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Sorry but I just don't see this working regardless of Mormon Culture and Social Norms.
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I think that you might find that his feelings change once he's back in his "native" culture.
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A 14-year gap is significant - REALLY significant. This is especially true when the woman is the older partner.
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The "6 months left" may be a positive or a negative. A positive in that you all won't have to wait long to see how this is going work itself out - so you should have closure soon.
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It's also a NEGATIVE for the same reason. You might find that this 22-year old Missionary was "acting out" feelings of loneliness or other emotional swings.
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Another problem is that many Returned Missionaries return as "conquering kings" even "celebrities" to their Ward and this young man may be highly sought after by the Pretty Young Things in his Ward Hall. You might want to brace yourself for that possibility.
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Sorry but I just don't see this ending well - I am highly, highly skeptical.
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BTW, I am NOT LdS. I am a Mormon Studies Scholar specialized in History and Culture.
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On the latter: There is nothing I can cite in Mormon Culture that FORMALLY precludes such a relationship. HOWEVER, informally I think that you may find some strong, covert pressure from the Missionary's Family of Origin as well as his Culture of Origin.
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Personally I think that you might want to prepare yourself to move on.
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Sorry! Really - I'm REALLY sorry to have to say this.
I saw your bopyfriend walking in the red-light district on Frifady night.
A girl in tight skirt asked him,
'Fancy a quicky for $10 bucks?'
He squirmed and walked away. (He's a virgin).
Another one in a low-cut blouse asked him,
'Fancy a quicky for $10 bucks?'
He blushed and came to your convent,
and asked the Mother Superior: 'What's a quickie?'
'Ten bucks. Same rate as town', said Mother Superior.
I guess he's not ready for you yet!
You naughty spinster-36!
If you manage to bag the toy-boy,
try the missionary position first, not 69!
Good Xuck!
In response to EastHill & Mr IT,
No worries as I am not offended, I appreciate your honesty. I am slightly concerned about the obvious age gap but more so his family's view of their son and his future. Some of his family is active, but most are no longer(parents not together anymore). The attraction and obvious staring/longing started with him before the baptism, I was told by my sister and then I noticed for myself. I am 36 but appear younger than my years (usually guestimated around 26) he also pays very special attention to my son. He became defensive and has lost his temper on his companion(s) when he thought they may have offended me or overstepped their boundary. Defending my honour was how it appeared, a jealous boyfriend was how it felt. He has struggled to remain compliant with his Mission Rules and let me know of his battle thru scripture and subtle comments. Though he was obviously fighting an inner battle, he never broke his commitment or jepordized his Mission with physical or direct contact. I believe and though it was hard to let him go, the best move for him was to be transferred at this point. It was becoming extremely difficult to keep our contact focused on the Gospel. We have made future plans to see each other and the arrangements have been made for once he's completed his Mission.
I understand the "celebrity status" and PY Things at the Home Ward angle, but, he has never shown an interest in girls his age, even when they have gone out of their way for his attention at Church functions. He would go out of his way to show disinterest in them when I was near, focusing on me and watching every move I made. As I am not meaning to sound conceited, I am a very attractive woman and a very outgoing, confident individual. I am not concerned about his return home as I can more than "hold my own" where competition may lie. My decision to become a member was not based on his affections, but my faith and sincere interest in the Church and the commandments prior to the escalating attention.
I am very concerned about his family and their wishes for him, I do not want to be a negative in his life. As odds are likely against us, I am still very unsure as to how I should proceed. We do share a very special bond and mutual love unlike any I have experienced before, if anything, that will be with us always.
Thx,
Angelina.
You must have gotten lost on the way to ConfessionBag. This is AnswerBag. Don't worry; happens all the time.
If any part of my answer offends you, I apologize in advance. I'm just giving you an honest answer in the hope that it helps you.
As a full-time missionary, there are strict rules about contact with the opposite sex. There are to be no relationships, no touching other than a handshake (the only person I was allowed to hug on my mission was my mission president's wife), and no letter writing to someone within the mission boundaries, to name just a few. As you can imagine, it's difficult not to miss that interaction with the opposite sex. Near the end of my mission, telephone poles on the side of the road began to appear like they would make a suitable wife.
