Missionaries in general are annoying.

[Gatsby]

I'm not trying to be jerk here. It's just that having folks knock at your door at least twice a week gets annoying. I just moved to a new apartment and i have these missionaries (not LDS) knocking at my door and it really annoys me. & i wonder, this is how LDS missionaries might upset some folks.

I applaud them for sharing their religious beliefs but in all seriousness, it gets annoying if they knock at your door too often.

Oh well.

[Elgama]

if you invite them in you can always set a time to meet them when you know you won't be in:) or you could ask them not to call again.

-Charley

[abqfriend]

I am a Roman Catholic. I applaud the efforts of LDS missionaries in going out two-by-two in sharing their message. They are always well kempt and friendly.

I only wish my own Church had such an evangelistic fervor about it.

What they do is entirely Biblical in approach-but comes with increased risks to their own personal safety. Such dedication is obvious.

I applaud their efforts!

[jimuk]

abqfriend, thank you so very much for your kind words for our missionaries, it does mean a lot to me, because i remember the day i first met with them.

Thanks again

[blessedinarizonia]

Hi Gatsby, I am a convert also, althought for many many years. Don't be annoyed with these missionarys. Take time to share your beliefs with them. I had an occasion recently to go to my mailbox, across the street. I noticed two men, I am almost blind and couldn't see who they were, standing in front of my neighbors house staring at it. I know she is a young new mother and her hurband was at work. I wondered why they were there so I stopped and watched them. Upon seeing me they came straight for me. I learned they were Jehovah Witnesses. I thought here we go again. For a while I just stood and listened. I could pick out where they didn't have all their facts straight and finally I could remain silent no more. We then had a good talk, about an hour. Their ride came and waited and waited and still we kept talking. One of the questions was where did the Book of Mormon come from? Did some man just write it or what? I don't believe I changed their belief and I don't believe they think they changed mine but when they left they thanked me for taking the time to tell them just what we believed. They said no mormon had ever done that before. I am guilty, I always chased them off. Next time, no matter what church, take time to tell them the truth. You never know...

[Starfish]

I'm not trying to be jerk here. It's just that having folks knock at your door at least twice a week gets annoying. I just moved to a new apartment and i have these missionaries (not LDS) knocking at my door and it really annoys me. & i wonder, this is how LDS missionaries might upset some folks.

I applaud them for sharing their religious beliefs but in all seriousness, it gets annoying if they knock at your door too often.

Oh well.

In the past 30 years, I could count on one hand the number of times missionaries have knocked on my door.

I suggest you put up a No Soliciting sign. OTOH, have you considered that the Lord may be sending them to you? Maybe He's trying to get your attention . . .:)

[Steven22]

LDS Missionaries rarely knock on the same door more than once in a month, usually longer, unless they feel inspired to keep going to the same place.

[bodhigirlsmiles]

I'm not trying to be jerk here. It's just that having folks knock at your door at least twice a week gets annoying. I just moved to a new apartment and i have these missionaries (not LDS) knocking at my door and it really annoys me. & i wonder, this is how LDS missionaries might upset some folks.

I applaud them for sharing their religious beliefs but in all seriousness, it gets annoying if they knock at your door too often.

Oh well.

i see a lot of missionaries in salt lake city and they often approach me. i think they are wonderfully kind and i am always happy to talk to them, although when i tell them i am buddhist, they often don't know what to say to me! i know this is a little off topic, but can anyone tell me why this is?? is it because they are better "equiped" to deal with christians of other faiths?

[FunkyTown]

i see a lot of missionaries in salt lake city and they often approach me. i think they are wonderfully kind and i am always happy to talk to them, although when i tell them i am buddhist, they often don't know what to say to me! i know this is a little off topic, but can anyone tell me why this is?? is it because they are better "equiped" to deal with christians of other faiths?

I think part of it is that, certainly, but another part is that Buddhism is a hard nut to crack. It's a hard nut to crack because, essentially, Buddha was a smart man.

Existence -is- suffering. Suffering -does- stem from desire. That's plain and true. That having been said, how does one transcend desire? We want to live, we want to eat, we want to love and we want to not be alone. Buddha is correct, but I am curious about the practicality of it.

The Middle Way -is- the path of least resistance. Without fanaticism, without desire, we transcend war and pain. My question, and this is no attack, is what do you do when the world around you fails to live up to that ideal? Can you allow the innocent to suffer or do you rise up to protect the weak? Several schools of Buddhist thought do address this (Look at the Tamil Tigers, for instance).

