Can we talk about modern day missions?

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

I recently read a story of a missionary who died while on her mission. My oldest granddaughter is currently in the MTC, she is there, but her assigned companion did not report. As a result she is paired with two other young women as a result. Oddly enough, my oldest Son’s in-laws are there at the same time, which is great for the short time they will be at the MTC. 
 

The “in-laws” (Dave and Shanna) have been preparing at home, for a while now to be Mission President, and whatever wives are called (Matrons maybe) preparing to go to Dubai, where they have missionaries? One week into their training, they have been reassigned to go to Morocco, where there are no missionaries. In fact this seems to be a trend, post COVID-19, have people agree to serve, then put them where they are needed, due to an ever changing landscape (metaphorically speaking).
 

Is this the sign of an ever Ever Expanding Mission Field, or an Ever Decreasing Million Field? 
 

I worry when my babies, are not within my sphere of protection. Be it my children when they served, or my grand-babies now serving, because I need to know they are safe. My granddaughter Macy is supposed to serve in Peru, and she studied so much to serve in Peru, now she worries she might be sent elsewhere. 
 

Is the mission field increasing, or is it decreasing? Also is it decreasing as a result of fewer able to serve, or because few don’t want to hear our message? 
 

What has become of us post COVID-19, with fist bumps, rather than handshakes. Shorter meetings, with fewer in attendance. Something seems off…

 

One thing I know, due to my many illnesses (four hospitalizations in one year), I have reached a point in my life, where “I need the Church, but the Church no longer needs me”. 

 

Anyway, just worried about my granddaughter, worried about where she is going, and worried if I will be here when she gets back. So, does anyone out West, know why things seem to be shifting so much? 

[Rain]

5 minutes ago, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

I recently read a story of a missionary who died while on her mission. My oldest granddaughter is currently in the MTC, she is there, but her assigned companion did not report. As a result she is paired with two other young women as a result. Oddly enough, my oldest Son’s in-laws are there at the same time, which is great for the short time they will be at the MTC. 
 

The “in-laws” (Dave and Shanna) have been preparing at home, for a while now to be Mission President, and whatever wives are called (Matrons maybe) preparing to go to Dubai, where they have missionaries? One week into their training, they have been reassigned to go to Morocco, where there are no missionaries. In fact this seems to be a trend, post COVID-19, have people agree to serve, then put them where they are needed, due to an ever changing landscape (metaphorically speaking).

 

This not a covid thing.  It has happened for at least decades. But it's not like lots of missionaries are going to different missions. We just notice it more when it happens than when it doesn't happen.

 

5 minutes ago, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

Is this the sign of an ever Ever Expanding Mission Field, or an Ever Decreasing Million Field? 

 

 

I think probably neither.  It's more of a sign that something is changing in that area, or someone gets sick, or someone decides not to go (which was happening 35 years ago too), or someone doesn't get a visa. One of my companion's dr said she should not go anywhere hot or humid. She got sent to Houston...for 2 months till she got sent somewhere else.  A missionary in my mission came from my husband's mission so that hopefully he would act better.  One of my son's friends was called on a mission, later he got word that he would be going to a newly created mission instead, then after awhile in that mission was sent to a different mission for safety reasons and then sent back to that mission, but everything about his mission was pretty unusual.

5 minutes ago, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

I worry when my babies, are not within my sphere of protection. Be it my children when they served, or my grand-babies now serving, because I need to know they are safe. My granddaughter Macy is supposed to serve in Peru, and she studied so much to serve in Peru, now she worries she might be sent elsewhere. 

 

 

Is there any reason for her to worry?  Like unrest in the area or visas not going through?  

5 minutes ago, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

Is the mission field increasing, or is it decreasing? Also is it decreasing as a result of fewer able to serve, or because few don’t want to hear our message? 

 

 

 

No idea

5 minutes ago, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

What has become of us post COVID-19, with fist bumps, rather than handshakes.

 

 

People now feel culturally safe not to give the handshakes or they don't want to spread germs as much - and that's not necessarily covid related.

5 minutes ago, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

Shorter meetings, with fewer in attendance. Something seems off…

 

One thing I know, due to my many illnesses (four hospitalizations in one year), I have reached a point in my life, where “I need the Church, but the Church no longer needs me”. 

 

Anyway, just worried about my granddaughter, worried about where she is going, and worried if I will be here when she gets back. So, does anyone out West, know why things seem to be shifting so much? 

 

[Pyreaux]

The field is not shrinking, westerners have all been becoming more isolated and inhospitable, even before covid. Accessing our message from strangers off the street isn't done. They gone socializing in cyber space and so our enemies are able to garble the message. I think more local missions and service projects is the way to go. We used to not preach while we served, but maybe that should change too.

