Pet Peeve: Bored Missionaries at Church

[ZealouslyStriving]

So.... since I have started attending church again, I've noticed many of the missionaries slumped over in the pew seeming to be very uninterested in the proceedings. It really stuck out to me last Sunday, especially as they had an obvious visitor with them. Has anyone else noticed this?

I feel like: if you are out teaching the world that the Church is a wonderful organization that will bring joy into your life- at least act like it for two hours on Sunday, especially with visitors in attendance. I do live in a hot city and they ride bikes, but our meeting starts a 9am so it's not that hot yet that they should be completely spent by the time they get there. Maybe buy some Mountain Dews Saturday night and chug one or two before Church guys.
 

I'm new (it's only my 2nd week at this Ward) should I say something to someone?

[Stargazer]

3 minutes ago, ZealouslyStriving said:

I'm new (it's only my 2nd week at this Ward) should I say something to someone?

You might want to mention it to the ward mission leader. That's what I'd do. If your ward doesn't have a WML, then one of the elders quorum presidency.

There's no reason to go any further, though. No doubt someone else has noticed.

[ksfisher]

8 minutes ago, ZealouslyStriving said:

should I say something to someone?

Say what?  To whom?  Who is in charge of making sure people pay attention in sacrament meeting?

They're 19 years old

Sacrament meeting are, in my opinion, for the most part boring

Before removing the mote from their eyes...

Edited June 18, 2024 by ksfisher

[bluebell]

20 minutes ago, ZealouslyStriving said:

So.... since I have started attending church again, I've noticed many of the missionaries slumped over in the pew seeming to be very uninterested in the proceedings. It really stuck out to me last Sunday, especially as they had an obvious visitor with them. Has anyone else noticed this?

I feel like: if you are out teaching the world that the Church is a wonderful organization that will bring joy into your life- at least act like it for two hours on Sunday, especially with visitors in attendance. I do live in a hot city and they ride bikes, but our meeting starts a 9am so it's not that hot yet that they should be completely spent by the time they get there. Maybe buy some Mountain Dews Saturday night and chug one or two before Church guys.
 

I'm new (it's only my 2nd week at this Ward) should I say something to someone?

You must have a lot of missionaries attending your ward if you are noticing 'many' not caring about church.  I say give it a few more sundays to see if anything changes, and then if it doesn't strike up a conversation with them to see if they are doing ok.  Maybe a ride to church or a friendly face is just what they need to change things around.  

[Rain]

Body language is not a good way to tell how someone is feeling or how much attention they have.  

If you fold your arms it can mean you are resistant, or cold, or you body hurts, or you don't know what to do with your hands or your being reverent. Or any number of other things.

Slumped over can be tired, or your back hurts, or you feel peace, or you feel comfortable, or your body is still growing and sitting that way helps or sitting at attention takes you back when you had overly restrictive parents.  

They are adults. You have no stewardship, relationship or even communication with them.  You should do nothing, but love them.

[ZealouslyStriving]

1 hour ago, ksfisher said:

Say what?  To whom?  Who is in charge of making sure people pay attention in sacrament meeting?

They're 19 years old

Sacrament meeting are, in my opinion, for the most part boring

Before removing the mote from their eyes...

This was Sunday School.

 

[ZealouslyStriving]

1 hour ago, bluebell said:

You must have a lot of missionaries attending your ward if you are noticing 'many' not caring about church.  I say give it a few more sundays to see if anything changes, and then if it doesn't strike up a conversation with them to see if they are doing ok.  Maybe a ride to church or a friendly face is just what they need to change things around.  

I thought about offering a ride when I am more acclimatized to the Ward.

[ZealouslyStriving]

2 hours ago, ksfisher said:

Before removing the mote from their eyes.

Not sure what this has to do with anything...

[MustardSeed]

Invite them to dinner, befriend them, invest in them, and give them some referrals.  
Don’t tell on them.  
IMO. 

[ZealouslyStriving]

I'm judging how hard to respond to some of the comments here, but I'll just bow out.

