

Ok yeah, going to a different country would be nice, particularly knowing you wouldn't have done it on your own. What about state side missionaries?

My neighbor told me all about his Peace Corps experience and I have to say his was more educational in a shorter amount of time.

[_Yoda]

My husband loved his mission. He has often stated that it was the most difficult yet worthwhile experiences of his life.

He is an introvert, and the mission forced him to deal with people of different cultures, etc.

Much like Doc Cam, he has utilized his language skills in current job situations, and it has been a great help to him. My husband went to Honduras and Belize.

[_sock puppet]

Ok yeah, going to a different country would be nice, particularly knowing you wouldn't have done it on your own. What about state side missionaries?

My neighbor told me all about his Peace Corps experience and I have to say his was more educational in a shorter amount of time.

I'm with you, zeez. LDS mission for me was a waste of time for me from all perspectives except it was in that time that the cracks in the LDS truth claims started to widen into chasms exposing the inconsistencies and whitewashing. So, I guess I'll give it credit for that.

Had I not gone, there's a damn good chance I'd yet be paying tithing. So, hey there's another benefit. It's kind of like I get a 10% bonus every year for my having served an LDS mission.

I met some people that I liked, particularly at the time. I have a couple of continuing friends that were companions. (Damn glad that some others have never tried to contact me since transfer day.)

I do consider it a waste when I think of what I would likely have done with that time, if not then on an LDS mission.

Also, shilling lies to people. That makes me think back in horror at what I was doing. It seems I was an unwitting grifter for the LDS Church.

[_Some Schmo]

I never went on a mission. Wasn't willing to spend the money unless I believed it first (the idea of just going and letting the truth reveal itself after the fact never appealed to me. Sounded more like a scam, in fact).

I did, however, spend a couple years as a speaker for a time share company. While the resort did actually exist and people were buying a real thing, I had to quit because I kept finding out portions of the presentation I had memorized were false. Eventually, my lower colon made me quit. I couldn't stomach telling the BS, apparently.

Do I regret that experience? Not in the least. Aside from the fact that I worked about 70 minutes a day and made about 40 grand a year doing it (which wasn't bad for an uneducated 23 year old, what I was at that time), I also got to really practice public speaking. I was decent at it before that job, but became really good over those couple years.

Do I regret all the BS I told? Certainly. You take the bad with the good.

[_sock puppet]

I never went on a mission. Wasn't willing to spend the money unless I believed it first (the idea of just going and letting the truth reveal itself after the fact never appealed to me. Sounded more like a scam, in fact).

I did, however, spend a couple years as a speaker for a time share company. While the resort did actually exist and people were buying a real thing, I had to quit because I kept finding out portions of the presentation I had memorized were false. Eventually, my lower colon made me quit. I couldn't stomach telling the BS, apparently.

Do I regret that experience? Not in the least. Aside from the fact that I worked about 70 minutes a day and made about 40 grand a year doing it (which wasn't bad for an uneducated 23 year old, what I was at that time), I also got to really practice public speaking. I was decent at it before that job, but became really good over those couple years.

Do I regret all the BS I told? Certainly. You take the bad with the good.

Sounds to me like I should have spent my LDS Mission time selling timeshares. Aside from both shoveling BS at people, you worked fewer hours and got paid $40k a year.

[_Quasimodo]

A poor analogy, but what the heck.

As a nevermo, I obviously never went on a mission. In the summer after graduating high school and before I started collage, I was offered a job by a friend (who's father was a sheep rancher) to herd sheep in a valley below the Strawberry Reservoir with a world class trout stream running through it (Utahn's will know where that is).

I would be provided with two horses, a trailer to live in, a rifle and ammunition, food and other provisions, sheep dogs and meager wages. The major responsibilities were to keep the sheep in the valley and fend off coyotes when possible.

I declined, mostly due to a girlfriend I had at the time. I can't tell you how many times, later in life, I wished I would have taken the opportunity (still do).