Some parents love to pick up their son or daughter at the end of an LDS mission so they can meet some of the people and get a sense of the experiences their child had while serving a mission.

The following are the Church policies from the General Handbook, 24.6.3.1:

Picking Up Young Missionaries in the Field

Parents are not expected to pick up young missionaries from the mission. If parents request this privilege, they should understand the following:

1. They cannot request a change in the release date for travel purposes.
2. They should inform the mission office and Church Travel at least three months before the release date.
3. They must make their own travel arrangements, including lodging and meals. They should not impose on the time or resources of members or mission leaders.
4. They should follow any guidelines given by the mission president.