[rpn]

17 hours ago, ZealouslyStriving said:

'm new (it's only my 2nd week at this Ward) should I say something to someone?

Perhaps one of the hardest challenges of any church experience is to see only the good in others (absent specific stewardship for something).   The scriptures teach that when we have problems with others, we pray for them, we set them a good example (sometimes we make sure we are always seated where we can't see what annoys us), and we look for things they do correctly and acknowledge those things.  

I'd be curious about why they are doing that (because you are completely correct that it wouldn't be typical) but I'd not make it a stumbling block for my own worship.  Judging others at church tends to interfere with communion with the Spirit.

[ZealouslyStriving]

33 minutes ago, rpn said:

Perhaps one of the hardest challenges of any church experience is to see only the good in others (absent specific stewardship for something).   The scriptures teach that when we have problems with others, we pray for them, we set them a good example (sometimes we make sure we are always seated where we can't see what annoys us), and we look for things they do correctly and acknowledge those things.  

I'd be curious about why they are doing that (because you are completely correct that it wouldn't be typical) but I'd not make it a stumbling block for my own worship.  Judging others at church tends to interfere with communion with the Spirit.

It's not a stumbling block for me, doesn't interfere with my worship, I'm  not judging them, and I don't have a problem with the missionaries - they seem like great young men. I just think they don't realize the message their body language can convey, especially to those who are visiting. It's not head bowed or elbows on knees hunched over, it's full blown laying on their knees, like they are asleep, for almost the entire 45 minutes of class.

[MustardSeed]

26 minutes ago, ZealouslyStriving said:

It's not a stumbling block for me, doesn't interfere with my worship, I'm  not judging them, and I don't have a problem with the missionaries - they seem like great young men. I just think they don't realize the message their body language can convey, especially to those who are visiting. It's not head bowed or elbows on knees hunched over, it's full blown laying on their knees, like they are asleep, for almost the entire 45 minutes of class.

I’m jealous.

[marineland]

19 hours ago, ZealouslyStriving said:

So.... since I have started attending church again, I've noticed many of the missionaries slumped over in the pew seeming to be very uninterested in the proceedings. It really stuck out to me last Sunday, especially as they had an obvious visitor with them. Has anyone else noticed this?

...

I'm new (it's only my 2nd week at this Ward) should I say something to someone?

Ask them why they seem uninterested.

[longview]

1 hour ago, marineland said:

Ask them why they seem uninterested.

Maybe not. Their "slumping over" may actually mean they are in DEEP meditation. They might even be somewhat overcome by the spirit.

 

[Tacenda]

21 hours ago, ZealouslyStriving said:

So.... since I have started attending church again, I've noticed many of the missionaries slumped over in the pew seeming to be very uninterested in the proceedings. It really stuck out to me last Sunday, especially as they had an obvious visitor with them. Has anyone else noticed this?

I feel like: if you are out teaching the world that the Church is a wonderful organization that will bring joy into your life- at least act like it for two hours on Sunday, especially with visitors in attendance. I do live in a hot city and they ride bikes, but our meeting starts a 9am so it's not that hot yet that they should be completely spent by the time they get there. Maybe buy some Mountain Dews Saturday night and chug one or two before Church guys.
 

I'm new (it's only my 2nd week at this Ward) should I say something to someone?

Yes, say something to them!! Maybe there's a good reason. 

The other day I had missionaries ring my door bell. I was excited to see them. My first pair for a long long time. They were curious about my neighbors who are renting next to me. And didn't know if they were active, I told them yes that they are. Maybe the records are still in Tennessee where they were before they moved to Utah.

Anyhoo, we had a good conversation and I included that I haven't been active for awhile. And they asked why and I told them it was something that I learned about the church's history but that nowadays the youth are taught many things that I wasn't. And the one missionary told me he was very close to taking his name off the records because of something, now can't remember. But he made me feel much better for saying that, sort of like, "you're not so bad!". I did tell them I'm trying to go back. 

So I do have a soft spot for our missionaries, and think they're not perfect and need some uplifting. Which I'm sure you'll do. 

