How Can We Improve Missionary Work?

[thatjimguy]

I think it depends on mission presidents. I know my husband didn't have to wear a suit coat during summers and iirc correctly neither did the missionaries up in Canada. Don't see them often enough down here to remember, but I think I've seen them on their bikes w/o coats on.

According to lds.org:

"You are not required to wear a suit during regular everyday proselyting activities. On these occasions, wear a white shirt, tie, durable and comfortable dress shoes, and professional dress slacks that hold a crease."

https://missionary.lds.org/dress-grooming/elder/guidelines/?lang=eng#suits

 

 

 

white shirt, dress slacks, dress shoes and tie = suit (or close enough for perception purposes of the idea I have been getting across )

[Avatar4321]

If wearing similiar clothing is indications of cults, then our nation is inundated with cults. From sports teams to the military, to the boy scouts.

[JulieM]

I just experienced sitting in on some discussions with one of my friends (I posted about this in another thread regarding a question my friend asked the missionaries). These missionaries were some of the sweetest kids you'd ever want to meet. They were humble and were truly out in the field to serve and teach. But, I ended up feeling really sorry for them and the discussions did not end well. My friend became very frustrated that they could not answer her questions (I tried to help and received great help from many on here too). To be fair, her questions were difficult.

I think that missionaries really do need to be better prepared with some of the facts about church history as many are now being asked these questions. It's really not fair to them as they feel blind-sighted (at least that's what I saw with my experience). These missionaries became defensive and just kept saying "You just need to read the Book of Mormon, pray, and think about committing to baptism". They had not even heard of many of the subjects they were being questioned about.

I don't know what can be done other than to prepare them for this. I'd recommend that anyone planning on serving a mission should spend some hours reading on the FairMormon website. It is excellent.

[Scott Lloyd]

I just experienced sitting in on some discussions with one of my friends (I posted about this in another thread regarding a question my friend asked the missionaries). These missionaries were some of the sweetest kids you'd ever want to meet. They were humble and were truly out in the field to serve and teach. But, I ended up feeling really sorry for them and the discussions did not end well. My friend became very frustrated that they could not answer her questions (I tried to help and received great help from many on here too). To be fair, her questions were difficult.

I think that missionaries really do need to be better prepared with some of the facts about church history as many are now being asked these questions. It's really not fair to them as they feel blind-sighted (at least that's what I saw with my experience). These missionaries became defensive and just kept saying "You just need to read the Book of Mormon, pray, and think about committing to baptism". They had not even heard of many of the subjects they were being questioned about.

I don't know what can be done other than to prepare them for this. I'd recommend that anyone planning on serving a mission should spend some hours reading on the FairMormon website. It is excellent.

In all fairness, there is merit to what the missionaries told your friend. It does not matter how intellectually persuasive the responses are, a person cannot receive a testimony and be truly converted until he does those things that the missionaries were teaching.

 

Conversely, many people have received a testimony and become converted while still having unsettled questions about the doctrine and the history of the Church.

 

I wonder how well things would have gone had the missionaries been capable of answering the difficult questions being posed by your friend. Would she have been satisfied? Would the discussion have come back to the spiritual things that missionaries are called to teach, or would it have degenerated into back-and-forth debate leading anywhere but to the objective of getting your friend to approach God in humble faith and hopeful prayer asking for a spiritual witness.

 

I say that, because I have seen able apologists offer what seemed to me to be reasonable answers to "difficult" questions, yet many hearers apparently remain unsatisfied. Often, having no rebuttal at the ready, these hearers merely steer the conversation to another "difficult" question, then yet another, and so on.

 

In the end, I reiterate what I've said in the past: Missionaries are called not to debate or argue but to teach, invite and encourage all to come to Christ.

[thatjimguy]

If wearing similiar clothing is indications of cults, then our nation is inundated with cults. From sports teams to the military, to the boy scouts.

 

None of those require almost 24/7 adherence to clothing requirements. (except the military during wartime) 

 

I know you guys want to defend, but you are grasping at straws to do it. 

[thatjimguy]

I just experienced sitting in on some discussions with one of my friends (I posted about this in another thread regarding a question my friend asked the missionaries). These missionaries were some of the sweetest kids you'd ever want to meet. They were humble and were truly out in the field to serve and teach. But, I ended up feeling really sorry for them and the discussions did not end well. My friend became very frustrated that they could not answer her questions (I tried to help and received great help from many on here too). To be fair, her questions were difficult.

I think that missionaries really do need to be better prepared with some of the facts about church history as many are now being asked these questions. It's really not fair to them as they feel blind-sighted (at least that's what I saw with my experience). These missionaries became defensive and just kept saying "You just need to read the Book of Mormon, pray, and think about committing to baptism". They had not even heard of many of the subjects they were being questioned about.

I don't know what can be done other than to prepare them for this. I'd recommend that anyone planning on serving a mission should spend some hours reading on the FairMormon website. It is excellent.

