How would YOU fundamentally change missionary work?

[lds9999]

There have been a number of articles written about how though the Church is still growing, in the US and worldwide, its growth has slowed compared to the 70s, 80s and early 90s. Church growth has stayed about flat since President Hinckley encouraged us to "double the baptism" ten years ago.

Most of us have thought about this, at least from time to time.

How would you fundamentally change the approach to missionary work?

How would you specifically use the Internet, media and other new tools?

My questions are aimed at changes or ideas that can bring us significantly closer to doubling the baptisms, not just slightly increasing growth. Looking forward to people's thoughts.

[aranyborju]

This is an interesting question, and I am eager to see what other people, much brighter than me, have to say about it.

I personally think that the biggest problem with missionary work is that we don't do it. I often think of opportunities that I have had to share the gospel with people that I meet and not acted. I think that there are something like 60,000 missionaries comparred to maybe 5,000,000 ACTIVE lay members, so it would probably be quite significant if we did more to help shoulder the burden of doing missionary work.

[Just_A_Guy]

Me?

From an internet standpoint, I would do pretty much what the Church is doing. I might try to centralize apologetics; or think about officially endorsing one of the apologetic sites out there.

As to actual missionary work? Frankly, I think I'd shut it down--at least, in its current incarnation. Tell the members to live the gospel and refer any interested non-members to ward/stake missionaries. No more tracting.

We'd still call missionaries, if I had my druthers; but they'd function primarily in a supporting role to the local leadership in their assigned areas. So they might spend entire days or weeks tracking down inactives, or helping the local EQ attain 100% home teaching, or just doing as many service projects as possible. There would be a focus on community outreach--getting involved in community causes, setting up an English school, or whatever--and the role of missionaries in the local community would be strengthened by reducing transfers so that a missionary could expect to spend his entire mission working in one or, at most, two areas. Circumstances permitting, I'd also relax the restriction on ever being alone and might even permit dating (with certain restrictions). The entire point would be the nearly complete integration of the missionaries within the existing social structures, both LDS and non-LDS. It would also be necessary to raise the bar significantly--I think to the degree that our missionary force would probably be reduced to about 2/3 of its current number.

And this is why you will never see Elder Just_A_Guy be given a calling with any authority over missionary work. :)

Edited March 12, 2009 by Just_A_Guy

[rameumptom]

I'm a strong believer in missionary work. The faux pax of missionary work, though, is measuring it be number of baptisms. We have no control over that number, as there's this inconvenient thingy called "agency" which each individual has.

We can control, and should focus upon, being an example, sharing our testimonies, inviting friends to Church activities and services, etc. Those who show interest can then be brought to the next level.

Why is missionary work slowing down? I believe a large part of it has nothing to do with the efforts of the Church, but rather with the wickedness of the world. We have gathered most of the wheat that is currently available in the world, and have left a lot of tares, with wheat scattered here and there left to garner. The world has increasingly become wicked, and the Spirit is leaving many areas of the world, because the people are too wrapped up into materialism and sinful lifestyles.

The next big effort for large numbers of baptisms, IMNSHO, will be when the great disasters and tragedies begin in the last days. These will create the impetus for those who must be compelled to be humbled to humble themselves and enter into the Church of Jesus Christ through the baptismal font.

The main thing we can do is to show our friends that when they need answers, the Church has them. I speak often with my co-workers about religion (my boss is an Elder in a Christian church), and I share my thoughts on religion, as well. I'm respectful of their faith, and then share how we do things. His Church is struggling right now with a big building debt they just took on a year ago. Now, with a bad economy, they are struggling to pay all the bills and pay salaries of all their pastors. I was able to share with him the blessing of a non-paid clergy, paying for buildings before building them, and having a hierarchy that allows us the finances to build where church buildings are needed.

[pushka]

One of the problems that I've encountered with Missionaries, is that they seem to assume that nobody except members of the LDS church have any knowledge of the Bible or New Testament..this sometimes comes across as being very arrogant, or investigators feel as if they're being treated like children..Perhaps some training on 'people skills' and a little less naivety would make Missions more successful generally? Also, when a new member has been baptised they find that the Missionaries quite quickly withdraw from visiting them, initially, or reduce the number of visits they make drastically, some new members have felt very lost at this point, especially if current church members have not tried to help fellowship them in the company of the Missionaries and without the Missionaries being present..

[hordak]

I'm with Just a guy. The missionary's should focus more on helping the community rather then going door to door.

"When the gospel is preached to the spirits in prison, the success attending that preaching will be far greater than that attending the preaching of our elders in this life. I believe there will be very few indeed of those spirits who will not gladly receive the gospel when it is carried to them. The circumstances there will be a thousand times more favorable."-- Lorenzo Snow

[WillowTheWhisp]

In some areas 'cold calling' is forbiden and so the missionaries have no option but to do things other than tracting.

I think advertising with a phone number to call for further info - or an email address even for those who don't like making phone calls - is a good idea. Service projects are great too, if the missionaies can also explain who they represent and why they choose to serve him.

