I want to finish serving my mission but…

[elwplm746947]

hello! 

so four, almost five months ago, I was sent home from serving my mission that I had already been in + serving in for fourteen months. in the first six months of my mission I made a mistake with some other missionaries and ultimately that transgression followed me, after I left that area & I went to my mission president, confessed & after speaking with the area seventy that coveted my mission, it was advised that I go home, repent & then it was promised that after, I would have  tHe opportunity to finish serving my last four months in my home country (here in then US — I served my mission in the islands of Polynesia). 

well, I’ve been working with my dale president and have never felt so ready or prepared to serve our father in heaven. when I first came home, I felt so embarrassed, so ashamed of myself & ultimately didn’t understand why Heavenly Father was giving me this ‘trial’ that was ‘too much’ for me to handle. since being home though, I have been more than grateful for the little time that I had to be home. I have been able to be here for my family with all the struggles + events I would have missed, I have grown a stronger and more testimony of the Atonement & last but not least, I have grown more appreciation for the missionary work and our sacred divinity of serving our father in heaven. 

almost two weeks ago, I met with my stake president and he told me that although it’s been a month short of six months since I’ve been home, he feels I am ready & that we should send our recommendations. we’ve sent the recommendations of myself, my bishop’s  stake president’s off to the Brethern in Salt Lake. After sending the recommendations, my stake president told me that there is a possible chance (50/50) that the brethern will reassign me to a mission in my home-country OR just release me and ‘thank you for your service’ because of the shorter time that I have left.

Im seeking advice or any insight on this process. In my ward, an elder was sent home after see two months (he now is finishing his remainding 22 months after being home for six months. 

Im posting to hopefully see if anyone else has been through this process to share the likeliness I will be granted what wa spromised to me — a chance to go back. I have prayed SO much and just have that desire to go back fully repented & finish what I started & finish my mission. any advice or insights are helpful! Thank you!

[Lost Boy]

5 minutes ago, elwplm746947 said:

hello! 

so four, almost five months ago, I was sent home from serving my mission that I had already been in + serving in for fourteen months. in the first six months of my mission I made a mistake with some other missionaries and ultimately that transgression followed me, after I left that area & I went to my mission president, confessed & after speaking with the area seventy that coveted my mission, it was advised that I go home, repent & then it was promised that after, I would have  tHe opportunity to finish serving my last four months in my home country (here in then US — I served my mission in the islands of Polynesia). 

well, I’ve been working with my dale president and have never felt so ready or prepared to serve our father in heaven. when I first came home, I felt so embarrassed, so ashamed of myself & ultimately didn’t understand why Heavenly Father was giving me this ‘trial’ that was ‘too much’ for me to handle. since being home though, I have been more than grateful for the little time that I had to be home. I have been able to be here for my family with all the struggles + events I would have missed, I have grown a stronger and more testimony of the Atonement & last but not least, I have grown more appreciation for the missionary work and our sacred divinity of serving our father in heaven. 

almost two weeks ago, I met with my stake president and he told me that although it’s been a month short of six months since I’ve been home, he feels I am ready & that we should send our recommendations. we’ve sent the recommendations of myself, my bishop’s  stake president’s off to the Brethern in Salt Lake. After sending the recommendations, my stake president told me that there is a possible chance (50/50) that the brethern will reassign me to a mission in my home-country OR just release me and ‘thank you for your service’ because of the shorter time that I have left.

Im seeking advice or any insight on this process. In my ward, an elder was sent home after see two months (he now is finishing his remainding 22 months after being home for six months. 

Im posting to hopefully see if anyone else has been through this process to share the likeliness I will be granted what wa spromised to me — a chance to go back. I have prayed SO much and just have that desire to go back fully repented & finish what I started & finish my mission. any advice or insights are helpful! Thank you!

I have seen several missionaries return home early.  None of them went back into the mission field.  I don't know why they didn't return.  I didn't really think it was my place to poke my nose into it.

Anyway, I know that doesn't help you out much, but I hope you can finish your mission.

[NeuroTypical]

Hi and welcome elwplm!  Honestly, no matter what happens, your road is kind of the same.  Just walk the path of a disciple of Christ, no matter what.  If you return to the mission field, walk the path there.  If you are reassigned to a home-country mission, walk there.  Released and 'thanks for your service'?  Walk your path at home.

Thinking about things this way helps me deal with the uncertainties of my life.  When big changes out of my control might be coming, I find it comforting to think about how I can be a disciple, be everything God wants from me, no matter what the actual change.

[Chilean]

Sorry  But I don't have a lot of tolerance for missionaries disobeying rules, and after months of secret guilt, confessing... How do they teach with the spirit when they're doing wrong?

There are soooo many young people working their tails off to be able to afford and serve a mission, heck, there are so many members working years to save money to go to a temple. Ughh, it just makes me upset that young missionaries do stupid stuff without measuring consequences.

When a missionary decides to serve, no one is making him/her go, and he/she is giving that time to the Lord to find those that need the Gospel... if you guys wanted to do stupid stuff, then you should've stayed home instead of wasting your parents/wards/stake/church resources.

Good luck.

 

Edited October 4, 2018 by Chilean

[zil]

Welcome, @elwplm746947!  I can't share any related experience, but I second what @NeuroTypical said - decide now that no matter what happens, you will continue on the path.  I'm confident the Lord knows you and knows best what will help you to come home eventually - trust that.

[anatess2]

Here's the recent experiences in our ward:  About, maybe 5? years ago, 2 young men and a young woman from our ward left for their missions.  All 3 came home early due to medical issues.  The young woman, who was initially sent to Brazil, went back to the mission field and got assigned to a mission only 2 states away from us.  She came home early again.  The young men didn't go back.  I don't know if they reapplied but just was not given another opportunity or if they just didn't reapply.  One of them ended up joining the military.