 

I would disagree as I was one of these people that was firing questions for a year at my mishies before finally getting baptized. 

 

There is WAY too many things that could be brought up. No mishie can cover them all. The best thing my guys did was to write it down and find out. That's what they did every time. 

 

It's just like being a salesman and not knowing the answer "I'm sorry I do not know that, I'll get you someone who does," That way, they can concentrate on what they DO know.

[thatjimguy]

In all fairness, there is merit to what the missionaries told your friend. It does not matter how intellectually persuasive the responses are, a person cannot receive a testimony and be truly converted until he does those things that the missionaries were teaching.

 

Conversely, many people have received a testimony and become converted while still having unsettled questions about the doctrine and the history of the Church.

 

--- It took me a year.

 

I wonder how well things would have gone had the missionaries been capable of answering the difficult questions being posed by your friend. Would she have been satisfied?

 

-- I wasn't. Because there were more controversies. I had to realize I wanted it to be true rather than being able to prove it was.

 

Would the discussion have come back to the spiritual things that missionaries are called to teach, or would it have degenerated into back-and-forth debate leading anywhere but to the objective of getting your friend to approach God in humble faith and hopeful prayer asking for a spiritual witness.

 

I say that, because I have seen able apologists offer what seemed to me to be reasonable answers to "difficult" questions, yet many hearers apparently remain unsatisfied. Often, having no rebuttal at the ready, these hearers merely steer the conversation to another "difficult" question, then yet another, and so on.

 

In the end, I reiterate what I've said in the past: Missionaries are called not to debate or argue but to teach, invite and encourage all to come to Christ.

 

--- As long as they a know the difference between asking more questions and arguing, I would agree. 

[Calm]

At best what can be achieved by answering questions, is to eventually get to a point where the individual is invested in reading the BoM. I have never heard of someone converted by having questions answered so it makes sense to me that some missionaries get flustered by what they see is unnecessary effort that will eventually end up in the same place if it ends anywhere.

But some investigators need to approach it that way, it prepares the soil for the seed of faith to fall into.

I agree the best way to approach it is the investigator to write down the questions or discuss jow she wants to frame the question before it is written down and the missionaries come next time prepared to deal with those.

FairMormon is willing to help research or provide known info or anything else if someone does not have their own resources near at hand or are concerned about accuracy, etc.

[Duncan]

None of those require almost 24/7 adherence to clothing requirements. (except the military during wartime) 

 

I know you guys want to defend, but you are grasping at straws to do it. 

 

 

well, missionaries don't wear their pros. clothes constantly either, they have p-days and a lot of times too when they are doing service they were their regular clothes. Besides of which it's only for 18 to 24 months

[ALarson]

I think some of the comments about better preparing missionaries are a good idea.  However, I'm not sure this should take place in the MTC.  I think the leaders are trying to include more information in the seminary lessons for the youth and I think this will help.

 

I also feel that it's getting more and more common for investigators to ask some difficult questions.  Unless they live where there is no internet or they haven't done a search for information on the church, they will find some troubling information online and they have every right to ask for clarification or answers regarding these prior to committing to joining the church.  If they continue digging and only seem interested in trying to stump the missionaries (and are not willing to read the Book of Mormon), I'd say that it's time for the missionaries to move on but maybe staying in touch with the investigator.

 

I also like the idea of them spending some time on http://www.fairmormon.org/ as it is great for covering the difficult issues and giving help and answers for those.

Edited May 13, 2014 by ALarson

[JulieM]

I would disagree as I was one of these people that was firing questions for a year at my mishies before finally getting baptized. 

 

There is WAY too many things that could be brought up. No mishie can cover them all. The best thing my guys did was to write it down and find out. That's what they did every time. 

 

It's just like being a salesman and not knowing the answer "I'm sorry I do not know that, I'll get you someone who does," That way, they can concentrate on what they DO know.

I agree. I just wish that the missionaries I was meeting with would have done this. I tried to find answers to my friend's questions but the missionaries just wanted to pretty much brush them aside or ignore her questions and this ended up just making her mad. The missionaries would give me looks if I tried to address her concerns. Maybe missionaries just need to be instructed to answer all questions by doing what you suggested (saying, "I don't know, but I'll write it down and find an answer for you."). It sounds like you had a good experience with this and that's great.

[Grudunza]

On the one hand, I don't think we need to do anything to help missionary work, as far as the missionaries are concerned.  "Proclaim the gospel" is the mission, not "convert the world."  The former, the missionaries do very well, and the latter ain't gonna happen via any missionary effort (we will have to covert 55 million more people to get to 1% of the world's population).

 

On the other hand, throwing out some crazy ideas more speculatively about things that might help people draw closer to our faith...