I agree that it is more difficult now because the world is turning away from God and people are more preocupied with making a living or even making ends meet.

We keep being given the challenge as members to find someone for the missionaries to teach but everyone I know knows I am LDS and doesn't want to meet any missionarie because they think I'm deluded and they feel sorry for me. I have even been driven off a local message forum because they didn't want any 'God botherers'.

[Moksha]

My questions are aimed at changes or ideas that can bring us significantly closer to doubling the baptisms...

I don't think this can be done and I worry that trying to do so would bring even more disparagement to the LDS Church. It really does us no good in proclaiming the Gospel when people who are otherwise friendly, feel put upon by constant bombardment from LDS Missionaries.

Should we not rather strive to have people smile upon our missionaries? Makes sense to me. Why not make all missions service oriented all the time, with evangelizing left to those who ask? When serving, the missionaries are able to give their love to others, thereby building good will and rapport with the community. Proclaiming the Gospel is always best for willing ears and willing ears come from good will and respect.:)

Peace Corp and Vista volunteers were liked and respected by those they interacted with. Who could not feel good toward those who have dedicated two years of their life in helping others? We could be like that. We could have others welcome us with loving arms and a big smile.

Off top of head - For experimental purposes, I like the idea of building a community service center staffed by missionaries. My thought is if you build it, they will come. If they come, then they may eventually want to hear with their willing ears.

[Maxel]

I agree with Just_A_Guy's ideas about increasing membership involvement in missionary work. In my area, the most progress is made when someone is introduced to the Church through a regular member, not a missionary. More baptisms come from that kind of introduction than any other kind.

That being said, I think tracting and active proselytizing is crucial to the missionary work of the Church. I think of all the wonderful stories of missionaries being led by the spirit to someone who has no other exposure to the Church, but who is ready to receive the Gospel. I think part of Christ's mandate to 'preach the Gospel to every creature' includes proselytizing the old-fashioned way as well as the member-introduced method. It seems that, for a time, that's the only way to find new members in a new area.

As far as the Internet is concerned; it's much harder to feel the Spirit through reading online material- especially when someone isn't used to feeling the Spirit. However, media presentations can help curb that. I guess I'd suggest more members making videos of their testimonies and experiences online, as well as more members becoming factual about the history and doctrine of the Church so that they can counter falsehoods on Internet social spots. I think some members, like Jeff Lindsay and Wade Englund, have done admirable jobs (although last time I checked, Wade Englund's wonderful page on logical fallacies was no longer online...) and we need more techno-literate and faithful members to expand the amount of factual information about the Church on the internet. The Web is a powerful tool for the spread of information and intelligence, and isn't the glory of God intelligence?

Edited March 12, 2009 by Maxel

[Elgama]

If I could change anything it would be the numbers game, and to have missionaries capable of dealing with people of other religions.

-Charley

[WillowTheWhisp]

How about sandwich boards?

[Elgama]

How about sandwich boards?

only if the say End of the World is Nigh - Drink Coffee and you go to hell

-Charley

[Justice]

The best way to improve any program in the Church, missionary work, HTing, temple attendance, etc. is to have the members become more fully converted to the Savior.

That's straight from an interview I had years ago with my former Stake President, President David A. Bednar.

[Traveler]

There have been a number of articles written about how though the Church is still growing, in the US and worldwide, its growth has slowed compared to the 70s, 80s and early 90s. Church growth has stayed about flat since President Hinckley encouraged us to "double the baptism" ten years ago.

Most of us have thought about this, at least from time to time.

How would you fundamentally change the approach to missionary work?

How would you specifically use the Internet, media and other new tools?

My questions are aimed at changes or ideas that can bring us significantly closer to doubling the baptisms, not just slightly increasing growth. Looking forward to people's thoughts.

I would target Asia and have the missionaries introduce themselves as someone sent with an important and urgent message from their ancestors.

I would begin with teachings of eternal families and genealogy as a divine necessity in saving families from oncoming threats of our times.

It is my personal belief that Asians are main body of gentiles to which much prophesies is given in scripture.

The Traveler

[rameumptom]

We will have more baptisms when we are ready, as a people, to build and establish Zion. Only when we show a real difference between Mormonism and the world will they be able to distinguish between the good religions out there and the highest hope for religion.

Zion can only be built upon the principles of the celestial kingdom, so that means members living temple worthy as a minimum, and moving upward from there. When over half our membership is less active, and of those who attend, less than half pay a full tithe or hold a current temple recommend, we are not ready for any more major growth.

Only when the Saints are spiritually righteous and forsake the world (be it materialism, politics, video games, sports, etc), will Zion be established. And only then will the world say, "Hey, there's something different about the LDS Church, maybe we should check them out. They have answers."

But as long as we're content to be just like the other religions, living a lifestyle somewhere between telestial and terrestrial levels of righteousness (or unrighteousness), we shall not bring people in droves to the Church.

