LDS Mamas and Papas #39 - Page 2

[danaalex]

i was told that those getting ready to go on their missions have to have their wisdom teeth pulled before they can leave. even if there is no indication before they go that the surgery is necessary. two of the boys in our ward had theirs done over christmas break.

that's the kind of stuff, along with the vaccines, that i'm not sure about. i have all of my wisdom teeth, as does my husband. but i think we were both in college when they came in. would that mean that i would HAVE to have a son or daughter's pulled "just in case?"

i know, i have like a decade or more to worry about this, and things could change between now and then, but it got me thinking..................

[milk4two]

I would be really surprised if that's true.

[quarteralien]

I think they get pulled if there is an indication for it, though what that indication is is a bit subjective. Just about a year ago I was thinking of having mine pulled, but oddly enough, the more research I did into circumcision, the more convinced I was that we weren't given extraneous body parts to be removed at will. So I still have mine!

[Laurel]

Originally Posted by quarteralien

. And you know, I know I didn't serve a mission, but the other things I've heard about the MTC really make me understand how people view us as a cult. It sounds like initiation.

Like what? I spent 3 weeks in the MTC and didn't think anything was unusual. It was a good experience for me.

[LDSmomma6]

My DS (age 16 1/2) had a panoramic x-ray done a few weeks ago, and his wisdom teeth are right there. I had mine taken out at 17. DH was 18. Dentist thinks one will break through soon, and to consider getting them done soon, at least while still in HS. We will have it done.

You wouldn't have to get them done, I'm sure, but why take a chance that your son/daughter is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and the teeth become impacted? I know for a while whenever surgeries and major stuff needed to be done, the church paid for it, but I think over time, they are sending missionaries home to have treatment done because of insurance reasons, etc... I know I would want my oldest son to be ready and not have to worry about having to come home, etc... I know of missions have banned basketball because of the risk of knee injuries. My DH's cousin had to have knee surgery done while on his mission, and he came home and never went back to finish it. As for the vax...I really believe the Lord inspired them. I know I wouldn't want my son to go to Africa without his measles vax. And I believe that the church is doing a good thing about vax against measles in Africa and other countries.

Of course, this is JMHO!

[marlygf]

my dh didn't get his wisdom teeth out before his mission. He did get them out after. I don't know why. We were engaged, I'll have to ask him He did go to Brazil on his mission.

I did get mine out but that's because they started coming in pointed toward my teeth. I didn't have braces for two years for them to ruin my teeth. I got them out right after I had ds 2. They were coming in and coming in bad.

I really think a case by case basis.

[LDSmomma6]

The only thing I've heard about the MTC is that missionaries will unscrew the lightswitch covers, and place notes in them for future missionaries, about what not to do or do while there in the MTC.

But then again, I didn't go on a mission, so I don't know how true that is. DH said he really liked the MTC, and was even President Benson's escort to a meeting, and he thought that was cool.

[holyhelianthus]

wisdom teeth question- right after i had Lily (i was 18) they told me to have mine removed. but they have never bugged me so i told them to shove it. why have them removed, again? if nothing is wrong then what's the point?

[quarteralien]

Originally Posted by Laurel

Like what? I spent 3 weeks in the MTC and didn't think anything was unusual. It was a good experience for me.

maybe NCD can shed some further light on this, but I've heard the men's showers there described as the tree of life. You're a woman and so wouldn't have seen this, but basically it's a pipe with 3 or 4 showerheads coming out of it and no privacy. Now, for people who have just gone to the temple and received their garments and been told how important covering their body is, that just seems strange that that would be the arrangement. And just the regimented scedule, and being separated from the outside world, only wearing certain clothing, honestly, that sounds a bit cultish to me. I grew up in the church and grew up knowing what missions were and how good they were for everyone involved, but when I started to think about them on a logical level, they kind of left me scratching my head. Maybe I need to quit thinking about it and just focus on the spiritual aspects. I'm sure it is a good experience overall, and I still plan to encourage my son to prepare for one, but there are just some things we do that seem strange when you try to look at it from the point of view of someone who isn't used to it. Does any of this make sense? I find myself adding that to a lot of my posts. Maybe I should just go back and edit more.

