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Roy wrote:
I don’t mean to be a naysayer Mackay and I know very little about church0333’s post calling experience, I am just trying to apply everything unto myself.
In some ways I’m terrified to come out of my own “corner.” Most members likely think that I’m just a busy guy that has to jet off to work after SM. It is for me an uneasy truce but one that allows me to maintain a certain safety in mystery. I have no enemies, or stated positions. In just a few weeks, I will baptize our first born child.
I admire and benefit from people that are willing to take some risks in order to make their corner of the world into a better place. I completely support you….I’m just not ready to come out of my safety corner just yet.
Absolutely understand and support that approach. I don’t think there’s ever one single right or wrong answer. I think you are doing the right thing. I’m not sure I am, but we’ll see.
mackay11 wrote:I’ve been saying for a while that there is a place for people like us in the church, that we don’t have to sit quiet in the corner and bight our tongue.
I just wanted to say I think it’s wonderful of you to take this on Mackay. Your branch is lucky to have you. I quote the above because this aligns nicely with what I believe. I choose to come on as my real name because I am in a place where I am 100% comfortable with my journey. It may not look like the “normal” Mormon experience, but it is what it is and it’s becoming more common in the world in which we live. I hope that as more people (in church) are exposed to members with more independent, thoughtful approaches to faith, the more loving, accepting, and understanding they will become. When they call you, they get you. This could end up being a very inspired calling. Good luck!
:thumbup: Eric Merrill wrote:mackay11 wrote:I’ve been saying for a while that there is a place for people like us in the church, that we don’t have to sit quiet in the corner and bight our tongue.
I just wanted to say I think it’s wonderful of you to take this on Mackay. Your branch is lucky to have you. I quote the above because this aligns nicely with what I believe. I choose to come on as my real name because I am in a place where I am 100% comfortable with my journey. It may not look like the “normal” Mormon experience, but it is what it is and it’s becoming more common in the world in which we live. I hope that as more people (in church) are exposed to members with more independent, thoughtful approaches to faith, the more loving, accepting, and understanding they will become. When they call you, they get you. This could end up being a very inspired calling. Good luck!
:thumbup: Thank you
Hi Mackay, good for you. I was just catching up on reading and read through the thread and was really impressed by everyone’s responses. I can see some unique challenges for you in that calling, but also some unique opportunities.
For one, your views may provide a new spirit to the missionary approach in the branch that wouldn’t be there if there was someone else called who just wanted to be exact in all they did for finding people to baptize. That kind of WML may do well and even find some souls who need that approach.
But they would certainly miss the needs of some individuals. Perhaps your own style to the calling would reach a unique set of people that need your spirit. Perhaps even groups that are already in your area that didn’t respond to others in the past.
I don’t know what I would do for that calling, except just be myself, and realize that the good things in the church really can be helpful to people who don’t have something in their life and are searching. So doing missionary work is still a loving practice when you focus on needs of individuals, and less about the institution needing recruits or that others need salvation from the church or they will be worse off.
You might be able to show the other branch members how much you can respect and love people for what they need, whether they ever join the church or not. Sometimes our leaders, even WMLs, need to show members that principle…we love others, despite if they get baptized or not.
When I saw my kids’ friends want to take missionary discussions in our home, I was surprised at how good I felt sharing the gospel with someone who was interested in learning and become a better person. I was not interested in pointing out to the investigator the problems of historical or doctrinal problems I struggle with, but the simple basic gospel principles have truth and I think others can benefit from.
I’d love to hear your experiences and how you do in the calling, or how hard it is. Keep us posted!!
Thanks Heber, really good points. I am hoping this will be good for me. I’m aware the recent few months I’ve spent a lot of time dwelling on the negative aspects of staying LDS. The reasons not stay seem to have weighed heavier than the benefits. I think Elder Uchtdorf’s talk caught me on the cusp of drifting even further away.
Since having been extended the calling I’ve been thinking of the things I can say, with sincerity that I do like and the things I’d really be happy to share.
I’m determined to maintain integrity and honesty while also recognising that nobody likes a naysayer.
I can remember, as a missionary, “copy-catting” phrases other Elders used.
I had one companion who used to say “the Book of Mormon completely changed my life.” He was a convert and when he said it, there was a weight to his words. Initially I started saying it too, hoping for the same impact. My words rang hollow. I grew up in the church. Much as I had a testimony at the time of the Book of Mormon, getting one hadn’t changed my life much at all. In fact the morning after the night I prayed as a kid was no different to any other.
