The Wave of Pretentious Return Missionaries

First of all, to my frequent readers of my blog, I am so sorry I went totally AWOL for an entire month and a half. I went off to Europe -- possible post coming -- and then I just had a lot of things to catch up on! BUT I'm back and that's what important right?


So lately I've noticed something different about Provo aka Mormonville. Back in 2012, President Thomas S. Monson changed the missionary age. This not only changed the lives of those that wanted to go on missions but also those that were planning not to as well.

Well, I'm guessing you know already that I was one of the few that chose not to go on a mission. But probably about 95% of my friends decided to. Or now that these two years are almost coming to a close I feel as if I should say "friends". The older you get, the more you realize who really are your true friends. Those that actually keep their plans they made with you or those that blow you off for "better" things. Because I knew a large amount of people leaving on missions due to this change in age, that means a large amount are returning which has amounted to something that I like to call, The Wave of Pretentious Return Missionaries. Now this includes all forms of RM's, full time and those that returned early.

If I've learned anything living a year away (or more like everyone else is away) from the majority of my high school friends is that life goes on without them. Many times as I sent off a friend, they'd say, "We'll do lots of things when I get back!" As if nothing was going to change. Within the past couple years or even within two months many people have been married, chosen a definite major, and learned life lessons. In other words, NOTHING is the same.

So this is what happens, these RM's come back, and quickly realize that they are left out of the loop completely. I mean, who wants to give a missionary bad news while they're gone? Probably not most people. So these RMs come together and tell their jokes and stories and stop including their friends that stayed behind. Don't get me wrong, I get it. These are the people that get you, because you're not ready to come back into the "real world" yet and these people understand you on a whole new level that those that haven't served a mission do. BUT HERE IS THE PROBLEM. The vibe you catch off these RMs is that they think they're better than you now, because why? Because you didn't choose to serve a mission. They give off this vibe that you are not "worthy" of their presence because they spent a certain amount of time to go off and serve the Lord. I'm definitely not saying that's a bad thing. But did you ever stop to remember your friends that spent time to write you letters or emails each week, while you were gone? Or did you just happen to forget them because your other RM friends are SOOOOOOO much better than them? A pattern has started and now there's a clear line of separation between those that have and haven't served missions and it honestly shouldn't be that way.

I'm sure a lot of guys are coming back from their missions saying "I need to marry a gal that has also served a full-time mission." Well, okay. That's fine. But also shame on you for being an ignorant person and thinking that girls that haven't served missions aren't worthy and that you should drop her if she hasn't. Last I checked it's still an OPTION for girls to go. Heck, it's an option for guys too. This kind of environment Provo has created has so much nonsense to it because there's such a high status to fulfill. If you're not on a mission you should be married or close to it. So this what I have to say back to the people of Provo that think this:

YOU ALL CAN SUCK IT. I'm not going to succumb to the pressures of this kind of environment. I am going to be me, and you can all deal with it. Because being fake is probably the worst thing a human being can be, and I refuse to be that.

Now I'm not saying ALL RMs are this bad, but for the majority of those that are actually from Provo, gosh I hate saying this but I kind of don't want to see most of you ever again because of your attitudes. Come back when you remember that you're no better than anyone else.

I mean, a lot of RMs will talk to/interact with those that haven't served a mission - as long as they didn't know them before the mission.

So take a stand, and prove to the world that LDS people aren't judgmental and don't segregate the people that have and have not served missions because aren't we just supposed to be one big happy family? Let's make it so.