Perhaps I'm too old all my friends went in the late 90s/early 2000s and they were all in tract heavy missions.
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Mormon/Ex-Mormon Thread of 3 hour blocks and salvation flowcharts
- Thread starter ronito
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Perhaps I'm too old all my friends went in the late 90s/early 2000s and they were all in tract heavy missions.
Tracting was considered something you ended up doing as a result of bad planning or because something else fell through when I was serving. 99% of everything was member referrals, people contacting us, reactivation efforts (finding partial member families), or just talking to people when you're waiting in line or walking between places. That last might count as tracting, but I think it's more along the lines of just opening your mouth at all times.
AlteredBeast
Fork 'em, Sparky!
LOL. wow. We had a daily goal for contacts, but it was something I never met. I didn't go on a mission to contact every single person who crossed my path, only those who were prepared to hear our message.
Thaedolus
Member
AlteredBeast
Fork 'em, Sparky!
Where did you go? In Peru, it was member referral goldmine.
I foresee an uptick in missionaries with pornography problems. :/
It's only in Church buildings and you can bet those computers will be on the church's network which will be heavily restricted.
Sorry, I was just trying to tell one of those immature YSA jokes.
Not sure it's a joke. I mean what happens when you take 18 year olds and take them away from the opposite sex and all media for 2 years and then give them a computer? It's totally logical. Of course though the church has an ironclad censorship system on their machines so I'm not too worried about it. Didn't they even shut down youtube?
Laurentius
Member
Not too surprised about the church tours thing. I knew a guy on my mission that served his somewhere in Washington I believe. From what I recall they were the highest baptizing mission in the states, and one of the things he said was most effective were the church tours they did.
AlteredBeast
Fork 'em, Sparky!
Probably showed the general public that we don't have anything weird going on in our meetinghouses.
maybe it's because it seems so quotidian to me, but I just have a hard time seeing why anyone would convert from seeing the church it's just not as exciting as the temple or anything. But then it might be a correlation/causation thing. The type of person that would take the time to go to a church for a tour would already be interested in converting. So in that sense it makes sense to make sure churches are open for people to come in whenever so they don't "lose out on business" so to speak.
An issue on my US spanish speaking mission was that boldness could get you anything and no one would call you out on it.
I stopped reporting contact numbers and my first discussions dropped to almost nothing, after a short 2 week period of having the highest numbers in the mission.
Someone sent a trainer out. You could get into almost anyone's house just by walking in. I committed 3 people to be baptized that day and taught something like 15 first discussions by getting into half of the houses we knocked.
I explained to him that what we were doing was damaging the church, and was not being done out of love, and that I would only teach people who wanted to be taught even if it meant that I wouldn't baptize anyone else my entire mission. They also wanted to pull stupid crap like running everywhere due to the Spencer W Kimball Quote
So much idiocy in the mission. When fundamentally it should be super simple. Make people's lives better by loving them, serving them, and teaching them how to be happy. My current view of how to be happy doesn't gel with what I believed then but I believe my heart was in the right place to serve a successful mission.
I stopped reporting contact numbers and my first discussions dropped to almost nothing, after a short 2 week period of having the highest numbers in the mission.
Someone sent a trainer out. You could get into almost anyone's house just by walking in. I committed 3 people to be baptized that day and taught something like 15 first discussions by getting into half of the houses we knocked.
I explained to him that what we were doing was damaging the church, and was not being done out of love, and that I would only teach people who wanted to be taught even if it meant that I wouldn't baptize anyone else my entire mission. They also wanted to pull stupid crap like running everywhere due to the Spencer W Kimball Quote
So much idiocy in the mission. When fundamentally it should be super simple. Make people's lives better by loving them, serving them, and teaching them how to be happy. My current view of how to be happy doesn't gel with what I believed then but I believe my heart was in the right place to serve a successful mission.
AlteredBeast
Fork 'em, Sparky!
sounds like my brother, basically. He went to Chile and didn't baptize a single person.
It was basically my premise all mission long, too, as long as I was in control. I had it out in the streets with my trainer once because he wanted to basically harass people who didn't give a crap about what we said. I am not going to lie and say I was some sort of super missionary, but I only taught and baptized people who were fervently pursuing the faith. There was only one mistake of mine that haunts me to this day. Baptized a girl and she NEVER came back to church. EVER.
It was basically my premise all mission long, too, as long as I was in control. I had it out in the streets with my trainer once because he wanted to basically harass people who didn't give a crap about what we said. I am not going to lie and say I was some sort of super missionary, but I only taught and baptized people who were fervently pursuing the faith. There was only one mistake of mine that haunts me to this day. Baptized a girl and she NEVER came back to church. EVER.
sounds like my brother, basically. He went to Chile and didn't baptize a single person.
It was basically my premise all mission long, too, as long as I was in control. I had it out in the streets with my trainer once because he wanted to basically harass people who didn't give a crap about what we said. I am not going to lie and say I was some sort of super missionary, but I only taught and baptized people who were fervently pursuing the faith. There was only one mistake of mine that haunts me to this day. Baptized a girl and she NEVER came back to church. EVER.