Now, I'm not suggesting that you are the equivalent of a telephone pole. What I am suggesting is that it is quite possible that this young man basked in the attention that he received from you and it made him feel so good that he engaged in the unspoken fantasy with you. You may have been guilty of the same thing.
If this is the missionary who taught you the Gospel and baptized you, I would frankly question your commitment to the Church. Again, I don't mean to be rude in any way, but I wonder if you would have received the message of the missionaries with the same enthusiasm if they were two females who taught you the lessons. I hope so. I say this because sometimes in a teaching environment where there are two people of the opposite sex and there are emotions, feelings and personal stories being shared, those feelings of the Spirit can be confused as feelings of love. You learn about each others personal life. You laugh together. You get to know each other quite well. It's almost like you are on a date every time there is a discussion. Once the missionary is transferred and gone, the reality of life in the church without him hits home. This can be a difficult thing to overcome. That is why it is best for male missionaries to hand over a female investigator to the sisters for teaching.
I'm not saying that a future relationship is not possible with him. It might be. However, I would not get your hopes up. You will find out quickly whether he still has feelings for you once he returns home. There will be plenty of "fish" in the sea at home, they will be his age and they will be right there close with easy access to him. If he still has those feelings for you, he will contact you and, who knows? Maybe he'll travel back and you can see if it will work without the safety net of the mission rules to preserve the fantasy.
Whatever happens, I hope the best for you. I hope this answer has been helpful.
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You're reading Thru my conversion I became close to a Missionary he's 22 I'm 36. As close as we could be without breaking rules. Just transferred, 6 months left. Left his contact info. We love each other (not said just mutually known) unsure his family will approve.
Comments
This is true - also distance is an added 'issue' depending on where the missionary is from because it's very easy to get involved again with life at 'home' and forget the 'mission field'. Also as missionaries are not meant to have any type of romantic 'feeling' for anyone (this is considered a weakness and something that detracts focus from the mission and the will of the Lord) let alone have a relationship or date while they are on their mission - hormones and natural tendencies can tend to run away with a young missionary generally between 19-21 years old. The opposite sex is a 'no go area' and many missionaries avoid 'attractive women' for these reasons - because as a missionary it's a sin to be attracted to the opposite sex..
by Richard the Anonymous on November 17th, 2009
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Angelina, just in case you didn't know Richard is a former Ward Secretary and (I believe) a Returned Missionary.
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So while I spoke from second hand sources he is speaking from first hand experience.
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by Mister IT is trying to Liahona outta here on November 17th, 2009
Yes I was a 'convert' at the age of 11. Spent the next chunk of my life as a stong and faithful member until I was excommunicated on 1 April 2008 of all dates! April fools day! :) Anyway, yes I was a Ward Executive Secretary for a year and a half before going on a mission to France at age 19. I was sent home before completing the two years because of my confession and excommunicated from the church - I did however complete 18 months as a missionary. My excommunication had nothing to do with anything I did wrong on my mission - it was for things they didn't approve of that I had done before my mission.
by Richard the Anonymous on November 17th, 2009
There were always stories about missionaries promising to come back for young women and never spoke to them again - One story from a family was very upsetting - Mother had an accident in a butchers shop and had her arm cut off, committed suicide, the grandmother committed suicide because of it and the young lady never had her promised missionary return to marry her. I also knew missionaries in the mission that did get close to individuals, some were inappropriate in their 'duty' as a missionary, and one even returned to the lady they took a shine to and was passionately kissing during church films that the missionaries were showing the new convert.
by Richard the Anonymous on November 17th, 2009
The only 'success story' I know of personally is one where the missionary returned to visit, not returning because they attached to anyone, and then started dating someone having not been attracted to them before. The other stories were disasterous and this I believe is down to the level of dictatorship and control that missionaries have to comply to. My advice to you Angelina would be to put this missionary to the back of your mind because being in a relationship with someone you met on your mission and especially marrying them is frounded upon and stamped into missionaries minds.
by Richard the Anonymous on November 17th, 2009
Good answer. I agree.
by East Hill on November 17th, 2009