Wife of MP blogs about the missionaries.....

[_Yahoo Bot]

I agree and these are my questions as well. If my son or daughter were put on antidepressants without my knowledge, I would not be at all happy about that.

They're adults. When I was 19 I would have punched a doctor who told my mother about my medical history.

[_Runtu]

They're adults. When I was 19 I would have punched a doctor who told my mother about my medical history.

When I was on my mission, the church's standard procedure was to notify parents if there was anything medically significant going on with a missionary. I injured my knee (not seriously) and was on crutches for a month or so, and I was surprised to read in my mom's next letter that the Missionary Department had called them to let them know I had been injured only the day after it happened.

I have no idea what the policy is now, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't involve the MP's wife posting missionaries' problems online.

[_Madison54]

I agree and these are my questions as well. If my son or daughter were put on antidepressants without my knowledge, I would not be at all happy about that.

They're adults. When I was 19 I would have punched a doctor who told my mother about my medical history.

Some are only 18 years old and depending on where they are serving (U.S. or another country), the legal age of majority varies. This is true even in the U.S: Alabama is age 19, Delaware is 19, Nebraska is age 19 (or upon marriage), Puerto Rico is age 21, and Mississippi is age 21.

I think that even more than telling parents they are medicating their kids, the parents need to be made aware of any medical conditions especially if they are suffering from severe depression or become suicidal like some that this mission president's wife wrote about.

I do not know if the parents were notified or not, I'm just voicing my opinion that I believe they should be and maybe they were.

[_Runtu]

Some are only 18 years old and depending on where they are serving (U.S. or another country), the legal age of majority varies. This is true even in the U.S: Alabama is age 19, Nebraska is age 19 (or upon marriage), Puerto Rico is age 21, and Mississippi is age 21.

I think that even more than telling parents they are medicating their kids, the parents need to be made aware of any medical conditions especially if they are suffering from severe depression or become suicidal like some that this mission president's wife wrote about.

I do not know if the parents were notified or not, I'm just voicing my opinion that I believe they should be and maybe they were.

From my experience, the church expects its missionaries to make the mission president aware of any medical conditions that arise. So, this isn't about doctor-patient privilege but rather about mission presidents being aware of what is going on. I think you're absolutely right that the mission president has no requirement of confidentiality about a medical condition, so the standard procedure is for the MP to alert the Missionary Department, and they will likely advise the kid's parents.

[Guest]

Some are only 18 years old and depending on where they are serving (U.S. or another country), the legal age of majority varies. This is true even in the U.S: Alabama is age 19, Nebraska is age 19 (or upon marriage), Puerto Rico is age 21, and Mississippi is age 21.

I think that even more than telling parents they are medicating their kids, the parents need to be made aware of any medical conditions especially if they are suffering from severe depression or become suicidal like some that this mission president's wife wrote about.

I do not know if the parents were notified or not, I'm just voicing my opinion that I believe they should be and maybe they were.

From my experience, the church expects its missionaries to make the mission president aware of any medical conditions that arise. So, this isn't about doctor-patient privilege but rather about mission presidents being aware of what is going on. I think you're absolutely right that the mission president has no requirement of confidentiality about a medical condition, so the standard procedure is for the MP to alert the Missionary Department, and they will likely advise the kid's parents.

I think this thread is just one more example of not realizing that members are adults and can make their own decisions; whether or not to be on anti-depressants; serve a mission; go home. As one MTC president told me when a son wanted to come home (he stayed), "This isn't a prison; they can go home if they choose; I'm not going to twist his arm to stay." When that same son had later medical issues, he chose not to involve his mission president.

The percentage of ordinary people in any given subpopulation, whether it be a ward or a workplace, who are on antidepressants is really rather staggering. I'm not an expert, but I would say 30%.

[_Fence Sitter]

Yea, it's not like they take away their passports or anything like that.

[_Yahoo Bot]

Yea, it's not like they take away their passports or anything like that.

They can get their passports back. It is too risky leaving your passport in your flat. Most experienced travelers leave their passports with hotel management.