The transitory nature of reality is another stumbling block to true understanding between them. Christianity says it is the sole way to Heaven, Buddha says there are many ways to Enlightenment. This ultimately means Christianity is incorrect(At least on that assumption).

Ultimately, because most don't understand Buddhism, they don't know how to communicate effectively to discuss our beliefs. It goes a bit beyond that, but that's the gist. Ultimately, I'm LDS. One of the great parts of our beliefs is that Buddha, who simply wanted to perceive truth, is not condemned for that. He is, instead, given the opportunity to be the teacher he should be. I imagine he makes quite the missionary right now.

[Iggy]

I'm not trying to be jerk here. It's just that having folks knock at your door at least twice a week gets annoying. I just moved to a new apartment and i have these missionaries (not LDS) knocking at my door and it really annoys me. & i wonder, this is how LDS missionaries might upset some folks.

I applaud them for sharing their religious beliefs but in all seriousness, it gets annoying if they knock at your door too often.

Oh well.

Hello people, did you not read his post-Gatsby did not complain about LDS Missionaries. Read what I have bolded in red.

Gatsby, I had JW's knocking on my door every Sat and Sun. Then when they found out that I also had fridays off, they came then too.

I put the cover page of the Ensign in the window of my door - that didn't slow them down. So, knowing that they would be knocking on my door on Saturday, I had my Branch Missionaires come over and we waited for the JW's. When they knocked on my door I told them that I would give them one hour of my time listening to them, if they would then give me one hour of thier time to listen about my faith.

This couple did that. I never attacked their beliefs, and they were polite to me. When they left they basically told me that I was condemned to hell and they were so sorry.

Never had another JW knock on my door again! BUT I did have my neighbors come over and ask me what the Ensign was. When I was through reading it each month, I passed it on to my neighbors.

[tubaloth]

I'm not trying to be jerk here. It's just that having folks knock at your door at least twice a week gets annoying.

Are you getting the SAME people each time? The difference between LDS missionaries and others (as far as I know) is LDS missionaries are called and live in that area. Most missionaries know which places they have tracked out and realize you don’t go back to that area for a while. Missionaries do change so I can see maybe ever 5-6 months the same place get tracked into. But its more by luck then by purpose.

I assume other churches aren’t this organized and end up just sending people out. Apartments are an easy way to get a lot of people in a small area.

I applaud them for sharing their religious beliefs but in all seriousness, it gets annoying if they knock at your door too often.

Yes Missionaries know this. Some areas keep track of which places they have knocked on doors, most don’t.

One morning ON my mission, a couple of Jehovah Witnesses knocked on our door. (We were the first door for the morning, and they must have missed the picture of Christ in the window). They were pretty surprised, and realized who we were. We talked and listened and took there pamphlets (Probably more to better understand them). Just tried to be nice. (I probably should have given them some of OUR pamphlets)

I suggest you put up a No Soliciting sign.

This never stopped me as a missionary because I didn’t feel like it fit into that group. I guess that’s because I always thought of Soliciting as selling something! I’m not selling anything, I’m spreading the Gospel. Now maybe a couple of times if did see that sign, I probably wouldn’t knock as many times as I normally would.

[Teancum18]

If Missionaries want to be safe, they shouldn't go tracting on Superbowl night. hahaha had an unusual encounter in my mission Superbowl night. Didn't make that mistake again my second year. =D

[Elgama]

Personally I treat missionaries from other faiths the same way I would want missionaries from our faith treated I invite them in and offer refreshment and enjoy their company, I have had some really interesting ones including a Wiccan, several Hare Krishna, some Buddhists, a Roman Catholic or two and its been nice I now invite them to give me information so I can teach my children.

-Charley

[Elgama]

i see a lot of missionaries in salt lake city and they often approach me. i think they are wonderfully kind and i am always happy to talk to them, although when i tell them i am buddhist, they often don't know what to say to me! i know this is a little off topic, but can anyone tell me why this is?? is it because they are better "equiped" to deal with christians of other faiths?

I think this is true I know I get taken on teaching assignments for people of other faiths and have tried to explain to the missionaries that they need to have different priorities, I can't remember the faith of one lady who I was invited on a teach with - I talked to her a bit and realised whilst the missionaries were plugging on teaching her with various doctrines which were not entirely new to her like eternal progression, visions, blessings, prophets and extra scripture were no issue for her but they had missed the basic she did not have a testimony of Christ and the atonement - for her Jesus was a major prophet.

