Comments on: Teaching with the missionaries http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/teaching-with-the-missionaries/ By Common Consent is the pre-eminent Mormon blog. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:35:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Travis http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/teaching-with-the-missionaries/#comment-190561 Travis Sun, 31 Aug 2008 18:13:11 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4070#comment-190561 Structure has its place and helps keep things moving along. however, the Book of Mormon teaches that all things need done by the spirit. If we are in tune with the spirit it will direct us what and when to teach. Structure has its place and helps keep things moving along. however, the Book of Mormon teaches that all things need done by the spirit. If we are in tune with the spirit it will direct us what and when to teach.

]]> By: Patrick http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/teaching-with-the-missionaries/#comment-189934 Patrick Fri, 22 Aug 2008 04:17:09 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4070#comment-189934 Ah, yes - fufu! I remember it well from visits with a family from Ghana, while serving in West Berlin (in 1979). We would teach the discussions in German (to some of the extended family) and also English (to others). They in turn would translate into French and their tribal dialect. We didn't get through the concepts very quickly, but we learned a lot from each other. Thanks for sharing! Ah, yes - fufu! I remember it well from visits with a family from Ghana, while serving in West Berlin (in 1979). We would teach the discussions in German (to some of the extended family) and also English (to others). They in turn would translate into French and their tribal dialect. We didn’t get through the concepts very quickly, but we learned a lot from each other.

Thanks for sharing!

]]> By: Red http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/teaching-with-the-missionaries/#comment-189894 Red Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:51:20 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4070#comment-189894 Thanks for #14, Ben O. I realize that member missionary work is the most effective way to find new members who will stay active, but I have hard time feeling comfortable doing it. My hang-ups: 1) I'm not sure that joining the Church would make my friends/acquaintances happier. It's a mixed bag being a Mormon, for sure. Some might say that it's not my call whether they will be happy, but I feel a significant weight of responsibility encouraging someone down the path. 2) What information do I share about the Church? I don't feel like the missionary discussion materials give a broad enough picture, both in terms of Church doctrine/history or day-to-day expectations of being a Mormon. Most of my friends and acquaintances are educated, curious people who would probably feel deceived by the typical scope of missionary discussions. The problem is that I'm not sure whether anyone who has spent much time at places like Mormonthink or similar sites would easily jump into the Church. 3) In some ways, I don't know whether I want the Church to fill the whole Earth. This may be the most selfish of my concerns, but I really do like the variety of having friends with differing life paradigms. Perhaps there are some people who share similar concerns but are more motivated by beliefs that (a) their friends need the Gospel for salvation or (b) their own salvation depends on sharing the Gospel. Maybe it's the fact that I'm not wholly convinced of either that is the real impediment. Thanks for #14, Ben O. I realize that member missionary work is the most effective way to find new members who will stay active, but I have hard time feeling comfortable doing it. My hang-ups:

1) I’m not sure that joining the Church would make my friends/acquaintances happier. It’s a mixed bag being a Mormon, for sure. Some might say that it’s not my call whether they will be happy, but I feel a significant weight of responsibility encouraging someone down the path.

2) What information do I share about the Church? I don’t feel like the missionary discussion materials give a broad enough picture, both in terms of Church doctrine/history or day-to-day expectations of being a Mormon. Most of my friends and acquaintances are educated, curious people who would probably feel deceived by the typical scope of missionary discussions. The problem is that I’m not sure whether anyone who has spent much time at places like Mormonthink or similar sites would easily jump into the Church.

3) In some ways, I don’t know whether I want the Church to fill the whole Earth. This may be the most selfish of my concerns, but I really do like the variety of having friends with differing life paradigms.

Perhaps there are some people who share similar concerns but are more motivated by beliefs that (a) their friends need the Gospel for salvation or (b) their own salvation depends on sharing the Gospel. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m not wholly convinced of either that is the real impediment.

]]> By: Peter LLC http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/teaching-with-the-missionaries/#comment-189809 Peter LLC Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:02:51 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4070#comment-189809 <blockquote>quit telling me to do missionary work because it’s my ‘duty’. Nothing makes me run faster.</blockquote> Preach on, Brother O. I feel the same way when the EQ president hounds us about home teaching or when the bishop starts lecturing us about tithing--I'll do it for the <em>right </em>reasons or not at all!

quit telling me to do missionary work because it’s my ‘duty’. Nothing makes me run faster.