[holyhelianthus]

Originally Posted by quarteralien

maybe NCD can shed some further light on this, but I've heard the men's showers there described as the tree of life. You're a woman and so wouldn't have seen this, but basically it's a pipe with 3 or 4 showerheads coming out of it and no privacy. Now, for people who have just gone to the temple and received their garments and been told how important covering their body is, that just seems strange that that would be the arrangement.

i was reading this and kept thinking 'so what?'. not as if i don't value your posts!! i'm just not shy. guess i always expect others to have my comfort level.

as for the rest of your posts, i can see where you are coming from but i honeslty believe that missions are great for personal growth. a retreat of sorts where one can go inward and be humbled and do service.

[marlygf]

I personally feel that if there is nothing wrong with them, then don't worry about them. I think they think of any body part of having no purpose (to keep us alive) should be taken out I mean I had my tonsils out when I was young. I'm not exactly sure why, but at the time that's just what happened. It's kind of the same with chicken pox. I think they came up with the vaccine because if you don't get it when you're young, it's so much worse, so they figure "why get it?!" I mean I totally understand the thinking of these dr's but I figure it's my body, I'll make that choice We all have that choice and the dr's all have the right to tell us their reccomendation.

[quarteralien]

Originally Posted by magstphil

i was reading this and kept thinking 'so what?'. not as if i don't value your posts!! i'm just not shy. guess i always expect others to have my comfort level.

as for the rest of your posts, i can see where you are coming from but i honeslty believe that missions are great for personal growth. a retreat of sorts where one can go inward and be humbled and do service.

Yes, I agree there are great spiritual growth opportunities available to missionaries. I think, as I said, I just need to focus on those instead of the weirdness of it. And there is weirdness in all aspects of our religion, not just missions. But that's how it is wherever you go. There isn't going to be a logical explanation for somethings, and you can't base a testimony on that. But every once in a while, I try to look at things I'm very familiar with from another perspective, and that's where this train of thought came from. Hope that makes sense.

[holyhelianthus]

Originally Posted by quarteralien

Yes, I agree there are great spiritual growth opportunities available to missionaries. I think, as I said, I just need to focus on those instead of the weirdness of it. And there is weirdness in all aspects of our religion, not just missions. But that's how it is wherever you go. There isn't going to be a logical explanation for somethings, and you can't base a testimony on that. But every once in a while, I try to look at things I'm very familiar with from another perspective, and that's where this train of thought came from. Hope that makes sense.

i totally understand where you are coming from. there is so much of what we do and teach that i automatically turn up my nose to. if it weren't for the Spirit i have felt i wouldn't be here. period.

[quarteralien]

Originally Posted by magstphil

i totally understand where you are coming from. there is so much of what we do and teach that i automatically turn up my nose to. if it weren't for the Spirit i have felt i wouldn't be here. period.

Oh good. Sometimes I feel like I'm not quite coherent.

[holyhelianthus]

Originally Posted by quarteralien

Oh good. Sometimes I feel like I'm not quite coherent.

i know i'm not!

[klg47]

Marly! I'm sorry about you having to miss the trip. Now would be a good time for me and dh to have a trip too, but we haven't even thought of it. My kids are 5 and 3 and can be left all night. But there's no way I'll be leaving a baby for another 3 years or so.

My dh (he's a truck driver) got stuck at the exact same place your train did Truck drivers are required to have tire chains for winter storms, but the general rule of thumb is that if tire chains are required, you shouldn't be driving. Unless you want to end up rolled over off the highway embankment, of course. If a car slides off the road it's not too big of a deal, but if there's a steep embankment and a truck slides off, it can easily roll.

dh sat there for over a day waiting for the storm, and finally got sick of it (patience is *not* one of his virtues; in fact, I'm not sure he's heard the word 'patience' before). He got his company-supplied chains out, and two were broken and one was the wrong size. So he waited longer to get the right chains, and then he drove through the storm!! Once when I called him he said he couldn't talk because it was white-out conditions and the four-wheelers (cars) were sliding off the road. Unless there's high winds, trucks actually have an easier time staying on the road because they've got 80,000 pounds weighing them down, but it's still scary!! He made it through eventually and is now in Northern Idaho.

