The Returned Missionary Training Center

Taking Down the Mission Plaque

Tradition dictates that every returned missionary be presented in front of his or her ward so the bishop can confer upon them their mission plaque. You know, the plaque with the glamour shot, the inscribed scripture, and eighteen to twenty-four month’s worth of dust on top of it — that plaque. What a great moment [...]

Words of Wisdom

Your peers have spoken. Over on our Facebook page, we gave this prompt: In one or two sentences, please share your best piece of advice for a newly returned missionary. So far the crowd has shared some great ideas for new RMs. So be sure to check out all the insights, or add your two [...]

Real Intimacy: A Couple’s Guide To Healthy, Genuine Sexuality

Books

First, a word of explanation to our newly returned missionaries. You probably did a double take when you saw the title of this post. “A book review on intimacy…are you kidding me, I just got home from my mission?” While you may think this topic is the last thing on your mind, quite the opposite [...]

Are You the Newest Returned Missionary?

Fresh off the Plane

There comes a point during every baptismal service in which the Bishop stands up and says, “Just think Jacob, right now you’re probably the newest member of the church anywhere in the whole world.” It’s time returned missionaries have a similar moment. We want to find out who the newest returned missionary is. Leave a [...]

Since You’re Out of a Job Anyway

Fresh off the Plane

You’ve been laid off from your full time missionary efforts. So, with all your extra time why don’t you shift your efforts from the living to the dead. Besides, indexing has become all the rage since you were gone — all the cool kids are doing it. Indexing is a simple task, but one that [...]

The Boat Shoe is for Preppy Date Night

Style

Not everyone was sold on the chukka being the best shoe for date night. So, if you’re looking for another dressier — and preppier — alternative to your sneakers and don’t prefer the looks of the chukka, consider a pair of boat shoes. And no, you won’t look like a silly sailer if you wear [...]

Hugs but not Kisses

Dating

After all the interest in the Holding Hands article, we decided to follow up with this comprehensive guide on hugs (kisses will come later). Hugging is a life skill. You can learn to do it right and enjoy some great moments, or you can be lazy and feel awkward every time the situation arises. Today’s [...]

The Aquabats! Super Show! – 3.3.12

TV & Sports

Christian Jacobs (who served in Japan) is really excited about his new television show, The Aquabats! Super Show! (the double exclamation marks give it away). Come to think of it, the enthusiastic punctuation is a microcosm for the entire show — enthusiastic silliness on parade. The show, which airs on the Hub Television Network is [...]

The Chukka is for Date Night

Style

Guys, most of you hate thinking about shoes, so we’ll make this brief. The chukka is the shoe your date wants you to wear when you go out. What’s a chukka? Chukkas are ankle high leather boots that usually have only two or three eyelets on each side for lacing. When the Sunday shoes are [...]

RM Dating Lessons from Blink

Dating

Blink is a bestselling book written by Malcolm Gladwell. The book explores the remarkable ability people have to make quick accurate judgments in what seems to be a blink of an eye. Gladwell, in investigating this phenomenon, interviewed experts in psychology and human behavior, as well as individuals who have a keen sense of first [...]

Guest Post: Fresh off the Boat

RM Stories

This guest post was written by Sister Dee of the New Zealand Wellington Mission. Share your thoughts and stories about returning home from a mission by sending us an e-mail. You might be thinking you can just easily step from the “mission boat” to the “next crucial 5 years” boat and keep smoothly sailing in [...]