We did used to have an Institute programme on Religions of the World which is fantastic and we do get articles in the Ensign. Also Chieko Okazaki a Latter Day Saint I really admire and has written a lot came from a Buddhist background - she served on all the general presidencies a Sister can serve on.

-Charley

[Moksha]

i see a lot of missionaries in salt lake city and they often approach me. i think they are wonderfully kind and i am always happy to talk to them, although when i tell them i am buddhist, they often don't know what to say to me! i know this is a little off topic, but can anyone tell me why this is?? is it because they are better "equiped" to deal with christians of other faiths?

In addition to what others have said, I think your guess is correct. With a number of Buddhists and other non-christian faiths, they would have to first teach the essentials of the Christian faith before the Mormon additions, and possibly they may not have covered that in their missionary training. However, if these folks are themselves native to Europe or North and South America, most likely they already are familiar with the basics of Christianity.

[Moksha]

Personally I treat missionaries from other faiths the same way I would want missionaries from our faith treated I invite them in and offer refreshment and enjoy their company, I have had some really interesting ones including a Wiccan, several Hare Krishna, some Buddhists, a Roman Catholic or two and its been nice I now invite them to give me information so I can teach my children.

-Charley

What an interesting assortment of missionaries and what a Christ-like way of treating them Charley.

The only ones who have ever shown up at my door have been LDS Missionaries and Jehovah Witnesses. I too always invite them in. The visits with the LDS Missionaries is always brief once they find out that I am a Mormon, however they always want me to point out which neighbors would be good for them to visit. The Witnesses are always concise. They do not want to convert me, but only wish to give their witnessing of faith. It is never unpleasant.

[Oligith1]

*grins*

The only missionaries that knock on my door don't speak english. Ah, the joys of living in the San Diego area. As I don't speak spanish I usually just apologize and they leave, but if they did come by and I did have time and they did happen to speak english for once, I'd be more than happy to have a gospel conversation with them regardless of their background. After all, I did tracting on my mission and it was a joy to be let into a house after so many doors which would not open for us.

[Elgama]

What an interesting assortment of missionaries and what a Christ-like way of treating them Charley.

The only ones who have ever shown up at my door have been LDS Missionaries and Jehovah Witnesses. I too always invite them in. The visits with the LDS Missionaries is always brief once they find out that I am a Mormon, however they always want me to point out which neighbors would be good for them to visit. The Witnesses are always concise. They do not want to convert me, but only wish to give their witnessing of faith. It is never unpleasant.

LOL thats true the LDS ones seem to spend hours at my house Jehovah;s Witnesses tend to be a bit nervous of me but they do drop round an Awake and Watchtower on an infrequent basis the Awake has some lovely articles in it

-Charley

[prisonchaplain]

Next time, no matter what church, take time to tell them the truth. You never know...

Come on! I've been out here knocking for five minutes, already. Answer the door!

[prisonchaplain]

i see a lot of missionaries in salt lake city and they often approach me. i think they are wonderfully kind and i am always happy to talk to them, although when i tell them i am buddhist, they often don't know what to say to me! i know this is a little off topic, but can anyone tell me why this is?? is it because they are better "equiped" to deal with christians of other faiths?

I think you hit the nail on the head there, Bodhi. I grew up around Jehovah's Witnesses. As a teenager, I spent a good amount of time studying "Anti-JW" materials, and had many interesting discussions/debates with JW students in my middle and high schools.

Ironically, I've had very little "live" interaction with LDS folks. When I came to this site I guessed the beliefs would be somewhat similar to JWs. However, I thankfully chose to listen and ask questions. Good for me. Had a chosen to revert to adolescent debate and argumentation I would have ended up flat-footed many times.

So, if they seemed as though they didn't know what to say, perhaps they were wisely choosing to hear you out, before speaking of that which they knew not? Of course, if you ask them to explain what they believe and why, I'm sure they will quickly find their words.

[omega0401]

.....BUT I did have my neighbors come over and ask me what the Ensign was. When I was through reading it each month, I passed it on to my neighbors.

What a great way to do missionary work Iggy! You never know what seeds you could be planting in their hearts. Great idea.

Anyone who throws out an Ensign magazine when they are done reading it may want to pause and think who might be open enough to at least look at the magazine. There is so much information in a magazine that something might touch their hearts or at least have a better opinion of us.