Preach on, Brother O. I feel the same way when the EQ president hounds us about home teaching or when the bishop starts lecturing us about tithing–I’ll do it for the right reasons or not at all!

]]> By: Deacon http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/teaching-with-the-missionaries/#comment-189808 Deacon Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:23:36 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4070#comment-189808 The pressure for numbers doesn't just begin with the Mission President. I have found in 4 seperate missions that the MP is under even more stress and pressure to baptise from the Area Authorities. The pressure for numbers doesn’t just begin with the Mission President. I have found in 4 seperate missions that the MP is under even more stress and pressure to baptise from the Area Authorities.

]]> By: Carrie http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/teaching-with-the-missionaries/#comment-189801 Carrie Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:56:36 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4070#comment-189801 My mission (Argentina Neuquen) was very number oriented. Every week we had to write down on the board (for everyone in the district to see and judge) how many people were were teaching, exactly which discussion they were at and how many people were committed to being baptized. There was the pressure to move people ahead to baptism when they weren't ready. In one area especially we were constantly told to drop investigators that didn't have a baptismal date in the near furture, even if they were working through getting a divorce so they could get married to their live-in spouse and be baptized. Constrast that with another area. My district leader was native and he told us straight out in a district meeting that he didn't care about the numbers, he just wanted to know about the quality of the people we were teaching. His attitude was inspiring - he actually cared about people as people! Several people I taught in that area did not get baptized right away, but they eventually did and became integral members of their ward. That is the ultimate goal anyway. My mission (Argentina Neuquen) was very number oriented. Every week we had to write down on the board (for everyone in the district to see and judge) how many people were were teaching, exactly which discussion they were at and how many people were committed to being baptized. There was the pressure to move people ahead to baptism when they weren’t ready. In one area especially we were constantly told to drop investigators that didn’t have a baptismal date in the near furture, even if they were working through getting a divorce so they could get married to their live-in spouse and be baptized.

Constrast that with another area. My district leader was native and he told us straight out in a district meeting that he didn’t care about the numbers, he just wanted to know about the quality of the people we were teaching. His attitude was inspiring - he actually cared about people as people! Several people I taught in that area did not get baptized right away, but they eventually did and became integral members of their ward. That is the ultimate goal anyway.

]]> By: Noray http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/teaching-with-the-missionaries/#comment-189796 Noray Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:33:20 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4070#comment-189796 There are 25 people on our Branch list who are converts baptized since I moved here in Dec. 1999. Of those 25, only 3 are still attending church and they were all baptized in the past 12 months. We are having a major push in our Branch to find more people for the elders to teach. I think I will pass on this effort and see if I can help keep those precious 3 involved. There are 25 people on our Branch list who are converts baptized since I moved here in Dec. 1999. Of those 25, only 3 are still attending church and they were all baptized in the past 12 months.

We are having a major push in our Branch to find more people for the elders to teach. I think I will pass on this effort and see if I can help keep those precious 3 involved.

]]> By: Aaron Brown http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/teaching-with-the-missionaries/#comment-189795 Aaron Brown Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:19:21 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4070#comment-189795 Oops. The Card piece wasn't linked to at BCC; I linked to it from elsewhere. Sorry. This is the piece: http://mormontimes.com/ME_blogs.php?id=1586 AB Oops. The Card piece wasn’t linked to at BCC; I linked to it from elsewhere. Sorry. This is the piece: http://mormontimes.com/ME_blogs.php?id=1586

AB

]]> By: Aaron Brown http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/teaching-with-the-missionaries/#comment-189788 Aaron Brown Wed, 20 Aug 2008 23:13:45 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4070#comment-189788 I'd say yes, but per the link at the sidebar, I fear that Orson Scott Card would respond by trying to overthrow the government. AB I’d say yes, but per the link at the sidebar, I fear that Orson Scott Card would respond by trying to overthrow the government.

AB

]]> By: Steve Evans http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/teaching-with-the-missionaries/#comment-189786 Steve Evans Wed, 20 Aug 2008 23:01:51 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4070#comment-189786 Can I still have a snuggle? Can I still have a snuggle?

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