CV75 Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 What about AoF 9? '...He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.'Articles of Faith 9 would still apply, even as it does now. The Lord always has the option of changing His revelations to the Brethren about how the keys are exercised. But absent such revelation, a change in the program would be an indication that the Brethren would not be exercising the keys as intended. In such a situation, and where the Lord will not allow anyone to lead the Church astray, the Brethren would have to come to their senses or be replaced. Then things would continue as prophesied. Which includes the application of Articles of Faith 9. Accepting such change is part of obeying the Lord and sustaining the Brethren.
halconero Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 Questions like these always fall under the category of "what if the church suddenly contradicted a huge portion of the revealed word?"Proselyting is a very significant doctrine, and one that includes opening your mouth. 1
canard78 Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 Articles of Faith 9 would still apply, even as it does now. The Lord always has the option of changing His revelations to the Brethren about how the keys are exercised. But absent such revelation, a change in the program would be an indication that the Brethren would not be exercising the keys as intended. In such a situation, and where the Lord will not allow anyone to lead the Church astray, the Brethren would have to come to their senses or be replaced. Then things would continue as prophesied. Which includes the application of Articles of Faith 9. Accepting such change is part of obeying the Lord and sustaining the Brethren.I don't quite understand why any of that stops the brethren from changing the missionary program from full time teens to assigned members. They dropped stake missions and put the emphasis on ward missionaries. They've changed the age from 19 to 18 when needed.Apologies to the OP because you wanted this to not be about whether they could or not.So assuming they did...We'd have few baptisms, we'd still have some. The ward mission leader would be more actively involved. The local members would teach and fellowship more. Investigators would probably spend longer investigating and we'd probably have a greater proportion of friends join rather than the missionary finds from tracting.It probably wouldn't be a bad thing for the types of converts we got.However... I think the program is excellent for post high-school Mormon teens. The loss would be of greater impact to the loss in teen-training experience than the convert process. I'm very grateful for the preparation my mission gave me for relationships, work and church leadership.
canard78 Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 Questions like these always fall under the category of "what if the church suddenly contradicted a huge portion of the revealed word?"Proselyting is a very significant doctrine, and one that includes opening your mouth.I'd read it as stopping the full-time missionary program... I guess if we stopped any proselyting (even passive) then that would be a big contradiction to our core tenets. But full-time missionaries isn't a tenet, sharing the gospel is a tenet.
CV75 Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 (edited) I don't quite understand why any of that stops the brethren from changing the missionary program from full time teens to assigned members. They dropped stake missions and put the emphasis on ward missionaries. They've changed the age from 19 to 18 when needed.Apologies to the OP because you wanted this to not be about whether they could or not.So assuming they did...We'd have few baptisms, we'd still have some. The ward mission leader would be more actively involved. The local members would teach and fellowship more. Investigators would probably spend longer investigating and we'd probably have a greater proportion of friends join rather than the missionary finds from tracting.It probably wouldn't be a bad thing for the types of converts we got.However... I think the program is excellent for post high-school Mormon teens. The loss would be of greater impact to the loss in teen-training experience than the convert process. I'm very grateful for the preparation my mission gave me for relationships, work and church leadership.In trying to understand or conduct a “what if” exercise about any Church program or practice, I try to tie it to back to the relevant keys as well as to the doctrine, and go from there. Of course new revelation is designed to benefit the faithful children of God, so it’s best to go with it. If new revelation is what the OP is about (and I didn’t get that from the wording), the Lord will bless the effort as much or more than He did before.The Brethren have the keys to change the age of missionary participation, and presumably did it by inspiration; the same with covering some of the housing costs for senior missionaries. Technically, nothing can stop the Brethren from making any change they wanted, except the Lord telling them “No” or removing them if they have gone astray.Being a good neighbor, volunteer, community citizen, sharing the Gospel, letting our light shine, etc. is not a program. It is a natural outgrowth of heeding the Sermon on the Mount and we all are invited to do that, either of our own engagement and free will (D&C 58:27) or as empowered by the Gift and companionship of the Holy Ghost. But we still got that gift from those who have the keys to bestow it.The missionary program, on the other hand, is more closely directed by those with the keys to do so and carried out by those who have been specifically set apart to proclaim the Gospel. Until further notice, this is the foundation of the revealed program. Edited January 18, 2013 by CV75
Monster Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 Sounds like a good idea to me. The missionary effort consumes a huge amount of resources and does not produce the results in relation to what is put into it.