So I started looking for things I could say and mean it. It made a difference. I think I said things like “this book brought my family together and have us a sense of unity.”
I intend to look for those things I can still say with sincerity.
My only concern is how to be if “awkward” questions come up (like polygamy). Or if I’m asked a very direct question. We’ll see, I’ll keep you posted.
I think your strength is that you are flexible and not dogmatic. The church’s biggest weakness has been being hidebound.
IMHO, your job is to bring the gospel to people, and truth and light. Ultimately, if people have good experiences with the church, it will improve their lives, and make them better disposed towards it. Some of the better LDS values should be more widely practised than they are, and some can be found elsewhere.
mackay11 wrote:My only concern is how to be if “awkward” questions come up (like polygamy). Or if I’m asked a very direct question. We’ll see, I’ll keep you posted.
I can understand that concern. But I think your sincerity will be more important than any of the words you give.
Again, I think there are some people that will drop their hesitancy of the church when a WML like yourself can be “real” with them, about things they may have read on the Internet, and see that others can know about those “problems” and yet still embrace the good that is found in the church.
Remember, it is always OK to say, “I don’t know”. Sometimes that sincerity is better than a stretched answer dripping with apologetics.
But surely, it will be a calling that will make you think about things. How to proselyte, and yet have your own doubts, and keep your integrity. I hope it is a good experience for you on how you can make it work for you.
Here’s one for you, and this is just me venting… Christmas night… phone rings, it’s the missionaries. We proceed to have a 30 minute phone conversation reporting on last week’s numbers (never tell me the numbers btw), multiple sundry requests, and discussion about what next year’s ward mission goals will be. Uh guys, Christmas, trying to be with family here… and yes, I realize that they’re away from family so I have no room to complain.
About a week and a half ago I finally reconciled how I could fit my calling as WML with where I’m currently at with my faith, narrowly pulling out of a long period of apathy. I even rescinded my request to the BP to be released. I’m just left of the fence and the call didn’t help.
I mentioned it in another thread, the guys are out there sacrificing two years of their youth and I’d rather not be a source of disillusionment. Gotta stick with it.
Discussion over next year’s ward mission goals will be interesting. The first that came to mind is to get everyone involved in community service. I can relate that back to missionary work as the church defines it.
My advice: Set a baptism goal, since probably everyone else is going to insist on having one, then forget about it. If we’re being honest, that’s how it works in the vast majority of wards and branches, anyway – since, ultimately, baptism isn’t within our control.
Then, as you said, focus on increasing unconditional service in the community and encouraging more spiritual meetings – the things over which we have some degree of control. I’ve found that when members start anticipating meetings because they feel fed spiritually, others will start coming, as well. Work on establishing Zion and let the kingdom building happen as it may.
Old-Timer wrote:Work on establishing Zion and let the kingdom building happen as it may.
That’s a good tag line, I’ll be sure to use it… well, a variant at least. So far all the goals I came up with were of the sort that traditionally would fall under the “perfect the saints” umbrella. Your comment will go a long way towards relating it back to missionary work.
nibbler wrote:Here’s one for you, and this is just me venting…
Christmas night… phone rings, it’s the missionaries. We proceed to have a 30 minute phone conversation reporting on last week’s numbers (never tell me the numbers btw), multiple sundry requests, and discussion about what next year’s ward mission goals will be. Uh guys, Christmas, trying to be with family here… and yes, I realize that they’re away from family so I have no room to complain.
Ouch! I’d have probably just cut the conversation short and said: “I’d be happy to chat with you but can’t right now, can we talk in a few days.” I think it’s ok to just say “no” sometimes.
This talk was wonderful because it recognised that sometimes it’s better to say no:
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/bind-up-their-wounds?lang=eng Quote:
About a week and a half ago I finally reconciled how I could fit my calling as WML with where I’m currently at with my faith, narrowly pulling out of a long period of apathy. I even rescinded my request to the BP to be released. I’m just left of the fence and the call didn’t help.I mentioned it in another thread, the guys are out there sacrificing two years of their youth and I’d rather not be a source of disillusionment. Gotta stick with it.
Discussion over next year’s ward mission goals will be interesting. The first that came to mind is to get everyone involved in community service. I can relate that back to missionary work as the church defines it.
Good for you. Your voice can be a balance and a positive influence. The moderate Mormon message needs people like you to carry it and represent it.
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