The R.M. (2003) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Michelle left Jared because she decided to marry someone else while he was away on his two-year mission. She had promised to wait for him, but changed her mind during his absence. This is revealed when Jared learns she is marrying someone else in just two weeks after his return, leaving him devastated and forcing him to return the engagement ring he had purchased.

• michelle
• girlfriend
• left
• engagement ring
• mission return

The film does not specify the exact reason Jared was rejected by Brigham Young University. After returning from his mission, Jared applies to BYU but receives a rejection notice. This rejection adds to his mounting difficulties as he struggles to restart his life and find his place in a world that has moved on without him.

• byu
• rejection
• college
• university
• application

When Jared returned, his former employer had replaced the traditional business with a new internet enterprise, eliminating his old job position. The only employment option available was working abroad mining diamonds in South Africa, which he did not pursue. He ended up drifting through various odd jobs, even considering selling knives to make ends meet.

• job
• unemployment
• diamond mining
• south africa
• odd jobs

Jared was removed from his position as elders quorum president due to the legal trouble he encountered. After being swept up in a legal scrape sparked by a friend's actions, he lost his job and was forced to step down from his church leadership role while the situation was resolved.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the film, Jared is shown climbing the missionary ranks from greenie to district leader, then zone leader, and finally assistant to the mission president, making his removal from church leadership later more impactful.

• elders quorum president
• removed
• church role
• legal trouble

Jared was caught up in legal trouble when a friend committed some kind of crime, and Jared was implicated. He was faced with a difficult choice: lie to protect his friend and potentially avoid jail, or tell the truth and risk both of them going to prison. He chose honesty, and while he was ultimately cleared of charges, his friend had to serve some jail time.

• legal trouble
• friend
• jail
• truth
• court
• arrested

Jared chose to tell the truth because his mission lessons had shaped his commitment to honesty, even when it was difficult. Despite knowing it could result in jail time for both himself and his friend, he believed telling the truth was the right thing to do. This decision ultimately cleared him of charges and became the turning point that led to his church testimony about living by his mission principles.

• truth
• honesty
• mission values
• friend
• moral choice

Kelly Powers is the daughter of Elder H. Ronald Powers, who is a general authority in the church. She represents a glimmer of hope and normalcy in Jared's chaotic life after returning home. They begin dating, and she helps him navigate the social complexities of church life and family expectations. Their relationship ultimately leads to engagement, providing Jared with a stable future built on faith and reconciliation.

• kelly powers
• elder powers
• dating
• engagement
• daughter
• general authority

When Jared returned from his mission, he discovered that his family had moved out of their house, and it was now occupied by a foreign exchange student from Tonga. The new homeowner greeted Jared with a karate kick in the shower, a moment he later described as being 'Kung-fued by a naked ninja.' This chaotic homecoming sets the tone for the series of challenges Jared faces upon his return.

• tonga
• exchange student
• house
• karate
• homecoming

The film does not explicitly explain what causes the boils to break out on Jared's skin. The boils appear during his period of extreme stress and upheaval, suggesting they may be a physical manifestation of the emotional and psychological pressure he is experiencing from his various life challenges, including job loss, rejection, and legal trouble.

• boils
• skin
• illness
• stress
• health

Jared's friend, whose actions sparked the legal scrape, received jail time as a result of the incident. While Jared was cleared of all charges due to his decision to tell the truth, his friend was not as fortunate and had to serve some time in jail. This outcome tested their friendship but also demonstrated Jared's commitment to his values.

• friend
• jail time
• legal case
• consequences

When Jared returned home, he discovered that his mother was pregnant, which added another layer of change to his already disrupted life. Shortly after his return, his mother went into labor and gave birth to a baby boy, creating a new dynamic in the family and adding new responsibilities to Jared's world as he tried to find his footing.

• mother
• baby
• pregnancy
• new sibling
• family

At the end of the movie, Jared decided to pursue night classes and reapply to BYU in the fall, showing his commitment to moving forward despite his setbacks. He also continued his relationship with Kelly, and they became engaged after exchanging his old ring for a new one at a jewelry shop. His church testimony about how his mission lessons reshaped his life marked a turning point, and he looked toward a hopeful future with renewed purpose and faith.

• byu reapplication
• night classes
• engagement
• kelly
• future
• hope