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Ann from my understanding Brazil has quotas on how many missionaries they allow and the process seems very bureaucratic. It would seem that since Brazil is one of the friendlier South American nations the process might be a bit easier for Americans. My son got a packet of stuff from church travel yesterday with the visa application stuff. There is an insane amount of stuff he has to do. He has to get a certified copy of his birth certificate that he won’t get back, get finger printed and cleared by the FBI, submit notarized copies of his seminary transcript and ordination certificates, a notarized copy of his drivers license (I see no sense in that one at all), more passport photos, and do an online application. He also has to do a curriculum vitae outlining his “ministerial” experience (which must be notarized) and a letter (notarized) that he won’t work with Indians without specific government approval. In addition much of the notarized stuff also has to get state authentication (apostille). And the office wants all this stuff by Sept. 9 – ain’t going to happen when some of the stuff (like the FBI thing) take weeks as it is. And interestingly enough, the letter from the office said that if he doesn’t actually reside at the address on the letter to notify them immediately because the requirements are different depending on which consulate they’re supposed to send it to, which is based on where you live.
Huge difference between this and what my son in Chile had to do (which was essentially fill out a form and stand in a line a couple months after he got there).
I think the waiting and not knowing is one of the hardest things to deal with. Takes faith and patience. Does your son feel very strongly God is sending him to a specific place for a special purpose?
Heber13 wrote:Does your son feel very strongly God is sending him to a specific place for a special purpose?
That’s a good question. He hasn’t said that, but he also doesn’t really express things like that very often. I have actually never heard him bear his testimony about anything and we were just talking about testimony meetings this weekend – he dislikes them. I can’t say I have ever heard the son in Chile say he thinks he is supposed to be in Chile, etc., but he does talk about “God’s plan” fairly often and is a believer in God having a plan for everyone. The older son has also talked about his belief that his mission is a big reason for my reactivation (a view I don’t share). I never believed I was specifically called to New Zealand for any specific purpose, even when I was there – I never had any testimony relating to the call itself or serving there at all.
So, he is excited about Brazil and he has been doing lots of internet research about the country and places – but I don’t know that he has any sort of testimony of it at this point.
With the mission call my son is preparing for the temple. Since I was quite inactive at the time the older son went I didn’t play a part in it and I didn’t say much to him about it. I have taken a more active role in preparing the current son, though and I have been a bit surprised. His mother and I had a talk with him this weekend about what to expect. This is a sore spot with me because back in the dark ages when I went even though I had taken the temple prep class I was totally unprepared what it was really like – nobody told me what actually happens there. (We are friends with a couple who actually left the church over this – it was such a shock to them.) We talked about what we covenant not to tell, and that people get carried away in fear about that. We told him it was mostly the story of the creation and my wife advised him to read that part of the BoA. I mentioned that none of it is literal and that it’s all symbolic and to my surprise he said the SP told him that in the interview. I wish somebody told me that a long time ago! DarkJedi wrote:it’s all symbolic and to my surprise he said the SP told him that in the interview.
It is good to see this, isn’t it? Perhaps we keep preparing future generations to try to avoid problems we have faced. Perhaps the prior generations dealt with other issues and tried to prepare us from things they learned…they just may not have seen the things we discovered. It is a sign of progress.
It is why I still believe the church will be OK through all our changes from the Internet and all the new information of seer stones and all…we keep progressing and seeking God, even if prior generations were focusing on other things that were meaningful to them.
The best part of this is, DJ, you are involved in preparing your son. That is inspiring!
Did you talk about robes and clothing? That is quite different…and should be prepared for that since we don’t see that in LDS church meetings elsewhere that I can think of.
We did talk about clothing. He actually has a concern about garments and dress. He is athletic and right now works out frequently. Some of his workout attire isn’t “garment appropriate” and we have reassured him that it’s fine to take them off when he runs or lifts. I did ask him if either the bishop or stake president said anything about garments and they did not. With the paragraph they’re supposed to read to everybody I didn’t know how it works with people who hadn’t been endowed. I was a bit disappointed they didn’t say anything at all – I think wearing the garment to the way they apparently think we should is a huge commitment. Anyway, we told him to watch the video, and his own clothes have arrived and he has seen them. Sounds like you’re prepping him good. He is bound to be told to wear them all the time…so there is often confusion on if that means while working out, working in the yard, and I have heard of stories that some couples wonder about how to have sex…all just because stuff is thrown out there to inspire them (respect them, they will protect you, don’t ever let them touch the ground, etc), and those well intentioned good ideas sometimes make practical situations confusing. I have a question for you, DJ, because I’ve experienced this…
My kids as they get older come and ask me about things, and I will say my opinions. They know my liberal views are not usually the same as what is said at church and they have learned some things by seeing how I allow myself to think differently.
But especially with my BYU-Idaho daughter, they sometimes listen to me and appreciate my advice, but sometimes think “that’s just dad’s view again”…and seem to respect it but seem to turn to church leaders for a more orthodox view.
Do you ever get that? Where they kinda know your view will be a little off-base?
For example…garments don’t need to be worn ALL the time, like working out (says dad), but they would rather listen to their bishop and just buy all new clothes so they can work out with them on, because that is what the bishop or temple person said.
Yeah, I do get that. My current missionary son leans toward unorthodoxy – he doesn’t buy it all. Yet, I have noticed time where he will repeat back views given by his MP as opposed to my views sometimes. Just as an example we had a discussion several months ago about the first vision. If the first vision actually happened (and I believe it did), I have no doubt it was a spiritual/visionary experience. I think there are several things that make that clear, the title itself being one of them. He didn’t disbelieve me, but he also asked his MP about it who answered that we don’t really know – and that’s what he believes. Specifically on the garment issue, our bishop did give my other son some counsel on garment wear and told him he never takes his off and even threw out his regular underwear he used to wear to the doctor’s office. A couple things to note here – the guy is 60-something, obese, and probably hasn’t worn shorts in 20 or 30 years. I did tell my son to consider the source, told him I wear regular underwear to the doctor, etc., and I told him that he should pay close attention to what they actually say when they do the garment part in the initiatory and the endowment as opposed to what the TP might say. He’s going to have a few weeks between endowment and going to hot, humid equatorial Brazil so it will be interesting to watch what he decides.
Hm….interesting. I wore my g’s to the doctor a few weeks ago. Doctor said…”You’re mormon, huh? I recognize the underwear. We love Mormon patients…they are always so healthy…so…no smoking, drinking or caffeine…is that right?”
I just said…”well…caffeine…I drink Dr Pepper a lot.”
He said…”that’s no big deal…we just know our Mormon patients aren’t drinking 4 cups of coffee a day.” and he laughed.
Nice guy.
But…to avoid that discussion again…I won’t be wearing them next doctor visit.
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