ERayR Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 Sounds like a good idea to me. The missionary effort consumes a huge amount of resources and does not produce the results in relation to what is put into it.It is not meant to have to pass a cost-benefit analysis. The program may be changed to increase the cost-benefit ratio but in the end missionary work will continue no matter the cost. 1
wenglund Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 What do you think would happen if the LDS Church stopped its missionary program?To me, in principle, this is like asking what might happen if the weather service stopped providing hurricane warnings and updates, or the Red Cross stopped alerting disaster victims where they can get help?Thanks, -Wade Englund- 1
halconero Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 Sounds like a good idea to me. The missionary effort consumes a huge amount of resources and does not produce the results in relation to what is put into it.What results are we looking for? 1
Tacenda Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 Sounds like a good idea to me. The missionary effort consumes a huge amount of resources and does not produce the results in relation to what is put into it.Besides the conversion of non LDS, it cements the missionary, usually, to the LDS life, first through making covenants in the temple and then the affects of that is several generations being raised in it.
rodheadlee Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 (edited) GNG didn't you go on a mission fairly recently? How did that go? IMO, we should only proselytise to people that aren't Christian just like all the other Christians out there. I never realized how hard it would be for people to leave their church for ours and the repucussions of that until I have come close to leaving my faith, and see the fallout that would have on my family, extended family, friends and neighbors. I think we should only teach those that don't believe Christ is our Saviour. Then others would be more open to our religion. It's as bad as them (EV's) saying we're not Christian. The way the LDS live and behave is a great tool to attract those of other faiths, but to say your wrong even though you're Christian is maybe not helpful.Matthew 10:34 Think not that I am come to send apeace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.36 And a man’s afoes shall be they of his own bhousehold.37 He that aloveth father or mother bmore than me is not worthy of me: and he that cloveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.38 And he that taketh not his across, and followeth after me, is not bworthy of meTo the OP and Tacenda If things were as you both say my wife and I would not belong to the church this day. The missionaries came to our door in answer to a prayer while we were members of another church. I believe our previous church gave us the knowledge to understand and desire our present church.Also we are transients and when we are in a new place, a new foreign country we are so happy to meet some missionaries on the street. I haven't been to church since mid December and I am longing to go but I couldn't find my ward in my last anchorage and in my present anchorage the ward appears to be all boarded up. I don't speak the language very well and the streets are very confusing and we finally just now got internet at my boat. I would be so happy to meet some missionaries on the street that could direct us to the nearest operating ward or better yet an English speaking ward. Edited January 20, 2013 by rodheadlee 1
Deborah Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 (edited) Years ago the church had a program, I believe in Virginia, which was called the Ammonite mission. My niece was in that mission. It was a mission as described in the OP where emphasis was on service and not proselytizing. Since it never spread beyond there I'm assuming it wasn't very successful in finding new members, though the service was very appreciated. As it is today we do have service missionaries who do just that and we have our regular missionaries, and if you read anything about them you would know that they also do a lot of service in the areas where they work.I am grateful for the missionary program. That is how I became a member.And don't forget that Ammon didn't just serve. He taught as well. Edited January 20, 2013 by Deborah
changed Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 What do you think would happen if the LDS Church stopped its missionary program? If I remember right, this is how the free masons work - Masons are not allowed to ask others to join their cause, if you join, it is because you seek them out - not visa versa. This ensures that all of it's members are proactive, and that they join of their own "free" will and choice, rather than through coercion. (free will - hence free masons) What I mean is, what if they proclaimed the gospel by living their lives, being examples, and letting the name of the church do the talking. Assume young men and young women are instead asked to choose a charity of their choice to get involved in like Peace Corps or something. Assume LDS only sponsored service missions. Assume the leadership asked members to be missionaries without using words. I think if this was done, the church would be smaller, but would be filled with more devout members. While that would be nice to have a tight-knit group filled with type-A personalities, I think it would exclude those who are a bit more timid, or a bit slower to grasp things, and that would be a little sad.
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