Episode 23: An Honest Conversation About Missionary Life with My Darling Daughter, Kaitlyn

Every missionary has a story—but few tell it with as much honesty, humor, and heart as Brooke Oniki’s youngest daughter, Kaitlyn. In this moving and insightful conversation, Brooke and Kaitlyn sit down to talk about what missionary life is really like: the highs, the heartbreaks, and everything in between.

From the day she opened her mission call to her final transfer home, Kaitlyn shares what she learned about faith, obedience, emotional resilience, and love. Together, she and Brooke explore how parents can better understand and support their missionaries—without pressure, guilt, or unrealistic expectations.

You’ll hear:

• The real emotions behind opening a mission call and adjusting expectations
• How to support missionaries who struggle—with honesty, not pressure
• Why obedience isn’t about rule-following, but about love and intention
• What companionships, loneliness, and growth actually look like in the field
• How Kaitlyn learned to love the people she served—and herself—in deeper ways

This is a candid, grace-filled conversation for parents, returned missionaries, and anyone preparing to send a loved one into the mission field. You’ll come away with a better understanding of how to walk beside, not ahead of, your missionary—and how to let love, not fear, guide the journey.

Reflection Prompts:

• How can I better support my missionary without trying to control their experience?
• What pressure or expectations might I unknowingly place on them?
• How can I keep our connection strong while honoring their independence?

✨ Free Workshop for Parents of Adult Children:

Join Brooke for her free class, Bridges, Not Walls: Building Stronger Bonds with Your Adult Children.

Learn how to communicate with more peace, reduce tension, and stay close—even when you don’t always agree.

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✨ Bonus for Listeners:

Brooke also recorded two private podcast episodes just for women in midlife:

• Menopause Explained with Nurse Practitioner Gretchen Fors
• Enjoying Sex in Midlife with Certified Sex Coach Julie Merrill

Get instant access here → Get the Bonus Episodes

✨ Want to talk with Brooke one-on-one?

Schedule your free coaching session here: Book Your Call