[blackstrap]

Getting visas to certain countries in a timely manner has always been a problem. This was true 50 years ago and is still true. Couple that with changing political winds in some places and we see mission callings be tentative at times. 

I would like to think that the Lord has at least 69,000 guardian angels on call just for missionaries. Where I served there were constant gun battles in the streets and we never gave it a moments thought. 

[Rain]

18 minutes ago, Pyreaux said:

The field is not shrinking, westerners have all been becoming more isolated and inhospitable, even before covid. Accessing our message from strangers off the street isn't done. They gone socializing in cyber space and so our enemies are able to garble the message. I think more local missions and service projects is the way to go. We used to not preach while we served, but maybe that should change too.

If you mean we haven't preached when doing service projects then I hope that never changes.  

[pogi]

49 minutes ago, blackstrap said:

I would like to think that the Lord has at least 69,000 guardian angels on call just for missionaries. Where I served there were constant gun battles in the streets and we never gave it a moments thought. 

That's the dangerous invincibility complex that many missionaries have that gives parents and grandparents (and medical directors over missionaries) anxiety at night. 

I work with medical experts over all missions and know that these missionaries are no safer from life-threatening infectious disease and other accidents than anyone else.  

Edited September 18, 2023 by pogi

[Pyreaux]

30 minutes ago, Rain said:

If you mean we haven't preached when doing service projects then I hope that never changes.  

They forbid preaching, but I'd wish they made contacts. Show off missionaries, be an identifiable household name like the Salvation Army, put ourselves out there to be recognizes as a church.

[blackstrap]

6 minutes ago, pogi said:

That's the dangerous invincibility complex

True enough, but some of that comes with being 20 years old.

 On a side note, on my mission I got a letter from home once every couple of weeks. Now missionaries talk directly for an hour every week. Does that contact help or hinder anxiety ??

[bluebell]

5 minutes ago, blackstrap said:

True enough, but some of that comes with being 20 years old.

 On a side note, on my mission I got a letter from home once every couple of weeks. Now missionaries talk directly for an hour every week. Does that contact help or hinder anxiety ??

We talk to our missionary for about 15 minutes every week.  An hour a week would be way too much!

[blackstrap]

30 minutes ago, bluebell said:

We talk to our missionary for about 15 minutes every week.  An hour a week would be way too much!

Is that a mission rule or a family decision ? 

[CV75]

2 hours ago, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

I recently read a story of a missionary who died while on her mission. My oldest granddaughter is currently in the MTC, she is there, but her assigned companion did not report. As a result she is paired with two other young women as a result. Oddly enough, my oldest Son’s in-laws are there at the same time, which is great for the short time they will be at the MTC. 
 

The “in-laws” (Dave and Shanna) have been preparing at home, for a while now to be Mission President, and whatever wives are called (Matrons maybe) preparing to go to Dubai, where they have missionaries? One week into their training, they have been reassigned to go to Morocco, where there are no missionaries. In fact this seems to be a trend, post COVID-19, have people agree to serve, then put them where they are needed, due to an ever changing landscape (metaphorically speaking).
 

Is this the sign of an ever Ever Expanding Mission Field, or an Ever Decreasing Million Field? 
 

I worry when my babies, are not within my sphere of protection. Be it my children when they served, or my grand-babies now serving, because I need to know they are safe. My granddaughter Macy is supposed to serve in Peru, and she studied so much to serve in Peru, now she worries she might be sent elsewhere. 
 

Is the mission field increasing, or is it decreasing? Also is it decreasing as a result of fewer able to serve, or because few don’t want to hear our message? 
 

What has become of us post COVID-19, with fist bumps, rather than handshakes. Shorter meetings, with fewer in attendance. Something seems off…

 

One thing I know, due to my many illnesses (four hospitalizations in one year), I have reached a point in my life, where “I need the Church, but the Church no longer needs me”. 

 

Anyway, just worried about my granddaughter, worried about where she is going, and worried if I will be here when she gets back. So, does anyone out West, know why things seem to be shifting so much? 

I think it is a more flexible mission field due to the chaotic nature of the world today. Several years ago our leaders began to emphasize that missionaries are called to serve by revelation, period, and the particular assignments and location(s) may be adjusted by inspiration when events outside of anyone's control require flexible response.

 

[Rain]

56 minutes ago, Pyreaux said:

They forbid preaching, but I'd wish they made contacts. Show off missionaries, be an identifiable household name like the Salvation Army, put ourselves out there to be recognizes as a church.

All the missionaries (both proselytizing and service) who have served at the organizations I have been with have worn their nametags. Sometimes they are dressed in regular missionary clothes and sometimes in more casual clothes depending on the circumstances. They are very identifiable to the other volunteers and organizations we work with. Even though they are not to approach volunteers and clients with the gospel or leave pamphlets they are allowed to and are happy to answer questions they are often asked. 