Sure, most mission presidents will try and talk to an early-departing missionary. But the modern mission president is counseled not to try too hard. It would be considered quite an outrage to hold a passport hostage. I'm not saying it isn't done, but mission presidents are told not to do that.

[_Runtu]

I think this thread is just one more example of not realizing that members are adults and can make their own decisions; whether or not to be on anti-depressants; serve a mission; go home.

I said as much earlier: kids who want to go home should go home. The ridiculous effort to prevent them leaving is what amounts to treating them like children. They also should have the freedom to get whatever medical care they need. That's really not the issue I was addressing.

As one MTC president told me when a son wanted to come home (he stayed), "This isn't a prison; they can go home if they choose; I'm not going to twist his arm to stay." When that same son had later medical issues, he chose not to involve his mission president.

I can't remember if you served a mission, but that is the exception to the rule. In my mission, it was not possible for anyone to go home without involving the mission president. We had to hand over our passports upon arrival so that the mission could get the proper visa stamps; the mission president then locked the passports in the office safe for "safekeeping." You seem to have no idea what actually goes on in a mission.

The percentage of ordinary people in any given subpopulation, whether it be a ward or a workplace, who are on antidepressants is really rather staggering. I'm not an expert, but I would say 30%.

I take a low dose of one antidepressant (a couple of years ago I was on 3 different pills). The point is that prospective missionaries with a history of depression and medication are likely to be rejected. Mission presidents can and do demand that their missionaries alert them to any changes in their physical or mental health.

[_Runtu]

They can get their passports back. It is too risky leaving your passport in your flat. Most experienced travelers leave their passports with hotel management.

I saw firsthand how difficult it was for someone to go home who wanted to go home (the passports were in the safe in my companion's office). The idea that you could just walk in, say you were going home, and have your passport handed to you is completely foreign to what I experienced. And having talked to a lot of other missionaries, my experience was not unusual at all.

The other thing is how you're supposed to get home. The church isn't going to pay for you to go home early, and I'd guess a fair percentage of parents wouldn't want to do that, either. So, say you're stuck in Bolivia, and you want to go home. First you have to travel to the mission home and beg for your passport. The mission president will try to talk you out of it, call Salt Lake, and get your stake president, bishop, and family involved. Then, supposing you do manage to get your passport back after all those people try to talk you out of it, you still have to come up with some $800 for airfare. Good luck with that.

Sure, most mission presidents will try and talk to an early-departing missionary. But the modern mission president is counseled not to try too hard. It would be considered quite an outrage to hold a passport hostage. I'm not saying it isn't done, but mission presidents are told not to do that.

I'd love to see documentation of the bolded part.

[_Yahoo Bot]

I saw firsthand how difficult it was for someone to go home who wanted to go home (the passports were in the safe in my companion's office).

And hotels keep them in their safes.

The idea that you could just walk in, say you were going home, and have your passport handed to you is completely foreign to what I experienced. And having talked to a lot of other missionaries, my experience was not unusual at all.

Of course, a mission president is going to want to work on you before you leave. That should be expected. If you worked for the Peace Corps and wanted to quit in the middle of your contract, it would be reasonable to assume that people would want to talk you into staying. And it isn't beyond imagination that some mission presidents and stake presidents will exert some attempt at influence.

The other thing is how you're supposed to get home. The church isn't going to pay for you to go home early, and I'd guess a fair percentage of parents wouldn't want to do that, either. So, say you're stuck in Bolivia, and you want to go home.

Of course, you know that when you leave. These aren't children. Only an idiot child would go abroad with no provision for contingiencies. I certainly am not aware of any missionary stranded in a foreign country because a passport is held hostage.

I'd love to see documentation of the bolded part.

Go through mission president's training. I've not been through it but I've spent quite a bit of time on the phone with mission presidents regarding missionaries who want to come home.

This story reminds me of the handcart pioneers. The Church has taken a lot of heat for Franklin D. Richards berating the Martin company for not leaving. It is not well known, however, that Brigham Young censured him for that, and it is also know well known that a sizeable number of pioneers decided to disregard Richards and back out.

The Church is a collection of adults who can decide for themselves.