Value In Reallocating Missionaries Away From Heavy Mormon Areas?

[Hamba Tuhan]

The de-emphasis/outright hostility towards tracting (banned in some missions), indexing, social media missionary "work" ("Tweet My Gospel"), chapel tours, extensive service, etc. --- all are designed to protect missionaries from "negative" experiences and help them not get discouraged and want to go home (because their time is filled with things that won't have them constantly trying to talk to people who aren't interested).

 

I could be wrong, but I strongly suspect that the prophets have chosen the current emphases in order to increase the effectiveness of missionary work by having missionaries actually talk to people who are interested.

 

An example: Earlier this morning, a full-time missionary who previously lived in our ward to work and save up money for his mission, came online and asked me if I could join him and his companion in a lesson. They're serving in America (Washington, DC) but were engaged with a non-member in New Zealand. Joining us in the lesson was another member in Fiji. Together the five of us had a great time discussing the principles of the gospel and attempting to resolve concerns.

 

After one of my contributions near the end of the lesson, the non-member wrote, 'Exactly!! Thanks', and then summarised what I had tried to express, linking it to what he would do now. He then asked, 'How should can i keep in touch with yu guys?', referring to the Fijian brother and me. We both encouraged him to add us on Facebook. The other full-time Elder then issued an invitation to act on what we had taught by doing something specific in the coming days, an invitation that was accepted.

 

The Elder I know then asked if we could have another lesson another day since it was already 9:30pm in Washington and therefore time for them to go to home. The response: 'Thanks for your time guys. I would love to have a another lesson with yous next time'. I then told this not-yet-baptised brother that I would keep him in prayers -- which I will do -- since I know that we really are brothers.

 

I suppose that somehow the 'work' of the Church might have been better advanced if these Elders had been knocking doors late at night in the US capital instead of 'tweeting the gospel' with an honest seeker after truth, but I'm somehow just not seeing it.

 

Our missionaries here don't yet have iPads or access to social media -- though I'll be grateful when they do if for no other reason than it will be easier for me to make appointments for them without having to play phone tag! -- but they are following well the training they've been given, and the outcome has been nothing short of miraculous. Every single week they find, of their own accord, new people to teach, and this in a city that could only be described as apathetic/hostile towards our message.

 

We will be having a baptismal service for a young painter this weekend. Two of our other investigators are preparing themselves for baptism the following weekend. Three days ago in stake conference, I enthusiastically raised my hand to sustain for Melchizedek Priesthood ordination a brother in our ward whom the full-time missionaries have been teaching consistently since last year (arranged by the previous WML). When I first moved into the ward, this man was in gaol. When I visited several years ago, he threw a drunken punch at me. Now he's preparing to take his wife to the temple to be sealed in exactly one month. The Elders helped with his ordination -- an event as joyful as the baptism of a convert. Our other set of Elders helped me ordain another brother after stake priesthood meeting in May, one who hadn't been active since age 14 but who has been meeting with them to have lessons since the beginning of this year (arranged by me). Not one of us had a dry eye.

 

It's a good time to be alive!

Edited August 13, 2014 by Hamba Tuhan

[Hamba Tuhan]

I've also been blessed to have met so many positive examples of diligent and spirit filled and led young men and women.

 

I reckon! What a miracle they are to us here. They are young and simple but filled with youthful idealism and a simple determination to serve. One of our companionships. a pair of very young (19), very blonde, very idealistic Sisters from America, has been visiting each Sunday morning a man who was excommunicated from the Church 25 years ago. I've repeatedly thought that they were being a bit too idealistic as I've gone with them to many of these appointments: this man is bitter and hardened. He's spent time in gaol in the past and considers that he was hard done by in his earlier association with the Church.

 

He was also at stake conference this past Sunday -- his first time in a chapel since his excommunication. When I arrived, I saw him standing in the car park. I asked if he needed someone to sit with. He said, 'No, I just need time and space to do this my way ... if I do it at all'. So I left him outside to finish his personal struggle. During the rest hymn, I looked back and saw him sitting in a chair on the side of the hall near a door. After the conference ended, I saw him work his way to the front of the chapel and shake hands with our stake patriarch -- who would have been district president 25 years ago. Later I caught him outside in the courtyard and thanked him for coming. 'No worries', he said; 'I'll see you next week'.

 

God bless these 'babes' whom He has sent to us at this time! I love them with all my heart for all the wonderful good they do.

[Rain]

I appreciate they need to be in Gospel Principles class when they have investigators, but when they don't I think it'd be good for them to help with Primary / Young people / Other Sunday School classes. As I think that'd help them integrate into rest of church better (and it can be a bit intimidating having so many missionaries in one class!)

Depending on your ward they don't need to be in their at all. If you have a strong gospel essentials class then they can introduce members to investigators and leave, or better yet hopefully they will already know members who opened their home for lessons or came to teach with the missionaries. Then the missionaries can go sub in classes or teach special missionary lessons. They can give comments when appropriate, bearing testimony of what the teacher is being taught. They can be getting to know ward members in class and build trust. Then the WML, ward missionaries and members can be making the investigators feel comfortable in class because they are the ones who will be around in 2 months when the missionary leaves.

When I first heard about this I thought it was an excellent idea and told the elders about it. They ran with it, but were only doing it 2 weeks before they were both transferred out. The sisters either are nit getting it or don't agree with the idea. But I can tell you I was so much more comfortable handing my friends over to missionaries when I had at least heard them bear testimony and this is an excellent way for them to build trust with the missionaries.