Comments on: The Tracting Pull

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 03:12:45 +0000

If there is not something more productive to be done, then tracting is a reasonable way to spend time. I have people coming to our door about once per week (gated community) selling something, inviting to something, girl scout cookies, and yes, occasionally, the missionaries. They are neither offensive or negative, simply doing their part to share a message important to them. I feel the same about any of the evangelical groups. They are doing their best to share the message that they feel is most important. No need to be angry about tracting. And, to really examine your first point:
1. I am sure there were times in your day, even during your 2nd year that you could not find any members to visit with. Wandering from one home to another of people not home is not always an effective use of time.
2. Your math says 20% of your baptisms came from tracting. So that sounds like it was “effective” even if not “most effective use” all the time.
I fully agree that tracting is not generally the most effective use of time, but we also have members who have returned to activity because a missionary knocked on their door at the right time.

By: Ziff

Ziff — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 05:10:30 +0000

Nice post, Rusty. I totally agree. In fact, if it's true that tracting is being discontinued in the US, I would feel validated because that's what I argued for (using pretty much the same arguments you have--great minds think alike!) a few years ago.

By: Travis

Travis — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 21:39:38 +0000

Rusty: you’re a Mormon media mogul. Nice work!

By: MCQ

MCQ — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 04:29:40 +0000

For those who don't know what John is talking about, you can read about it here.

By: John Mansfield

John Mansfield — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 23:05:24 +0000

I’m not sure if congratulations are in order or not for being cited in USA Today, but it is noteworthy. It is always a bit comical when Peggy Fletcher Stack dresses up her web browsing with a phone call or two and gets it published as a newspaper article.

By: BedfordFalls

BedfordFalls — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 17:17:59 +0000

A simple question: from whence did this rumor spring? Internet rumors are notoriously unreliable. Is there a source, or just “I heard it from a friend”?

In this day and age of instant verifiability, any rumor should be chalked up to “wishful thinking” until it can be verified (which should take all of about 10 minutes of google-ing).

By: Jacob M

Jacob M — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:52:38 +0000

Bryan H – Your response makes me think, as well. It seems to me that you are saying that the laziness of tracting is more of an intellectual or creative laziness, and with that, I’m mostly in agreement. Of course, if us as regular members of the church did a better job at missionary work, the missionaries wouldn’t need to tract. Part of the problem, too, is that we are sending a bunch of young, relatively naive, and not well-schooled in critical reasoning men and women out there. They might not always be the most creative thinkers in approaching problems. As to how we get around that, I guess that’s where the mission presidency is so vital, but I think also the suggestion that missionaries need to be better prepared seems wise, if we can figure out how to do it.

By: Bryan H.

Bryan H. — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 05:34:03 +0000

Bull snot to those who say tracting is lazy!

Jacob M, your comment actually made me think. Having served in an increasingly secular and atheistic Europe where people tend to be more reserved generally, we spent most of my time knocking doors and street contacting, and 90% of the baptisms in our mission came as a result of these activities.

Tracting was especially hard for me since I am quiet and shy, but after two years I was pretty good at it because I constantly analyzed what I was doing, thinking of new approaches, new questions, trying to figure out why certain situations were more uncomfortable than others and how to get around that (for example, I couldn’t figure out why I hated talking to people at bus stops so much until I realized that it’s because they don’t have an easy out. At the door, they can just close it to end the conversation. They can’t very well walk away from the bus stop. Solution: give them a reasonable way out conversationally and respect their answer).

Anyways, I am left to wonder what would happened if we would have applied so much creative energy to member work, service projects, etc. Probably would have had more success. We never did though, because we could always knock door.

By: Jacob M

Jacob M — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 22:58:24 +0000

Bull snot to those who say tracting is lazy! While it may list far, far down on the effectiveness scale, tracting as a missionary shows the Lord you are willing to try anything to find his sheep. And some of the funniest moments on the mission happen when tracting. I do think the missionaries should work the hardest at member referrals, but sometimes that will not fill up your entire calendar for the week. And tracting makes a great time to talk about random stuff with you companion between the homes.

By: Rob

Rob — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 00:44:50 +0000

Missionaries still tracting here in Philly.