[blackstrap]

Depending on what time your service is, they might be missing their ' nap time' , or it might be the third Sunday school they have attended with different investigators/ friends . Approach gently . 

[Tacenda]

I had to say this on the being bored, what about the other congregants? Maybe it was a boring meeting. That's the gamble the church takes when asking members to speak in church. Which I've always thought was very unique in a church setting. Kind of love it. But understand that some can be booooorrrrriiiinnnnggg.

ETA: Sorry, didn't know it was Sunday School. Maybe the teacher needs to get more feedback from the class and that would wake people up, thinking they might be called on.

Edited June 20, 2024 by Tacenda

[MustardSeed]

I would save all the churches I’ve ever attended, ours is the most boring. And of all the wards I’ve ever attended my ward presently is the least interesting.  
 

I don’t need to attend Sunday school. I know exactly what’s gonna happen. It’s in the manual word for word. 
 

 

[Tacenda]

4 hours ago, MustardSeed said:

I would save all the churches I’ve ever attended, ours is the most boring. And of all the wards I’ve ever attended my ward presently is the least interesting.  
 

I don’t need to attend Sunday school. I know exactly what’s gonna happen. It’s in the manual word for word. 
 

 

Well, that's where Fast Sunday comes in handy. Those can be interesting. Until, the bishop turns the mike off. Never happened in any of my wards, but maybe some have.

And the word for word thing, 

 

[ZealouslyStriving]

6 hours ago, Tacenda said:

I had to say this on the being bored, what about the other congregants? Maybe it was a boring meeting. That's the gamble the church takes when asking members to speak in church. Which I've always thought was very unique in a church setting. Kind of love it. But understand that some can be booooorrrrriiiinnnnggg.

ETA: Sorry, didn't know it was Sunday School. Maybe the teacher needs to get more feedback from the class and that would wake people up, thinking they might be called on.

I will say it was the SS teacher's first week and it kind of showed.

[brownbear]

My MTC branch president said that "every Sunday should be like the SuperBowl!"

[Tacenda]

A little off topic...but I wonder do missionaries ever get too full of themselves? And could it be they just could care less how they look to the members during church? I'm leaning that they weren't. 

I say this because yesterday my son and his girlfriend were at a parade in a very LDS small town. And I guess when the veterans walked down the road, they got a little bit of cheering but when the missionaries came later on there was very loud cheering, that swamped the ones given the vets. It really upset my son, I guess I'd have to have been there. But then again, the missionaries are being volunteers for two years away from friends and family and are susceptible to getting killed as well as someone serving in military I guess. 

[Rain]

1 hour ago, Tacenda said:

A little off topic...but I wonder do missionaries ever get too full of themselves? And could it be they just could care less how they look to the members during church? I'm leaning that they weren't. 

They are people, just like everyone else, imperfect.  While on missions they may be their best selves or they may not be.

1 hour ago, Tacenda said:

I say this because yesterday my son and his girlfriend were at a parade in a very LDS small town. And I guess when the veterans walked down the road, they got a little bit of cheering but when the missionaries came later on there was very loud cheering, that swamped the ones given the vets. It really upset my son, I guess I'd have to have been there. But then again, the missionaries are being volunteers for two years away from friends and family and are susceptible to getting killed as well as someone serving in military I guess. 

 

[Calm]

4 hours ago, Tacenda said:

and are susceptible to getting killed as well as someone serving in military

Missionaries (at least the males) have a much lower death rate than the male general population of their age.  You want to help your son stay alive and healthy, send him on a mission (at least in developed countries, I know some missionaries who picked up parasites and one that got mauled by a lion at a run down, side of the road zoo).

Would be interesting if the recklessness of youth applies to LDS young adults as significantly as drugs and alcohol are a big part of that mortality rate and would be less present in LDS young adult deaths….at least those most likely to go on missions.  But as I understand it, just not driving around for fun or at night cuts way down on accidents and pranking is likely shut way down.

Edited July 6, 2024 by Calm