Fun(ny) Mission Stories

[theoriginalavatar]

I don't think I ever get tired of hearing stories from people's missions. Ever. I especially enjoy the humorous (and clean) stories people have.

This type of thread has probably been started a thousand times (perhaps even by me LOL), but I always enjoy more. If the mods want to close it and redirect me to other threads of this nature, I completely understand. (I tried to search, but I wasn't smarter than the website and couldn't figure out how )

Anyway....if you have a fun or inspiring (or both) story from your mission to share, I would love to hear it.

[HiJolly]

One day my companion and I crossed a wooden bridge on our bikes. They had laid the boards lengthwise across the span, and the wood had aged. There were gaps between the boards, presenting a hazard to our bicycle tires. I negotiated the bridge well, but just as I was about to the other side (within 2 or 3 feet), I heard a crash behind me.

I stopped and looked back, and saw only my companion's bike, upright on the bridge, about 15 feet back, and saw my companion only 4 or 5 feet behind me. He was standing there, shaking and wild-eyed. Just then a lady who'd been approaching the bridge the other way stopped and spoke to us.

She said to me "Did you see that?" with wonder in her voice. I said "no - I just heard the crash, that's all." She responded "It is the most amazing thing I've ever seen in my life! The bike catapulted him (meaning my comp) into the air - he tumbled and landed on his feet right where you see him!"

His front tire had gone between the boards, and the backend of the bike launched him. It was amazing.

HiJolly

[theoriginalavatar]

One day my companion and I crossed a wooden bridge on our bikes. They had laid the boards lengthwise across the span, and the wood had aged. There were gaps between the boards, presenting a hazard to our bicycle tires. I negotiated the bridge well, but just as I was about to the other side (within 2 or 3 feet), I heard a crash behind me...

That was a great story HJ, thank you. I love stuff like that.

[pam]

Not my own mission story..but growing up we had a pool in our backyard. Our home was also the home away from home for almost all the missionaries in a wide mileage area.

It was amazing how many of the Elders accidently fell into the pool on the P-days. "oops I tripped and fell in."

[Jenamarie]

My dad has some doozies from his mission.

He served in Bolivia from 1970-72. Anyone who knows anything about South American history knows that this was NOT a happy-go-lucky time in that region. There were political coups and rampant Anti-Americanism. Also, college students who were protesting the government were being killed left and right.

When the Elders arrived at the mission home from Salt Lake they were given very explicit instructions: If you get a telegram that says "Come" then grabe what you can and come to the mission home, and we'll get you back to the States. If you get a telegram that says "Go" then put on civilian clothes, grab your papers, and head for the nearest border and find their own way home. They also told the Elders that there was no need for them to "worry their parents" by telling them about all this.

So anyway... several months into his mission my dad is serving near the central part of the country, and he and his companion are befriended by a guy investigating the church who owns a large chain of tin mines. He wants to take them to one of his mines for a tour, and they get special permission to make the trip. They spent two days traveling by train (in the cargo area), then one day on a very crowded bus. No showers, no white shirts and ties, no razors to shave their faces, you get the idea.

So they get to the town nearest the mine they're going to (which is just 10 miles from the border), and instead of getting a hotel my dad and his companion decide to go see if they can stay at the apartment of the Elders assigned to that area. They show up having spent 3 days travelling in less than ideal conditions, unshaved, and very dirty.

When the Elder opens the door, he looks at my dad and his companion (who he knew in the MTC, and knew was assigned to central Bolivia, not southern) and says "What are you doing here?"

My dad's companion's face turns stone serious and he says "You didn't get the telegram?"

My dad said it was the first time he ever saw someone age right before his eyes.

[Guest mirancs8]

Well these are not my stories obviously but the missionaries were over Tuesday night for dinner and they told me a couple funny things. When they reach a house and at that same moment the owners are pulling into the driveway. The owners don't get out of their car right away in hopes that the missionaries leave. They like to stand there a bit to elevate the discomfort and see if they'll eventually get out of the car.

When they go to a house that has a peep hole they immediate put that little picture of Jesus up to the hole so when they look out that's what they see.

Living in Gilbert AZ we have lots of canals most filled with water. There is always a story of a missionary on a bike falling into the canals here. They seem to be riding along doing there thing and then opps into the canal they go.

[Dravin]

It was amazing how many of the Elders accidently fell into the pool on the P-days. "oops I tripped and fell in."

There was one family on my mission who had an above ground pool, I would regularly dunk my head in the pool (it was during the summer), but I didn't fall in.

[Guest mormonmusic]

My dad has some doozies from his mission.

My dad's companion's face turns stone serious and he says "You didn't get the telegram?"

My dad said it was the first time he ever saw someone age right before his eyes.

I'm not sure I get this one -- is your Dad's companion implying it was time to head for the border due to political unrest? And that scared the missionary he was visiting? Sorry if I'm being dense....

[Jenamarie]

I'm not sure I get this one -- is your Dad's companion implying it was time to head for the border due to political unrest? And that scared the missionary he was visiting? Sorry if I'm being dense....

Yup. The guy thought he was going to have to flee for his life.

[Cassie]

This obviously isn't a story of mine, but I came across this a few days and laughed about this one for awhile. It's a letter an Elder got while he was on his misson:

"Dear John (alias Elder Davis),

To introduce myself, my name is Elder Nebeker. I am writing on behalf of a mutual friend, her name is Karen Jackson. I have had the opportunity over the last little while, to become very well acquainted with her. She is as I am sure you will agree, a very special young lady. Karen has asked me to write and tell you about the latest commitment that she has made in her life. She just didn't know how to tell you!

