NOM

Thoughtful wrote: ↑Sat Jun 30, 2018 10:39 pm Coming out of the airport, toward baggage claim I heard all kinds of screaming.

It's 2018. Screaming in a densely populated public place to my mind means "duck and cover, someone might be shooting."

Tentatively moved closer as no one else appeared concerned-- its sister missionary release day.

This is the day you get the biggest group possible, at least 37 ppl or so, together to go scream loudly in the airport at a young woman coming down the escalator. It's a popularity contest.

One woman only had four people there for her. No screaming. I wasn't sure whether she should feel left out or grateful that her family is normal.

alas wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 8:21 am No, actually, this was in addition to the big party at church.

It was worse when they allowed the crowd to go all the way to the terminal. This was before 9-11. Or even before that when people were having huge farewell and homecoming parties. The church now discourages big parties, big groups at the airport, and other big shows. The church also seems to limit the number of missionaries on one airplane. But back in the days of big farewells and homecoming parties, say late 70’s, when my brothers came home, it was terrible. There would be a plane coming in from Germany, and 15-20 released missionaries from several European countries all on the same plane out of Frankfurt. Each missionary would have between immediate family of four, to large extended family and friends. It was not unheard of for one missionary to have 50-100 extended family and friends. With big banners saying welcome home elder So and So. Big bunches of balloons, girls with gifts (probably homemade cookies to seduce him into marriage) Everyone would crowd around the terminal exit, trying to be the first to see their missionary. Screaming, pushing, more screaming. There could literally be a crowd of 1,000 to meet one airplane. Now the church discourages going to the airport to see missionaries off, it discourages large parties, it discourages large groups at the airport to pick up the missionaries.

It was interesting right after 9-11, when we went to pick up our son. They did not even tell us his flight number until a few hours before time to get him, and the day of his arrival was kept a big secret until two days before. Then of course, you had to meet in baggage claim, rather than go to the terminal. He was lucky to have his parents there to meet him.

Thoughtful wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 3:17 pm Even with my FIL very high in the church, they disregard guidance not to fill up the airport acting like screaming fools.

IT_Veteran wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 6:01 pm

Thoughtful wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 3:17 pm Even with my FIL very high in the church, they disregard guidance not to fill up the airport acting like screaming fools.

“Even with” or ‘Because’ he is very high in the church? People in organizations everywhere often feel once they reach a certain point, the rules are for the followers rather than the leaders.