Comments on: Every Missionary A Missionary http://www.nine-moons.com/?p=766 Sat, 08 Jun 2013 07:33:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Kullervo http://www.nine-moons.com/?p=766&cpage=1#comment-53107 Kullervo Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:36:51 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/17/every-missionary-a-missionary/#comment-53107 Oh, and I'd make sure to sample the Kölsch. ;) Oh, and I’d make sure to sample the Kölsch. ;)

]]> By: Kullervo http://www.nine-moons.com/?p=766&cpage=1#comment-53106 Kullervo Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:34:47 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/17/every-missionary-a-missionary/#comment-53106 I'd take everything a priesthood leader told me with a grain of salt. And I would never let myself be motivated by guilt. But I'd still go. I’d take everything a priesthood leader told me with a grain of salt. And I would never let myself be motivated by guilt. But I’d still go.

]]> By: Barb http://www.nine-moons.com/?p=766&cpage=1#comment-50097 Barb Sat, 22 Mar 2008 18:40:23 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/17/every-missionary-a-missionary/#comment-50097 Steve EM, I think I have known you for a time in the 'nacle though we were never close friends. I do hope you and yours are okay. As a person who has not been to Church for a few years, I strongly encourage you to get there. Yes, that may sound hypocritical. And you may or may not understand why I haven't been there in a few years and may judge me. But I honestly say what I say out of hopes for you to have the blessings. Whether you make it back to activity in the LDS Church or not, I do wish you much happiness. I had a lot of great missionary experiences. I couldn't imagine my life without my mission. And I hate the thought of doing it over again. Something a member told me in my first area stuck with me. He said that the missionaries who were just trying to have fun on their missions and not take the work seriously were the ones who were miserbale on their missions. I came to a point where it was hard to go on, but I felt God's strength in my most difficult times. I agree with the getting along with companions better. My companions would comment how I would forgive on the spot. And I tried very hard to be in harmony with them. But I see where I fell short. Of course, I guess that is part of the learning experience. I would keep the mission rules including time to get up and go to sleep etc, etc. But if something happened where we didn't do things right, I would stress a lot less. Steve EM, I think I have known you for a time in the ‘nacle though we were never close friends. I do hope you and yours are okay. As a person who has not been to Church for a few years, I strongly encourage you to get there. Yes, that may sound hypocritical. And you may or may not understand why I haven’t been there in a few years and may judge me. But I honestly say what I say out of hopes for you to have the blessings. Whether you make it back to activity in the LDS Church or not, I do wish you much happiness.

I had a lot of great missionary experiences. I couldn’t imagine my life without my mission. And I hate the thought of doing it over again.

Something a member told me in my first area stuck with me. He said that the missionaries who were just trying to have fun on their missions and not take the work seriously were the ones who were miserbale on their missions. I came to a point where it was hard to go on, but I felt God’s strength in my most difficult times.

I agree with the getting along with companions better. My companions would comment how I would forgive on the spot. And I tried very hard to be in harmony with them. But I see where I fell short. Of course, I guess that is part of the learning experience.

I would keep the mission rules including time to get up and go to sleep etc, etc. But if something happened where we didn’t do things right, I would stress a lot less.

]]> By: Steve EM http://www.nine-moons.com/?p=766&cpage=1#comment-49868 Steve EM Thu, 20 Mar 2008 01:15:45 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/17/every-missionary-a-missionary/#comment-49868 I was reflecting on this post and probably the most dissapointing thing is the mission program hasn't changed at all in the thirty years since I served, a sad waste of so many faithful volunteers. john f, I moved to Houston in 2007, have kind of moved on from Mormonism and am just busy with life. Hope all is well with you. I was reflecting on this post and probably the most dissapointing thing is the mission program hasn’t changed at all in the thirty years since I served, a sad waste of so many faithful volunteers.

john f,
I moved to Houston in 2007, have kind of moved on from Mormonism and am just busy with life. Hope all is well with you.

]]> By: Chris Bigelow http://www.nine-moons.com/?p=766&cpage=1#comment-49857 Chris Bigelow Wed, 19 Mar 2008 22:09:10 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/17/every-missionary-a-missionary/#comment-49857 I have the back-on-the-mission nightmares too. The feeling is usually, "Wait a minute, I don't have to follow all these rules and knock on all these doors." I was QUITE miserable throughout my mission. Other than the fact that I baptized a couple of lasting converts, I definitely would not do it again. I found the lifestyle and the rules impossible to follow and enjoy, and I don't even believe in knocking on doors; I think it's rude and intrusive. Whew, I really loathed the mission program and am surprised I lasted the whole two years! I'm not sure yet what I'll tell my sons... I have the back-on-the-mission nightmares too. The feeling is usually, “Wait a minute, I don’t have to follow all these rules and knock on all these doors.”

I was QUITE miserable throughout my mission. Other than the fact that I baptized a couple of lasting converts, I definitely would not do it again. I found the lifestyle and the rules impossible to follow and enjoy, and I don’t even believe in knocking on doors; I think it’s rude and intrusive.