I helped baptize someone to meet a mission baptism goal on New Years Eve.
I retyped that about a dozen times, it disgusts me that much. It was the turning point in my willingness to actively dissent, and I'm still haunted by it even though I'm pretty solidly spiritually disaffected from church.
So, I don't post here all that often, and I feel fairly selfish for doing so at the moment, but my Mission President died today. He was pretty young, and this was very sudden, because of complications during surgery.
I was just wondering if anyone else here has had to go through this? The man was like a second father to me, and I dunno, it just feels really unreal. I can't go to any of the services being held for him, because they're all a great distance from my home and the cost is more than I can afford, which is just really frustrating.
It's hard to describe other than that someone I really love just passed away, and the people who share that love are all far away from me. Half of me continues to just act like today is totally normal and stay distracted, and the other half is in severe shock.
So, I dunno. If anyone else has had this sort of experience and has any pointers on how to go through it, I guess that'd be great. If not, I just needed to get this off my chest anyway, and apologize for using this particular place to do so.
I was just wondering if anyone else here has had to go through this? The man was like a second father to me, and I dunno, it just feels really unreal. I can't go to any of the services being held for him, because they're all a great distance from my home and the cost is more than I can afford, which is just really frustrating.
It's hard to describe other than that someone I really love just passed away, and the people who share that love are all far away from me. Half of me continues to just act like today is totally normal and stay distracted, and the other half is in severe shock.
So, I dunno. If anyone else has had this sort of experience and has any pointers on how to go through it, I guess that'd be great. If not, I just needed to get this off my chest anyway, and apologize for using this particular place to do so.
I'm sorry for your loss man, but I'm not much help here. Never went on a mission and never really had a second father type person in my life. Nevertheless I've lost important people to me. It's hard man. I'm sorry.
peaceiscloser
Member
Oh so that's what you were referencing. I can only imagine, man. Condolences to his family and I hope the missionaries in your former area are taking the news alright.
So this was interesting. A survey of young women in the church and their views on the church some of it is expected some of it is very telling:
http://ldsywsurvey.wordpress.com/
Here are some answers of note:
I know I'm biased but as I've said before I'm glad that my daughter isn't going to be in the YW program.
http://ldsywsurvey.wordpress.com/
Here are some answers of note:
Man,
I know I'm biased but as I've said before I'm glad that my daughter isn't going to be in the YW program.
I've got about 5 years. Wife is on my side and may lead the charge when it comes time to make a hard break... she has bigger balls than I do.
Brianemone
Member
Yeah. Sexual dyfunction is ridiculously high in Mormon women (something like 70% if I remember rightly). Really seeing these results are telling as to why.
ronitoswife
Neo Member
Me too! It was interesting to read all that and totally relate to it. It makes me sad actually. I'm glad that our kids will get to experience life outside that bubble.
New York Times did a story about doubts being brought by the internet.
Here's a video of it
http://www.nytimes.com/video/2013/07/20/us/100000002347278/a-mormon-doubts.html
Here's a video of it
http://www.nytimes.com/video/2013/07/20/us/100000002347278/a-mormon-doubts.html
Posted this to facebook. Very little discussion, posts of "interesting", "wow", and from a guy with daughters, "the answers are surprising".
This isn't a healthy way for young women to view themselves.
Thaedolus
Member
BTW, these attitudes infect men too. I've struggled as an adult to break myself from the molds that I was formed to as a youth, mostly sexist beliefs about sexuality. Even years removed from the church, I found it perfectly acceptable for me to be out "on the prowl" but struggled to connect with any women who had as much or more experience than me. I couldn't help but feel they were promiscuous, or perhaps the "licked cupcake" analogy reared its ugly head.
For some reason these ideals were hard to shake for me, and were even damaging to a relationship to the point that it made me feel unwanted and unworthy. Thankfully I am strong willed and able to move past things, but I can definitely empathize anyone who struggles with self-worth due to being indoctrinated with garbage notions of normal sexuality while growing up.
For some reason these ideals were hard to shake for me, and were even damaging to a relationship to the point that it made me feel unwanted and unworthy. Thankfully I am strong willed and able to move past things, but I can definitely empathize anyone who struggles with self-worth due to being indoctrinated with garbage notions of normal sexuality while growing up.
For me it was quite different. It was the thought that women never wanted any kind of physical attention and it was "duty" not something they enjoyed.
And many women I've met that were in the church have the same thing. It does happen to both. But I do think its worse for women. The male sexdrive is so strong that you really can't just shut it down. It doesn't work that way, you can't put a cap on it try as you might. The Female drive is different and you can clamp it down to some extent. But you do so at damaging the woman.
Plus the terrible marriage dynamics that come into play when the two finally meet after getting married.