[marlygf]

Goodness sakes! I'm glad he got through. they said it was pretty bad. the train the day before, the same thing happened. I told Ryan's work that's what they get for trying to do things in the winter! Even if they drive it from utah to Baltimore, they'll have to take a while because of storms. Oh well, Hopefully we can try again. It was really annoying to not get any sleep and then find out we can't even get on

The whole MTC thing is interesting. I mean I think that's just how our church is. we are a peculiar people. I'll admit I had a hard time when I went to the temple. It's just something you have to kind of say "this is Heavenly father, he is leading me back to him" I figure we don't understand and it's fun to wonder, but to have it shake our testimony isn't the best thing.

I mean I can't stand doctors but I know heavenly put this knowledge down here for a good reason. Yes there are bunch who aren't using it correctly but there are also those who do. I mean look what they can do for cleft palates and what not. They can open our chest and fix our heart. it's amazing what the right knowledge can do. I just have to believe in that and then for myself just remember "I hired this person, there's no attachment, and I can fire them "

[guestmama9911]

Originally Posted by quarteralien

When my DH went into the MTC, his dad forgot to leave behind his immunization records. His dad tried over and over to contact him because he had and all he needed was to hand him the piece of paper, or get it to him somehow, but they wouldn't let them talk to each other. So after all the beaureacratic pain they went through, DH allowed himself to get an MMR shot right in the MTC. I swear, when DH told me about this experience, I felt so shaken in the structure of the church. I mean, I know there are psycho parents out there who would desperately want to get in touch with their kids, but this was a legitimate reason, simply solved, and no, getting another unnecessary shot was far easier than getting record that it had already been done. And you know, I know I didn't serve a mission, but the other things I've heard about the MTC really make me understand how people view us as a cult. It sounds like initiation. Wow, sorry. I didn't mean to make this sound so negative. It's just one more thing I'm trying to understand.

Missions definitely require a ton of faith. Mine was more about babysitting younger missionaries than actually getting any work done. So, I can see why so much regulation is required - most missionaries go in as selfish punks. As the saying goes, the Church must be true or the missionaries would have screwed it up a long time ago.

[guestmama9911]

Originally Posted by danaalex

i was told that those getting ready to go on their missions have to have their wisdom teeth pulled before they can leave. even if there is no indication before they go that the surgery is necessary. two of the boys in our ward had theirs done over christmas break.

that's the kind of stuff, along with the vaccines, that i'm not sure about. i have all of my wisdom teeth, as does my husband. but i think we were both in college when they came in. would that mean that i would HAVE to have a son or daughter's pulled "just in case?"

i know, i have like a decade or more to worry about this, and things could change between now and then, but it got me thinking..................

I sill have mine. No one brought that up forme. Maybe only those goingto lesser developed countries?

[Leiahs]

I've also heard about having to have wisdom teeth out before a mission. That combined with "mandatory" vaccines have left me feeling pretty worried at times. I just don't want to subject my son(s) to unnecessary procedures based on a blanket rule for all missionaries. But I also don't want to make life difficult for them by trying to get around it all.

I had my wisdom teeth out...it wasn't a fun experience at all, and the healing involved took quite a while, and I have friends who've had issues afterwards (like dry sockets...). I just can't imagine myself willingly going along with pulling wisdom teeth unless there's a VERY good chance that they'll cause problems.

But, I guess I have a while to worry about that...Right now my biggest concern in how I'm going to transition DS into nursery this coming week He was old enough to go for the first time last week, but DH and I also had to do a Sharing Time presentation, and I reeeeeally didn't want to try just dropping DS off, having him FREAK out (because he's SUCH a momma-needing boy lately!), and have sharing time interrupted because of it. I want to ease him into it. DH thinks I shouldn't be involved in the process at all...that it'd be easier if he just did it instead of me. But I also have this strange need to do it for myself, too. To see for myself that he will be ok, not just trust DH's report of the proceedings

Now to subscribe to the thread and remind myself to check in often so I don't get behind again.....