Missionary work? What’s appropriate?

I don’t know, maybe I’m in too deep with my own concerns at the moment to be worried about the rest of the world.

I see missionary work as a reach out to people who are looking for something new in their life. I don’t mind if others take a different view but like I said, I don’t have the energy to worry about their views right now.

Thanks for the question, maybe someone else has more energy at the moment.

This is what I posted recently on my own blog about how I approach “missionary work” (although I wish we would ditch that phrase and say “living the Gospel” instead – personal pet peeve):

http://thingsofmysoul.blogspot.com/2008/12/foundation-of-joy.html

I was rushing and too lazy to cut and paste the relevant part. Here is it:

The missionary application: I approached my mission as an attempt to find people who would accept our version of the Gospel when they heard it (who could catch a glimpse of the vision when it was presented to them) – or, I should say, who would not reject it when they began to hear it and refuse the chance to begin to see it. It wasn’t my job to try to convince them intellectually, but rather to touch them spiritually.

Some people I met said, upon hearing various things we believe, “That’s crazy. You’re nuts. Mormonism really is a cult if you can believe that stuff.” Some said, “Say what? Whatever. I just don’t get it.” Others said, “I don’t get it, but I’d like to hear more.” Finally, a few said, “That’s exactly what I’ve always thought/felt!” Given what little time I had, my job wasn’t to convince the first two groups, but rather to find and encourage the latter two groups – to help them feel the motivating influence of the Holy Ghost. That perspective led me to say, in essence, to everyone, “Follow what you feel – not what you think about it at first. Try it; you’ll like it.” If someone responded with strong negativity, my response basically was, “OK. I’ll find someone else.” They almost always spent more time and energy trying to convince me that I was wrong than I did trying to “convert” them. I was looking for a particular type of person – someone who was looking, first and foremost, for joy – either joy they lacked or more joy than they felt at the time. As I had experienced myself, once they found a core Gospel perspective that produced the joy they were seeking, they were able to wrap their minds around the theological and doctrinal details – the other “intellectual” stuff.

I don’t believe in spending large amounts of time trying to argue with and convince others. I believe in sharing my feelings and experiences and continuing with those with whom they resonate. That’s one of the reasons I don’t like the phrase “missionary work” – since I believe it divorces sharing the Gospel from real life. When I just share my life, some people listen who want a similar life; when it is “work”, other people sense that.

That’s my experience, at least.

I think we are part of the beautiful fabric of faith. We should share our faith. I benefit from others sharing with me. We should share with others. If they find something in us they like, they might choose to explore it. There’s nothing wrong with that.

I also do not find arguing or debating to be productive at all. We never convert people with clever words and logic. Sure, we can convince some people sometimes to join the Church that way. I don’t think we do them a service though.

I’m not a huge fan of our current proselyting missionary system. I wish we had young people doing more humanitarian service at this point.

kupord maizzed said:

Are you willing to support your kids on a mission preaching Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, obedience, and Priesthood?

I support my kids in any way I can in anything they want to do. Each one of my children has chosen on their own to serve a mission for the LDS church. I find that what one learns and how one loves others is much more important in the eternal sense than whether they teach about Joseph Smith, Book of Mormon, obedience or the Priesthood. Mind you, my children are very TBM and do NOT know that I am NOT. I find very little harm in what they are doing or teaching. They believe it and the people they are teaching either believe it or not.

Will you go on a mission someday for the church?

I hope to go with my wife – either on a humanitarian or teaching mission. If it were a teaching one, I would do what I outlined in the “Foundation of Joy” post – look for those for whom the core Gospel principles resonate and for whom the organizational structure will help bring joy and growth. That really is nothing more than sharing with others what brings me joy – but only with those who want to hear it.

I would love to go on a humanitarian mission to Africa or India with my husband.

Now that sounds cool. And I guess these days couples get a lot of latitude that way.