Girl who believes sex is sacred, Guy who has waited to unleash around a decade of pent up sexual frustration and feels guilty for the strength of his desire.
It has taken my wife and I a while to figure all this out and most of it is because of the pre-conceived notions of sex we carried into the relationship when we got married over a decade ago. We incorporate toys, we watch porn together and let it turn us on, we role play, and we aren't ashamed. When you spend intimate time with your significant other, the father/mother of your children and you feel guilty about your own desire, then you need to talk to them, if you can't get past it you need to talk to a counselor who sure as hell isn't the bishop. You should be able to be a dirty as you both want, it can be as hard as you both want, and as long as you both want it, it'll be better and better.
If you're ashamed or your own desires, or your spouses desires then you both need to talk and figure out why. Most of the time it's because of the crap you dealt with as an adolescent in the church. Repression can fuel a kink sometimes and if you understand why and your spouse understands it... some pretty fun times can be had.
Fits with "No loud laughter".
Oh yeah, that's a GREAT idea.
Thaedolus
Member
Overly sarcastic people are obnoxious. I don't need scriptures and quotes to tell me that...
It kind of reminds me how someone "at the top" (not sure if that was BS or not) sent a directive out to MTC teachers while I was there, telling Elders that quoting Napoleon Dynamite was an "infection" that needed to stop. My whole district got reprimanded by our teacher when it didn't immediately stop. I bet he was just sick of hearing the same shit constantly, I know I was.
It kind of reminds me how someone "at the top" (not sure if that was BS or not) sent a directive out to MTC teachers while I was there, telling Elders that quoting Napoleon Dynamite was an "infection" that needed to stop. My whole district got reprimanded by our teacher when it didn't immediately stop. I bet he was just sick of hearing the same shit constantly, I know I was.
Brianemone
Member
Gosh
Laurentius
Member
Haha, I certainly would have gotten sick of constant Napoleon Dynamite.
The thing they tried to hammer into us was that it was a cardinal sin to call each other "guys". Apparently that wasn't seen as professional, or befitting a servant of the Lord. 0.o "Hey you guys" always had to be replaced with "hey you Elders".
And this is why we made sure to recreate the doctor scene from spies like us at every opportunity.
Thaedolus
Member
Oh we got that too. And my companion started crying when I called garments "G's"
Yes. That happened. He cried almost every day for the ten weeks we were together.
I told my mission president to lighten up in a zone meeting. He was calling us lazy for only having 3 baptisms in the last 6 weeks (France). Apparently our attitude was poor and we needed to be more professional.
In the susequent interview, I asked for examples and got the colloquialisms and such. I responded that if God gets mad over the use of P-day that perhaps God should lighten up too.
In the susequent interview, I asked for examples and got the colloquialisms and such. I responded that if God gets mad over the use of P-day that perhaps God should lighten up too.
I consider myself an Ex-Mormon and I'm actually at the age where I should have been taught the Priesthood. However, I just couldn't see myself doing this and going out to being a Missionary.
I started losing faith and would tend to never talk in discussions, just watching or listening to music - Thankfully, my long hair covered my earbuds and the wires. Being a missionary seemed so stressful. I one asked a person, who baptized me when I was like 12, about it and he said it was so stressful, he just wanted to breakdown.
Plus, I think I would have been a crappy missionary.
I started losing faith and would tend to never talk in discussions, just watching or listening to music - Thankfully, my long hair covered my earbuds and the wires. Being a missionary seemed so stressful. I one asked a person, who baptized me when I was like 12, about it and he said it was so stressful, he just wanted to breakdown.
Plus, I think I would have been a crappy missionary.
I think I've told this story here before about how the bishop stormed into EQ with the Stake President behind him and preceded to dress down all the Elders over their abysmal home teaching numbers. I just tuned it out until he threatened that he might start considering not doing your hometeaching as not attending your meetings in temple recommend interviews.
At that point I pointed out that he'd be in trouble because he was my home teacher and I hadn't seen him in months.
Thaedolus
Member
Lol!
So there's rumblings and rumors of rumblings again. Remember the guy that was personal friends with Elder Holland and was a Stake President (or was it mission president) and got the second annointing? He's saying that something should be coming out in October which will "make every member have to choose whether to continue believing or not."
Personally, exmormons have been saying crap like this for ages. But honestly this guy was high up enough in the church that he has an actual chance of delivering and he did call the mission age change weeks before it came. For me I'd think it'd have to be an apostle leaving or something of that magnitude. But honestly, I just expect disappointment. But I'm posting this here so we can either come back and laugh at what a big deal was made of something so inconsequential (or that never happened) in October.
Personally, exmormons have been saying crap like this for ages. But honestly this guy was high up enough in the church that he has an actual chance of delivering and he did call the mission age change weeks before it came. For me I'd think it'd have to be an apostle leaving or something of that magnitude. But honestly, I just expect disappointment. But I'm posting this here so we can either come back and laugh at what a big deal was made of something so inconsequential (or that never happened) in October.
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