Over the past little while, Karen and I have developed a very special relationship with Christ, and with each other. We have united forces and faith, to help fulfill her desires and my goal. Two days after the birth of our Lord (April 8) I posed a question that will no doubt, change the path of her mortal probation. And eventually the state of her eternities.

It is a decision that came after much time and communion with our Heavenly Father. This major decision in her life will no doubt, bring much happiness to the three of us. I'm sure that you know of the covenant that is mentioned in the 132nd section of the Doctrine and Covenants where it says, "For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then ye are damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory." Elder, now I hope that you don't think that we have done this without you in mind. We have wondered how to tell you this for quite some time. So we just decided to stop beating around the bush and tell you. I'm sure that it shows in the letters. The commitment has been made, the date has been set, and we are going to go for it. We hope that we have your best wishes.

Elder, this is something that must happen to the best of us. I am sorry that it had to happen while you were out on your mission. But, I hope that this will not affect your missionary work in a negative way. Karen and I have been seeing each other 3 to 4 times a week. As we have met, we have had those special feelings that must come in order to make the decision that she has. Elder, I wish that I could tell you in person, I feel that this is the right thing for us to do. I am sure that as you pray to our Heavenly Father, you will also come to the knowledge and the conviction that what we are about to do is the will of our Heavenly Father.

I hope that you are not getting the wrong idea. We are already starting to prepare for the event. She has started to invite people to it. The date that we have set is May 13, 1982. This will be the day that Karen Jackson will become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Elder Davis, in other words she is going to be baptized a member of the church.

She is ready and more than willing. Maybe what I should do is to tell you a little bit of the background of what has been going on up here. On April 6, Karen called us here in the mission office and asked if she could take the missionary discussions. We said we would work her in. The very first night that we met with her the spirit was one of the Lord. That of truth and peace. She accepted the invitation to follow the Savior into the waters of baptism. Elder, you are very fortunate to have a girl like that. She will be ready and fully prepared to be yours for the eternities.

She will be baptized in your ward, and your father will perform the baptism. Elder Burk, another missionary that has been working with her will confirm her into the church. Congratulations on your diligence in the field. You have been a very effective and influential part of her life. I can see that she is very much in love with you and what you stand for. May this bring much happiness to your day, and may you find and share the blessings of this with a new investigator.

Buddies in the Gospel,

Elders Nebeker and Burk

P.S. Sorry for the Dear John on the front.

~The letter was received 2 days before her baptism. We were married 3 months after I returned home from the mission."

-http://www.dearelder.com/index/inc_name/dear_john_display/

-Sorry it's so long, but it totally had me going up until the last 3 paragraphs.

[gabelpa]

Let me see if I can remember this one.. from my Mission, I think it was spring '99. I was out in the boonies in the eastern part of the Dallas Mission. Hicks, rednecks, ranches, and poverty.

Me and my companion received a media referral with an address we didn't recognise. After some hunting, it turned out to be a motel room. We went through the first discussion with the woman there, her husband and kids were uninterested. She held the BoM in her hands, one hand on the front cover, the other on the back. It was an odd meeting, but they dropped off the radar after this first discussion.

She turned up about a month later, another referral. They had moved in to a house in our area, we finished the discussions, and were preparing for her baptismal interview. We had to phone the Mission President, and he told us just to alter the baptimal commitment question slightly, as she was a practicing White Witch (she called herself a White Witch). She got through the interview OK, and was baptised sure enough. We still worked with the rest of the family, they were baptized, but about 3 months after I had left the area.

Now, here's the weird part. While we were working with this self-proclaimed witch, we were also working with an inactive family, who liked sharing the sort of private information that makes Missionaries, and most normal people uncomfortable. When we were discussing the baptism of the former witch, the mother's face lit up.. "Oh, I haven't seen her in ages! We used to be really good friends!" This was a bit of a shock, she didn't say how they knew each other, just that they did. We thought this would be great info, might be able to knock out a few birds with one stone. Get an inactive member back to church, and fellowshipping an old friend.

When we were talking to our soon-to-be baptised convert, we brought up the name of her friend. Her response was something like, "I didn't know she was LDS! We used to be in the same coven until she started dabbling in crystals and Black Magic."

Um.. yeah. We never did see the inactive family at church, but last I knew, the converts were doing quite well.

[Still_Small_Voice]

This is a memory from my mission. I have never felt the Holy Ghost in this way and hope I never will again in the future.

I was driving on a two lane winding road in Pennsylvania around the year 1995. While driving on this winding road I came up behind a semi-truck that was traveling at a slower speed than what I wanted to drive. So I attempted to pass the truck when the truck reached a small straight way in the road.

I felt a few promptings that I should not do this when I pulled out into the on coming traffic lane but continued to accelerate the car I was driving anyway. Then, I felt the Spirit in a commanding voice tell me to pull back behind the truck and to do it now. Might I clarify that I heard no audible voice, but I felt a voice of authority cut straight to my inner being. My young mind was shocked and I listened to what I had been told.

After I was back safely behind the truck an oncoming car drove by us in the other lane. I could not see this oncoming car because of a bend in the road ahead. I don't want to know what would have happened had the Spirit not told me what I should do to be in physical safety.