Puzzled by this policy

[carlimac]

Is it official church policy to not allow missionaries to come home for family funerals? Is it up to the mission president or is it a blanket worldwide rule?

I have been a missionary, married to an RM, have had brothers and parents serve missions and have a missionary son right now. I'm very familiear with the whole culture of a mission. But it's something I've never understood. It seems harsh.

The motivation for asking this question comes from hearing that Elizabeth Smart has to come home from her mission to testify in Mitchell's trial. Wouldn't a family crisis like a death in the immediate family be as important and compelling a reason to come home as testifying in a trial?

Feedback? Help me with my lack of faith and understanding about this.

[Wingnut]

Is it official church policy to not allow missionaries to come home for family funerals? Is it up to the mission president or is it a blanket worldwide rule?

In general, it's very uncommon for a mission to return home for a funeral, except in the case of a parent or sibling. I've heard of only one exception to that. I believe it's a general rule, but exceptions would likely be made on a local basis.

The motivation for asking this question comes from hearing that Elizabeth Smart has to come home from her mission to testify in Mitchell's trial. Wouldn't a family crisis like a death in the immediate family be as important and compelling a reason to come home as testifying in a trial?

Elizabeth Smart probably received a subpoena. There's no getting around that. No one gets subpoenaed for a funeral.

[Jenamarie]

Well, there's no LEGAL requirement to attend someone's funeral, the same way there is to testify in a trial where you are THE key witness, ya know? She very likely has a subpena (sp) to appear, and Mitchell has the right to a fair and speedy trial, so in order to "sustain the law", having her come home from her mission to Testify is appropriate.

As far as funerals go, I've heard of some missionaries coming home, and others staying. My grandfather passed away while my older brother and older cousin were both on state-side missions (one just two states away) and niether of them came home. Granted, he had already been diagnosed with cancer before they left, so they "said their goodbyes" before they left, knowing that it was very likely he'd be gone before they got home. I think both of them had permission from their mission presidents to come home, but both chose not to.

When a young man or young woman is serving a mission, their eye needs to be single to the Lord, meaning family comes second, even in tough situations like this. Jesus Christ told one of His apostles to "let the dead bury their dead" when their father passed away. It's not meant to be heartless, but death and seperation is a temporary state, missionaries will see their loved ones again beyond the veil. Meanwhile, they have a great work to do.

[Just_A_Guy]

It's a little odd, though; because she gave extensive testimony before she left and my understanding was that it was so that they'd have a record to use in case they went to trial while she was in France.

I'd guess Mitchell's lawyers were threatening a Rules of Evidence showdown about the admissibility of Smart's prior statements, and the prosecutors decided to save time and money by dodging the fight and just dragging Smart back from France to do it all over again.

[MarginOfError]

If I remember correctly, it's up to the missionary and the mission president to decide if the missionary will return home for the funeral, but the costs are paid by the family, and not by the Church.

Also, keep in mind that this is known by most people before they sign up. It's part of the gig, and part of the agreement you sign when you send your acceptance letter.

[carlimac]

Do people serving in the military get leave for funerals?

[Seanette]

I just hope Sister Smart will be able to resume her mission and move forward with her life once she's done with this creep.

[pam]

Do people serving in the military get leave for funerals?

Much of that depends on the mission they are on and if there is access to an airport to fly from.

Having been an Ombudsman for 2 Navy ships, they do everything humanly possible to get a servicemember home in the death of a parent, spouse or child.

[Wingnut]

I think both of them had permission from their mission presidents to come home, but both chose not to.

That's an interesting thing, too. I've heard of this on many occasions -- missionaries are granted permission to return home for the funerals of immediate family members, but have chosen to remain in the mission field. In some cases, they have shared that they prayed about it and felt that the brother/sister/parent would rather they focused on spreading the Gospel.

[pam]

That's an interesting thing, too. I've heard of this on many occasions -- missionaries are granted permission to return home for the funerals of immediate family members, but have chosen to remain in the mission field. In some cases, they have shared that they prayed about it and felt that the brother/sister/parent would rather they focused on spreading the Gospel.

When my best friend passed away about 6 years ago, she had a son on a mission. He was given permission to come home from his mission as his father had also passed away a year before that. He felt his mom would have wanted him to stay and finish his mission as there really wasn't much he could do at home anyway.

Having prayerfully making the decision to stay, he told me later that he felt a warm comforting hug type feeling as if his mother were saying, "Good decision son."

[Wingnut]

When my best friend passed away about 6 years ago, she had a son on a mission. He was given permission to come home from his mission as his father had also passed away a year before that. He felt his mom would have wanted him to stay and finish his mission as there really wasn't much he could do at home anyway.

Having prayerfully making the decision to stay, he told me later that he felt a warm comforting hug type feeling as if his mother were saying, "Good decision son."

Conversely, one of my companions was a convert to the church. She was baptized when she was 18 and didn't need parental permission, though she'd been waiting since she was 16. She's from a Cambodian Buddhist family, who fled Phnom Penh in the late 70s. Her whole family had a hard time with her conversion, and especially when she chose to serve a mission. Her grandmother passed away while she was on her mission. Normally permission isn't granted for travel to a grandparent's funeral. With all the extenuating circumstances, this sister was granted leave, and she chose to take it. She actually didn't want to (we were companions at the time she went home for this), but felt that it would be bad for family relations if she didn't. She was gone for three days, no more.

[captmoroniRM]

Do people serving in the military get leave for funerals?

I can only speak for the Air Force, but they do allow emergency leave for cases such as a death in the immediate family. They usually help with the plane ticket and such. I don't know how it works in a deployed environment, but I imagine it could be the same.

[Blackmarch]

Is it official church policy to not allow missionaries to come home for family funerals? Is it up to the mission president or is it a blanket worldwide rule?

I have been a missionary, married to an RM, have had brothers and parents serve missions and have a missionary son right now. I'm very familiear with the whole culture of a mission. But it's something I've never understood. It seems harsh.

The motivation for asking this question comes from hearing that Elizabeth Smart has to come home from her mission to testify in Mitchell's trial. Wouldn't a family crisis like a death in the immediate family be as important and compelling a reason to come home as testifying in a trial?

Feedback? Help me with my lack of faith and understanding about this.

thats pretty much depends on the Mission presidents inspiration and revelation.

I've known missionaries who went home for a funeral and others who did not.

However we must be mindful of one thing when we choose to accept a mission; that we are literally sacrficing everything for the Lord totally for 2 years (in the case for males).