Comments on: Is There A Way to be Comfortable with Missionary Work?

By: marv thompson

marv thompson — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:26:20 +0000

When I was 70′s group leader I felt the same way.We decided after hearing a great talk by Hartman Rector jr,that we would go knocking on doors with the missionaries.I went to the Elders and left a sign up sheet,left one with the high priest also. Then I went to my good friend the Bishop and a BYU education week speaker and invited him and his counselors. The next Saturday we all meet at the church parking lot and prepared to go forth as the Jehovah’s Witnesses do. There we were me my wife and my quorum.The rest of the invitees were busy that weekend. We had a great time and felt good after this experience,but after being released from 70′s leader I spent 12 years working in primary and none doing missionary work.Who was at fault me,the ward or is standing up for what we believe just to hard? I do know this 50 percent of our converts left the church,and 80 percent of my primary kids went on missions.

By: MCQ

MCQ — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 01:33:10 +0000

Are you talking about Jimmer? I agree. Testimonies from guys like that are worth a thousand missionaries knocking on doors.

By: annegb

annegb — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 01:08:52 +0000

I’m trying to be a nicer person before I share the gospel. At this point, a lot of people would find out I’m a Mormon and head for the hills.

On a serious note (although I’m pretty serious about the above, no lie) I was so impressed with the simple testimony of that kid who’s an athlete. Can’t remember his name, but he’s been blogged about lately.

I’m totally down with the zen of everything.

By: MCQ

MCQ — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 22:46:07 +0000

I think we all need to pursue zen missionary work.

By: Mark Chapman

Mark Chapman — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:24:13 +0000

3. Mark Brown’s missionary style is known among my family as the “barbeque method” or “zen missionary work”.

I am one of those people who is not “naturally friendly” and needs to actively cultivate friendships, otherwise I end up completely isolated from anyone, either in the Church or out.

A valuable missionary tool is “I don’t know”.

When a friend asks you about some point which you are uncomfortable about, or unsure of the “right” answer, or just don’t know how to begin the discussion, say “I don’t know.”

“But I know two full-time missionaries who do know.”

By: KLC

KLC — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:06:08 +0000

There is a way, it worked for me 30 years ago. Have no family, mortgage, employment or other ties. Be young, committed and naive. Move 6000 miles from where you live. Do missionary work comfortably.

By: MCQ

MCQ — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 06:38:47 +0000

Agreed Michelle.

By: michelle

michelle — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 00:13:27 +0000

Another easy way to get involved in missionary work is simply to blog about what you love about being Mormon. And/or create a mormon.org profile. I think the model of only ‘doing missionary work’ with people we know is being expanded by the internet.

And it’s a way ‘shy people’ can share without the social anxiety. I’m not saying this should be a replacement for ‘real-life’ missionary work, but it is an element of missionary work that our leaders have talked about and care about.

By: Thaddeus

Thaddeus — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 22:00:37 +0000

LuluBelle, I like what you’ve been saying here. Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out. It’s so obvious; why doesn’t every Mormon see things your way?

I can honestly say that I have never, not even once, befriended someone so I could share the gospel.

I help and befriend simply because I either want that person’s friendship for whatever reason or because helping out is simply the right thing to do. Period. No strings attached.

Sounds like an ideal friendship. “I like you because of ‘whatever reason,’ and you like me because I will hide my primary guiding philosophy and religious identity in case you might disagree with it.” Win-win.

This one’s my favorite:

I hate visiting teaching so I don’t do it.

By: LuluBelle

LuluBelle — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 20:23:07 +0000

Aaah. That makes sense (though this part of the church also makes me very uncomfortable). Church duties can take up every single minute of spare time we have (and spare time that we don’t have). I don’t allow it to, though. I hate visiting teaching so I don’t do it. Home teaching is mostly a miss for me, too, but we’re personal friends with our HT so they don’t come over once per month. When they did, I dreaded it because I have such little spare time so I usually declined. I feel no guilt at all missing extracurricular church activities if there’s a conflict. Like my husband’s friends had a Christmas adult-only party on the same night as the ward Christmas party. The old-only party reigned. I’m an active Mormon but I do not let all the incredible amounts of request on my time rule what I do. Being a Mormon is part of who I am and just a part of my social network. It competes with other interests and priorities and it is not my #1 priority simply because it’s a church activity.

I think that is a weakness and why many oustiders feel that Mormons are extremely insular and clique-ish. I think it’s too bad. Plus, when there is a conflict between a church activity and my kids’ needing me, kids win Every.Single.Time. For instance, I was doing Young Women’s but because I work fulltime on YW’s weekly activity nights, my kids wouldn’t see me usually until the next day because I went from work to YWs. I decided my kids needed to see me and that my priority was with them, not with the YW so I promptly asked to be released– without guilt.

The amount of time the church requires of its members is overwhelming and does leave little time for much else (not even family, let alone outside church friends). I think it’s OK to draw boundaries and say no. I think it astounding that the high school students are required (requested?) to spend 3+ hours in church on Sun, 2 hours weekly during YW/YM, 1.5 hours PER DAY 5days/week in seminary, PLUS other activities (i.e. camps). I will not “force” my kids to do all those things. They have sports and homework and family time and friend time and they need their sleep, too. Church will simply be “part” of the mix, not the priority in the mix.