 

[JohnsonJones]

If you have the chance to finish up the rest of the few months of the mission, I'd say go and finish up those few months.

[Suzie]

6 hours ago, Chilean said:

Sorry  But I don't have a lot of tolerance for missionaries disobeying rules, and after months of secret guilt, confessing... How do they teach with the spirit when they're doing wrong?

There are soooo many young people working their tails off to be able to afford and serve a mission, heck, there are so many members working years to save money to go to a temple. Ughh, it just makes me upset that young missionaries do stupid stuff without measuring consequences.

When a missionary decides to serve, no one is making him/her go, and he/she is giving that time to the Lord to find those that need the Gospel... if you guys wanted to do stupid stuff, then you should've stayed home instead of wasting your parents/wards/stake/church resources.

Good luck.

 

Chilean, I don't want to sound preachy but I am sure the OP knows exactly what he/she did. I don't think it is helpful to remind a brother or a sister their past transgressions specially after the repentance process took place. The Lord is clear when He says he does not remember them "no more". So even though I understand your frustration, my heart goes out to anyone who has chosen to be honest with themselves and confess their sins, particularly during a mission. It takes a lot of guts. It is time to support each other, it could be us...

Edited October 4, 2018 by Suzie

[Sunday21]

@elwplm746947 I am so sorry! I can feel your frustration. You want to do the right thing. 

Any large group of people has rules and regulations...a bureaucracy.  In a bureaucracy run by volunteers and people from different professions and different backgrounds, it is amazing that anything gets done at all! Add to that the fact that most of the work of the church is carried out by untrained people who devote a limited hours a week after their ‘real jobs’ are done and it is kind of amazing that we haven’t set the world on fire! Unfortunately this ragtail army of tired and overstressed volunteers is all Heavenly Father has to work with.

Sorry. I feel frustrated as well and so do many of us. If you come from an area of Zion, where the Church runs smoothly, you are very lucky indeed. As we are a world -wide church  a few hiccups are inevitable. I would take a deep breath and just continue to do your best. If you are a willing worker, God will have work for you somewhere. I was introduced to the gospel by a 14 year old girl who walked through life being a witness of God to many people. You can serve God anywhere.

If you choose at some point to move to an area of the country in which there are few church members, you will soon find yourself with many opportunities to serve. In fact, in my ward, we would be thrilled to have you! 

Forgive us. We are tired, overwhelmed and confused, but we are grateful to have you here to help! 

If you ever feel as though there are not sufficient opportunities to serve, just post on this forum and we will have some suggestions. If you would like to serve in a calling in the church in which people depend on you, just move somewhere in which there are not many church people. If you look at the Find a Meeting House tool on lds.org, I am sure that you can find a spot.

So .... Canada is very nice..just saying! If you do a degree in Canada, we give you 3 years to find a job and then we let you stay! Very nice country. 

So maybe, you don’t get to finish the mission. Honestly there are lots of other ways to serve! If you are understandably concerned about explaining the mission story for the next few years, you could go to school in a less lds place and have a cool calling instead. Brandon Manitoba. Lovely place! Both a college and a University! I am sure that we will find a way to make use of your skills. 

 

[elwplm746947]

8 hours ago, NeuroTypical said:

Hi and welcome elwplm!  Honestly, no matter what happens, your road is kind of the same.  Just walk the path of a disciple of Christ, no matter what.  If you return to the mission field, walk the path there.  If you are reassigned to a home-country mission, walk there.  Released and 'thanks for your service'?  Walk your path at home.

Thinking about things this way helps me deal with the uncertainties of my life.  When big changes out of my control might be coming, I find it comforting to think about how I can be a disciple, be everything God wants from me, no matter what the actual change.

thank you SO much. this is definitely some wisdom + advice I needed to hear. I love this gospel and you’re right. sure I would love + my dream is to go back to any part of the Lords vineyard to serve my last four months but I should just be content with whatever the outcome is. SO grateful  for your comment — this is why I shared my story here! Thank you! 

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

I have no experience or advice.  I just wanted to say Kudos for turning your life around and turning to the Savior.  What matters most as, NeuroTypical said, is that you are following Christ.  Satan thought he had you, but you escaped his tentacles and returned to Christ.  I couldn't be happier for you!  

[Chilean]

15 hours ago, Suzie said:

Chilean, I don't want to sound preachy but I am sure the OP knows exactly what he/she did. I don't think it is helpful to remind a brother or a sister their past transgressions specially after the repentance process took place. The Lord is clear when He says he does not remember them "no more". So even though I understand your frustration, my heart goes out to anyone who has chosen to be honest with themselves and confess their sins, particularly during a mission. It takes a lot of guts. It is time to support each other, it could be us...

I understand what you're saying, and I apologize.

[anatess2]

14 hours ago, elwplm746947 said:

thank you SO much. this is definitely some wisdom + advice I needed to hear. I love this gospel and you’re right. sure I would love + my dream is to go back to any part of the Lords vineyard to serve my last four months but I should just be content with whatever the outcome is. SO grateful  for your comment — this is why I shared my story here! Thank you! 

I served as a Ward Missionary for a couple of years.  It was awesome.  I spent most of my calling partnering with the full-time missionaries proselyting to investigators.  I'm an adult convert so I didn't have the opportunity to serve a full-time mission.  I refer to that calling as my "mission experience".  Maybe you can go talk to your Ward Mission Leader and see if you can do something for the ward mission in the meantime.  That way, even if you don't get called back out to the field, you're already fulfilling your duties as a missionary.