Our newest member, Wayneman: Shades' missionary companion??

[_Dr. Shades]

No, I suppose I can make an exception for you.

Not on the main page, please. You remember the last time we had a huge debacle with "real names"?

Sorry; what I meant was, "I can make an exception for Wayneman using my real name (only), not anyone else's real name." This is because that's what he knows me by and my cover has already been blown anyway.

But, am I under a mistaken assumption that this is Dr. Shades' website?

You're not mistaken. Yes, it has my name on it, so-to-speak, but I hope that everyone feels like they have a personal stake in it, too.

Do you treat ALL newcomers with this sort of suspicion?

No. As Gadianton mentioned, harmony has had some extremely bad experiences with some of her fellow-Mormons clamoring for her head, so anything to do with real names catches her attention pronto.

I am merely an old missionary companion who is enjoying catching up on things. Dr. Shades and I spent two months, and every waking hour together at a very impressionable age.

Now, whether you believe the church is true or not, there is a bond between old missionary companions that is undeniable.

All very, very true.

To be honest, I didn't even notice the nature of this site until AFTER I made my first post.

Don't get me wrong; this is a site for EVERYBODY, regardless of his/her/their opinion of Mormonism. It just so happens that more disbelievers than believers have found it useful so far.

Hi Wayneman, good to meet an old friend of the Docs. . . Any friend of Dr. Shades is a friend of mine, welcome to the board.

Thanks for your welcome on his behalf. Your welcome is not misplaced; I can vouch for Wayneman 100%. He's a "real righteous dude" in every respect.

(To everyone else: I've also had the privilege of meeting Gadianton in real life, and he's a totally stand-up guy, too. That's no B.S.)

I actually think you are in more danger of being accused of being an anti-LDS yourself given that you've been complimentary of Dr. Shades as a missionary. The apologists are going to be very suspicious now as they are inclined to believe that Dr. Shades "never really understood it" or that he "never had a testimony in the first places".

If any of them actually come out and say that, all I have to do is refer them to my missionary journal. Let them read from that and then try to make those accusations.

Do you think that should give you special status here? If I'm out of line, Shades will tell me. . . I don't know you from Adam, and you come here with comments about Shades' real name. I'm not paranoid; I'm experienced. You wouldn't know, but there are those who would dearly love to see this board's owner and at least one of his mod squad hung up by the thumbs.

I am vulnerable in ways Shades is not. He's done his best to protect me; I try to return the favor. Carry on.

See my first sentence, above. I won't make an exception for him (or anyone else) using anyone else's real name; rest assured.

Sorry I'm not falling all over myself with the welcome mat out and a cup of cocoa for you. Shades and I have been victims of some pretty nasty stuff over the years, and at times, it's spilled over into our real lives. So we try to keep our real names off the main page. There are those who would use whatever weapon they can against us.

C'mon, this is a friend of mine! And like I said, I had to "decloak" for my Sunstone presentation, so my real name is pretty much FAIR game now.

Shades - I'm sorry if I stirred things up. But please tell me that a guy like Harmony doesn't pull your strings.

You didn't stir anything up. And no, harmony doesn't pull my strings.

B23 and msnobody: Thanks for welcoming Wayneman.

My sister served in Nagoya. Would've been about 1991.

No kidding? I was there throughout 100% of 1991, so maybe I know her. Please PM me, if you don't mind, and let me know who she was. I'll tell you who I was, too, just to be FAIR.


EVERYBODY:

Folks, let me put you all at ease and say that I can vouch for Wayneman 100%. As I said above, he's a "real righteous dude," literally and figuratively. I can say, with full confidence, that he's a definite asset to the human race. I for one hope he sticks around for some time to come.

[_bcspace]

My sister served in Nagoya. Would've been about 1991.

No kidding? I was there throughout 100% of 1991, so maybe I know her. Please PM me, if you don't mind, and let me know who she was. I'll tell you who I was, too, just to be FAIR.

If fairwiki is correct, I may have you at a disadvantage. I'll ask her if she remembers you.

[_Dr. Shades]

If fairwiki is correct, I may have you at a disadvantage. I'll ask her if she remembers you.

Yes, fairwiki is correct. Let me know what she says.

[_quaker]

I loved this thread!

Journal keeping has been on my mind recently and it has bugged me that the past 6 years, very important ones to me, will largely be unaccounted for except in government documents and a few photographs.

This little gem of a discussion will probably be the push that compels me into more diligent record keeping.

Thanks fellas.

[_harmony]

My sister served in Nagoya. Would've been about 1991.

My son entered the MC in Nov 91 and flew to Japan the first week of Jan 92. Perhaps they overlapped. Ames was his president.

[_Dr. Shades]

I loved this thread!

This little gem of a discussion will probably be the push that compels me into more diligent record keeping.

Thanks fellas.

You're certainly welcome. I'm glad it helped.

My son entered the MC in Nov 91 and flew to Japan the first week of Jan 92. Perhaps they overlapped. Ames was his president.

Hey harmony,

What's your opinion of President Ames?

[_harmony]

Hey harmony,

What's your opinion of President Ames?

He was my first experience with mission presidents, and he did a fine job of showing exactly what to expect from the rest: he was ambitious, number driven, and didn't care about anything or anyone but himself. I consider him a BKP clone (and you know how I feel about Dear Boyd). My son wasn't a slacker (he actually had 5 baptisms), but Ames treated all the missionaries like they were reluctant soldiers, except his pets.

It wasn't until I sent out my last two sons that I had anything good to say about mission presidents.

His wife was nice though.

You might see him differently. My son doesn't share my opinion... which isn't surprising, since my son wasn't privy to my conversations with Pres Ames.

[_Dr. Shades]

He was my first experience with mission presidents, and he did a fine job of showing exactly what to expect from the rest: he was ambitious, number driven, and didn't care about anything or anyone but himself.

Yeah, I can certainly see where one could get that impression.

I consider him a BKP clone (and you know how I feel about Dear Boyd).

That's a good assessment.

My son wasn't a slacker (he actually had 5 baptisms), but Ames treated all the missionaries like they were reluctant soldiers, except his pets.

Yep, you know President Ames.

You might see him differently.

You know, my feelings about him are more mixed than about any other person I've ever met in my entire life. Everything you say above is true, yet he always treated me like absolute gold, even though I wasn't one of his pets. I can't figure it out. Maybe it was because I was a grizzled veteran by the time he came on the scene, I don't know.

My son doesn't share my opinion... which isn't surprising, since my son wasn't privy to my conversations with Pres Ames.

You had conversations with him? Is it any of my business to ask about what?

[_harmony]

My son doesn't share my opinion... which isn't surprising, since my son wasn't privy to my conversations with Pres Ames.

You had conversations with him? Is it any of my business to ask about what?

I had 2 conversations with him. One when my son first got to Japan and one after his grandfather was hospitalized. Neither were intrusive on my end; neither were pleasant on his.

[_Mister Scratch]

Like Dr. Robbers, I, too, would like to extend a warm welcome to the individual known as Wayneman. Welcome!