Missionaries and Dating

Okay, so certain people thought I wasn't specific enough in my last post. So to answer your questions, all I did with my friend from the mission was eat dinner and talk. It was pretty casual. But in case some of you (especially those of you who aren't mormon) are wondering why it may feel somewhat weird/awkward/unusual to hang out with someone of the opposite gender who you met on the mission, I will tell you why.
First of all, let me clarify what it means to serve a mission in the LDS church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; see www.mormon.org). Maybe you've seen those two young men with white shirts and nametags walking around your neighborhood. Serving a mission means you give up 18 months to 2 years of your life to be a full-time servant of the Lord. This means no talking to your family (besides letters), no hanging out with friends, no watching TV (besides religious movies), no having a normal job or school, and yes....NO DATING.
Why must missionaries follow such strict rules? Yes, the rules are difficult at first, but once you spend a little bit of time as a missionary you understand why, and following the rules becomes second-nature. It is a wonderful thing to dedicate all of your time to serving the Lord and serving other people without outside distractions. As you spend ten to twelve hours a day studying, teaching, and serving, you feel the greatest sense of joy you could ever feel.
So obviously, dating doesn't really fit in to the missionary lifestyle. When I went on my first date after getting back from the mission, I must say that it was a bit awkward. I hadn't been alone with a boy for eighteen months. Missionaries must at all times stay with a companion of the same gender, and if the two of you are teaching someone of the opposite gender, you must have someone else with you. Believe me, this prevents a lot of problems.
DO missionaries ever date? Well, if they do, they usually get sent home from their missions. I have met many a couple who has met on their mission, but they didn't date until after their mission.
I have a friend who served his mission in Germany. He really liked a girl who lived there, but he didn't date her until he came home. The night he got back from his mission, he called her. He started talking to her on the phone every night, and a week later, he proposed over the phone! Don't worry; this isn't the typical situation.
Anyway, hopefully all this explains why it was a little weird to spend time one-on-one with a guy I met on the mission when we were both missionaries. But now that we are "normal people" again, it wasn't that weird at all.
Next time you see a missionary, you will understand a little better what their life is like. So be kind to them. And listen to what they have to say.