Whew, I really loathed the mission program and am surprised I lasted the whole two years! I’m not sure yet what I’ll tell my sons…

]]> By: Bill S http://www.nine-moons.com/?p=766&cpage=1#comment-49850 Bill S Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:19:30 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/17/every-missionary-a-missionary/#comment-49850 I've had a few dreams of being back in Java - mostly good ones - it was fun for 2 former companions and our wives to go back to Bali a couple of years ago. Here's what I might have done differently: - I would have climbed a few more volcanoes on P-Day - we did at least 6 - a motorcycle trip to Bali would have been fun too. - I would have paid my cook and houseboy more than the $30-$50/month we paid them (including the cost of food in some cases...) - I would have given more money to the beggars and cripples on the streets - I would have played more sports with locals though we did a lot. I would have paid the ball boys more in tennis. - I would have spent more than 3 nights in Hawaii and Tokyo (temple) with my District on the way home (I did the travel arrangements) - I would have kept in touch with members and converts more. - I would have read the Koran - I would have celebrate the Muslim holidays more - I would have visited more members and spent more time on serving. Actually, I wouldn't have changed too much, except to just do "more of the same". What a great experience, even with hindsight after 25 years! I’ve had a few dreams of being back in Java – mostly good ones – it was fun for 2 former companions and our wives to go back to Bali a couple of years ago. Here’s what I might have done differently:
- I would have climbed a few more volcanoes on P-Day – we did at least 6 – a motorcycle trip to Bali would have been fun too.
- I would have paid my cook and houseboy more than the $30-$50/month we paid them (including the cost of food in some cases…)
- I would have given more money to the beggars and cripples on the streets
- I would have played more sports with locals though we did a lot. I would have paid the ball boys more in tennis.
- I would have spent more than 3 nights in Hawaii and Tokyo (temple) with my District on the way home (I did the travel arrangements)
- I would have kept in touch with members and converts more.
- I would have read the Koran
- I would have celebrate the Muslim holidays more
- I would have visited more members and spent more time on serving.

Actually, I wouldn’t have changed too much, except to just do “more of the same”. What a great experience, even with hindsight after 25 years!

]]> By: Jonathan Mahoney http://www.nine-moons.com/?p=766&cpage=1#comment-49848 Jonathan Mahoney Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:15:08 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/17/every-missionary-a-missionary/#comment-49848 I've found these comments quite intriguing as I prepare for my own mission this year. It's always funny how it works as Bruce said above, so far in my life when it's come time to leave I was usually just getting started. I have less than 2 weeks left in Brazil and I'm this was the first month I bore my testimony in Portuguese, I just started hanging out more with monolinguals and I'm on a roll, but I'll my thrown back into English Canada with traces of French (warning for those allergic. haha, just kidding I speak it and love it). We'll see what happens with the mission, hopefully I can get the hang of it quickly. I suppose the quickest way would be to be lucky enough to be paired up with a senior whose figured it out already. I’ve found these comments quite intriguing as I prepare for my own mission this year. It’s always funny how it works as Bruce said above, so far in my life when it’s come time to leave I was usually just getting started. I have less than 2 weeks left in Brazil and I’m this was the first month I bore my testimony in Portuguese, I just started hanging out more with monolinguals and I’m on a roll, but I’ll my thrown back into English Canada with traces of French (warning for those allergic. haha, just kidding I speak it and love it). We’ll see what happens with the mission, hopefully I can get the hang of it quickly. I suppose the quickest way would be to be lucky enough to be paired up with a senior whose figured it out already.

]]> By: hawkgrrrl http://www.nine-moons.com/?p=766&cpage=1#comment-49838 hawkgrrrl Wed, 19 Mar 2008 18:51:26 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/17/every-missionary-a-missionary/#comment-49838 Great post. When I have nightmares I'm back on my mission I always think partway through - oh, crap, I have kids at home! I'm married! I can't be out here on a mission while they are at home! Maybe that's what the early missionaries thought (who left their families behind). Here's what I would do differently: - help my companions get out of eating things they didn't want to eat in members' homes (vs. forcing them) - focus more on activation and reactivation, not just baptism - attend church more - ignore idiotic behavior of elders (that I'm sure they are heartily ashamed of by now) - stay in touch with members and converts alike - teach my own contacts that were in other areas but close to my area - not have my parents come at the end Great post. When I have nightmares I’m back on my mission I always think partway through – oh, crap, I have kids at home! I’m married! I can’t be out here on a mission while they are at home! Maybe that’s what the early missionaries thought (who left their families behind). Here’s what I would do differently:

- help my companions get out of eating things they didn’t want to eat in members’ homes (vs. forcing them)
- focus more on activation and reactivation, not just baptism
- attend church more
- ignore idiotic behavior of elders (that I’m sure they are heartily ashamed of by now)
- stay in touch with members and converts alike
- teach my own contacts that were in other areas but close to my area
- not have my parents come at the end

]]> By: john f. http://www.nine-moons.com/?p=766&cpage=1#comment-49736 john f. Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:50:32 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/17/every-missionary-a-missionary/#comment-49736 I've thought about this too and come to similar conclusions. Steve EM -- I haven't seen you around the blogs in a long time! I’ve thought about this too and come to similar conclusions.

Steve EM — I haven’t seen you around the blogs in a long time!

]]> By: sam http://www.nine-moons.com/?p=766&cpage=1#comment-49724 sam Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:11:37 +0000 http://www.nine-moons.com/2008/03/17/every-missionary-a-missionary/#comment-49724 The MTC is like public school. It's main goal is not to educate you, but to show you how you must conform in order to survive in the system that has been constructed for you. I'd skip the MTC altogether. To finally become an adult and then go into that environment wherein you are treated more like a child than you had been in the past 5 or 6 years was pathetic. But, it did serve its purpose, didn't it? The MTC is like public school. It’s main goal is not to educate you, but to show you how you must conform in order to survive in the system that has been constructed for you. I’d skip the MTC altogether. To finally become an adult and then go into that environment wherein you are treated more like a child than you had been in the past 5 or 6 years was pathetic. But, it did serve its purpose, didn’t it?

]]>