 

I agree with the uniform thing.  A blog post I read a while back described it as if we would send someone dressed as a clown to a house where we know the person there is afraid of clowns.  People in general view missionaries as a nuisance to come to their door, and something to be mocked and made fun of in comedy sketches and such.  Why advertise their coming and have them stand out so much?  Here we come down your driveway... start making an excuse not to talk to us or pretend you aren't home.  They don't need to wear ripped jeans and a tye-die shirt, either, but I feel like there may be some middle ground, where they can be professional enough looking, but not so obvious, and integrate better with the culture of the neighborhoods where they are serving.

 

3 hour block to 2 hour block.  Most days I would miss the extra hour, as I am invested in all three meetings.  But I know that for my family (all non-members) and for many others the idea of a 3 hour church on Sunday seems excessive, especially at first blush.  Keep in mind these are often people who don't even have their foot in the door at all as far as practicing any kind of regular faith or religion.  Let them ease into it.  Or just change the timing of it and let Sunday be more restful and have more time for family, which everyone could appreciate.  I think the same essential things could be accomplished by making Sacrament meeting more like 45-50 minutes and the other two classes 35-40 minutes each.

 

As members, be more focused on serving in our community and making real friends with people, and not so obsessed with inviting people to church events and such.  I hear this *all* the time... pray about someone you could invite over, ask a non-member family to the event we're having, etc.  The people I happen to know well outside of church members in my community are almost all atheists, or strong agnostics.  I feel like my friendship with them might have a missionary type of purpose, but in a much more broad sense of sharing my life as a faithful believer with them, and letting them get a sense that a Mormon can be a good friend of theirs and not someone who only cares about converting them.  And even if that were to be the case, the first giant step of their conversion would be to open their mind to the possibility of God... joining a specific faith would be way down the road.  I feel like we need to just be who we are, and celebrate that, and make efforts to really get to know people better and serve them whenever we can and be genuine friends first.  Opportunities to talk about our faith and church will come up (I'm surprised by how often they do), but we can't let that be the only focus, to the point where it feels like a MLM thing...  "Oh, they were only trying to be my friend so they could sell me on their church, and then when I wasn't interested, suddenly they're not visiting or staying in touch anymore."  Enjoy our services and events for ourselves as a gathering of saints, and invite people now and then as prompted, but to be excited and inspired to do that, not feel required.  Attraction rather than promotion, is often more effective.  Or both combined, but attraction is more of a true inspiring kind of excitement, whereas promotion can feel manipulative.  But I feel as though there's a faulty psychology where we tend to obsess about the "problem" (i.e., how can we get more non-members to come here??!!!), instead of just living our religion and being joyous in it, which can be a powerful attraction in its own right, and through which inspired opportunities to share the Gospel with others will come.

 

The Word of Wisdom was not a commandment for a long time, and then it was, but perhaps it could be dialed back as such again, as far as a requirement for baptism?  Considering it is not a requirement to be a member, once you already are, I feel like that could be amended to allow for more people to fellowship with us and begin to walk the path, even if they still like their coffee or an occasional beer.  Keep the temple requirement the same, though, which offers a growth path and incentive to follow the WoW at some point.  A problem I see with this idea is not that we'd have people smelling like cigarettes in Sacrament meeting, but that it would probably ignite some more "look down your nose" attitudes among some, which can already be an issue.  But as long as we can learn to be more inclusive and loving of each other, despite our struggles and shortcomings, which I think could be a great thing to have to practice more regularly, then this idea could work very well to invite more who are on the fence because of it to give the church a try.  The WoW was a major pause button for me before I joined the church.

 

I like Bill Reel's suggestions very much, and I disagree with whoever said they mostly apply within the church.  Most of those things apply as far as the perception people have as they learn about the church and investigate and consider joining (which may include a few visits to church services and classes before being baptized).

Edited May 13, 2014 by Grudunza

[Scott Lloyd]

At best what can be achieved by answering questions, is to eventually get to a point where the individual is invested in reading the BoM. I have never heard of someone converted by having questions answered so it makes sense to me that some missionaries get flustered by what they see is unnecessary effort that will eventually end up in the same place if it ends anywhere.

But some investigators need to approach it that way, it prepares the soil for the seed of faith to fall into.

I agree the best way to approach it is the investigator to write down the questions or discuss jow she wants to frame the question before it is written down and the missionaries come next time prepared to deal with those.

FairMormon is willing to help research or provide known info or anything else if someone does not have their own resources near at hand or are concerned about accuracy, etc.

FairMormon is a valuable resource that is not used nearly enough.

[Avatar4321]

None of those require almost 24/7 adherence to clothing requirements. (except the military during wartime) 

 

I know you guys want to defend, but you are grasping at straws to do it. 

 

Neither are missionaries. So you might want to let go of your straws before you expect others to.

[Tacenda]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akM8v20eNxs&feature=youtu.be

 

To the OP:  Yes, yes you can, by not ever sharing this you tube that my nephew's wonderful wife just posted on FB.  At about 2:25 minutes in, it does something not very kosher.  Watch to see, other than that I guess it's ok.