I know sometimes at schools they are not allowed to wear tags or tell about being a missionary, but that is totally understandable and good.

It may depend on the mission though.  I know my son's friend was not allowed to wear tags in Turkey, but that's different.  It will probably vary from mission to mission.

[bluebell]

33 minutes ago, blackstrap said:

Is that a mission rule or a family decision ? 

I have no idea if it's a mission rule.  It's not a family one.  It's just how long our conversation generally are.

[Rain]

47 minutes ago, blackstrap said:

Is that a mission rule or a family decision ? 

My son came home 2 years ago from a different mission.  I've found the amount of time talking really varies between missionaries and what is going on.  In the middle of his mission he talked much more than at the beginning or the ending, but that was during 2020 and he was pretty bored.  Near the end of his mission he didn't call every week.

[rodheadlee]

4 hours ago, pogi said:

That's the dangerous invincibility complex that many missionaries have that gives parents and grandparents (and medical directors over missionaries) anxiety at night. 

I work with medical experts over all missions and know that these missionaries are no safer from life-threatening infectious disease and other accidents than anyone else.  

That's looking at it temporally, not eternally. 

[pogi]

10 hours ago, rodheadlee said:

That's looking at it temporally, not eternally. 

I was responding to the temporal context of the comment. 

[mfbukowski]

On 9/18/2023 at 2:38 PM, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

I recently read a story of a missionary who died while on her mission. My oldest granddaughter is currently in the MTC, she is there, but her assigned companion did not report. As a result she is paired with two other young women as a result. Oddly enough, my oldest Son’s in-laws are there at the same time, which is great for the short time they will be at the MTC. 
 

The “in-laws” (Dave and Shanna) have been preparing at home, for a while now to be Mission President, and whatever wives are called (Matrons maybe) preparing to go to Dubai, where they have missionaries? One week into their training, they have been reassigned to go to Morocco, where there are no missionaries. In fact this seems to be a trend, post COVID-19, have people agree to serve, then put them where they are needed, due to an ever changing landscape (metaphorically speaking).
 

Is this the sign of an ever Ever Expanding Mission Field, or an Ever Decreasing Million Field? 
 

I worry when my babies, are not within my sphere of protection. Be it my children when they served, or my grand-babies now serving, because I need to know they are safe. My granddaughter Macy is supposed to serve in Peru, and she studied so much to serve in Peru, now she worries she might be sent elsewhere. 
 

Is the mission field increasing, or is it decreasing? Also is it decreasing as a result of fewer able to serve, or because few don’t want to hear our message? 
 

What has become of us post COVID-19, with fist bumps, rather than handshakes. Shorter meetings, with fewer in attendance. Something seems off…

 

One thing I know, due to my many illnesses (four hospitalizations in one year), I have reached a point in my life, where “I need the Church, but the Church no longer needs me”. 

 

Anyway, just worried about my granddaughter, worried about where she is going, and worried if I will be here when she gets back. So, does anyone out West, know why things seem to be shifting so much? 

Don't fear, have faith.

What you cannot control must be left to the Lord

I'm trying to learn that principle myself too, and know how hard it is.

Edited September 20, 2023 by mfbukowski

[Stargazer]

On 9/18/2023 at 10:38 PM, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

One thing I know, due to my many illnesses (four hospitalizations in one year), I have reached a point in my life, where “I need the Church, but the Church no longer needs me”. 

Well, that may actually be a bit of a blessing in some respects! I say this kind of tongue in cheek. I'm 71 going on 72 and made the "mistake" of moving to the UK, where the Church has much smaller congregations than in the US. Whereas in my former ward by now I probably would have been relegated to minor callings and not that much being expected of me, while the young whippersnappers were called upon to fulfill more weighty positions, now I'm getting assigned to much more responsible tasks! Including my current one, which is a challenge I hadn't expected. And one I am poorly suited for, to be honest, due to my propensity of being asocial. I assume the Lord is trying to keep me humble. A good plan, since I can be quite prideful.

If you can write (and I've seen you do it), perhaps you could take the time to write your memoirs, with a view to inspiring your descendants. In that sense, at the very least, the Church does need you. 

[rpn]

I'm glad that there is flexibility to do what turns out to be needed where it is needed.   And I expect that more flexibility need is a more likely thing going forward than going back to less. 

Sometimes it is also more sure.  I know there is a senior missionary couple needed for a refugee camp in Greece.   A couple choosing that could be there in two months if they determined to go (assuming they didn't have to wait for passport). PM and I'll get you in touch with the current missionary couple who is about ready to return home but doesn't yet have a replacement.  They say they spend their Pdays swimming in the Adriatic sea.

Edited September 21, 2023 by rpn

[pogi]

19 hours ago, rpn said:

They say they spend their Pdays swimming in the Adriatic sea.

That's because the land is burnt toast.