Every member a missionary

[Anonymous]

I found it interesting when my kid’s friend who doesn’t go to church wanted to come to church with us and find out what mormonism was about, and our whole family benefitted from being able to explain the plain and simple gospel messages. It was a reminder that the milk of the gospel does nourish and meet needs. She came to church with us, and didn’t like it. But she knows she is welcome and my kids are friends with her still, the same as before.

My kids got to see what it was like to explain our beliefs to someone else. It was good for all of us.

I’ll admit, my new perspectives on the church help me to avoid pressuring or talking in superlatives. It was almost easier to be a missionary when I can share, and not worry about the outcome. There was no pressure that this was that girl’s “one chance” and we better bombard her with attention and commitments, and organize the youth leaders around her interest….nah…we just let it flow. And we continue to do so.

Had it progressed further, I would probably also be more sensitive to things I think an investigator should know before being baptized, and inoculate them to some degree based on what is appropriate and what their family and parents think.

In short…what Mike said “When it flows naturally”

[Anonymous]

Quote:

Some people really, really need the church. Some people don’t.

This is also how I feel about missionary work.

I really believe that the church is “the one true church” for certain people — many paths, but one direction.

[Anonymous]

There are many positive ways to deal with “every member a missionary”. I once presented a theory of personality that measures the intensity of people’s relationship building, influencing of others, execution, and strategic thinking.

Missionary work requires relationship building to lay a trusting foundation, and influencing, to ask non-members to take the next step in conversion — whatever that is for them.

In our HP group, we assessed each person and found there were mostly relationship builders in the room, with a couple influencers. I suggested that the relationship builders focus on creating good relationships with non-members, at which point, we would work to expand these non-members’ relationships to the influencers. These influencers would use their skills to invite the non-members to take the next step.

Well received by the HP Group, as this “division of labor” had everyone working within their strengths. The relationship builders liked that all they had to do was build relationships. The influencers liked the idea of the relationship builders bringing them people with whom there was a relationship, so they could influence them through invitations to hear discussions, come to church, etcetera.

So, the phrase “every member a missionary” can be lived in our Wards, while respecting the diversity of the members in terms of personality.

[Anonymous]

I really like that thought, SD, thanks for sharing. And thanks for this thread and the responses. I plan to take it all with me into the mission field in a few months; we’ll see how it goes.

[Anonymous]

West wrote:

I plan to take it all with me into the mission field in a few months; we’ll see how it goes.

Congrats. Do you know where you’re going yet?

[Anonymous]

Quote:

Congrats. Do you know where you’re going yet?

My papers are still on their way. We ran into some snags that come with having a new stake presidency and officials. But hopefully very soon now.

[Author]

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