Why should they accept us and our teachings, when we have so many divorces, set so many bad examples, as most others in the world? What good is it to have many Mormon movie stars, if they are divorcing, being sleazy, etc? What good is it to have Harry Reid as Senate Majority Leader, when he cowtows to Nancy Pelosi? To be a Mormon means having courage to stand up for convictions, regardless of political persuasions.

We need to step up to a celestial vision, or we will not save the world.

[bytor2112]

"Flamboyant excitement, passed off as spiritual experience". That's a phrase from a story in the Ensign about a young man's journey to the gospel. He described attending a charismatic church in that manner. I sometimes watch TBN and other religious programming to see what others believe. I am absolutely amazed at the size of some of these churches....and even more amazed at the message being preached and what's even more disheartening is how well it is received. It is however,very revealing. People are seeking God, they just don't really know where to find Him. So many are pulled in by "flamboyant excitement passed off as spiritual experience."

Perhaps, we are now living in a time due to the economic misfortune, that God is humbling his children to prepare them to receive the good news. We haven't had a baptism in our ward in a very long time. I guess that is also the bad news of what is being offered elsewhere.

I wish the church had a network program that ran 24 hours a day....other than BYU TV. Something available everywhere. Like EWTN, the Catholic program.

The internet is a great source of information, both pro and con towards the church. I wonder which argument tends to reach the biggest audience.

Edited March 13, 2009 by bytor2112

[lds9999]

Lots of great ideas here--thanks for sharing! To me, it's interesting that only a couple people mentioned greater use of the Internet. (Particularly interesting since we are all active lds.net users!)

Any other ideas out there?

[aspenmgy]

Why increase baptisms when retention is a problem? I know retention isn't as bad as in the past. Pretty sure it could be improved.

I think as the membership becomes more united and the world becomes more...un-united...things will change.

[Zowieink]

Living in an area in AZ where our ward is two streets wide and 3 blocks long, we have a percentage of about 75% members. What the non-members struggle with can be summed up in this experience one family had:

After Christmas, one non-member family said that were given 33 copies of the Book of Mormon, along with sweets. Now, they were touched, most of these people had never given them the time of day. Much less gotten to know them, even a little.

I have a very difficult time with missionary work...I am a convert, and recognize the need for everyone to hear the gospel. I've had my share of successes, but to verbally "push" the Church at every non-member, this doesn't seem to work. Members, like me, are struggling financially, hoping to hold on the the house we've been in for 25 years. We are trying to live the commandments, do food storage, do genealogy, go to the temple, attend all our meetings, do scripture reading with our families, family prayer, familyhome evening, put in a garden, in all things be perfect. It makes me tired. When I come home from work, I'm mentally exhausted, and really don't want to talk to others....kinda find my little hole and crawl in.

So, if the brethren would lighten up a little, and teach us about what's coming, and help us understand that we can help our neighbors prepare (we are helping some co-workers learn how to pressure can meat, etc) We would have more friendships formed and as a result more people join the Church.

I hate it when the Stake President or Bishop stands up and says, ward/stake we must double/triple the NUMBER of baptisms!

[Dravin]

The first step of missionary work for members is not dropping off a box of chocolates and a Book of Mormon on somebody's doorstep. Dropping off a BoM on some random person's doorstep is less effective then tracting and that is ridiculously ineffective. The first step is developing a relationship that doesn't revolve solely around trying to get somebody to convert.

I think some people have this concept that as members they aren't doing missionary work if they aren't challenging everyone in their neighborhood to meet with the Missionaries and be baptized. If your friend next door asks you what's up with all the ruckus about the Big Love and you explain the purpose and sacredness of temples or what have you, guess what! You just did missionary work! Heck, if you simply become friends with non-members given time missionary opportunities are going to present themselves, and most of it (if not all for some people) is simply gonna be answering those random questions that tend to pop up, or being a good example of the believers.

help us understand that we can help our neighbors prepare (we are helping some co-workers learn how to pressure can meat, etc)

If such can't be deduced from my above comments, that is missionary work (IMHO). I imagine at some point why you are into food storage might come up, perfect opportunity to do some (more) missionary work (that being explain some about your beliefs, not commit them to baptism).

[Investigator1]

I wish the church had a network program that ran 24 hours a day....other than BYU TV. Something available everywhere. Like EWTN, the Catholic program.

.

YES. I randomly watch BYU-TV, but it really isn't equivalent to EWTN.

Suprisingly (at least to me), one of my friends from high school told me yesterday that her family decided to inquire about the LDS Church based on one of the commercials. They then converted.

[lds9999]

I notice a number of people have mentioned the idea of increasing service (both by missionaries and members). I also really like this idea.

However, I just found this statistic (realizing that it's nonscientific and small sample) from cumorah.com.

"I also surveyed eight-six nonmembers about what was the most important to them when individuals of other faiths shared their beliefs. Thirty-eight percent replied that they most valued the sharer's example of righteous living, while 27 percent cited mutual respect for the belief of others. Twenty-six percent cited the sharer's expressions of how his or her faith has helped him or her in life, and 7 percent noted that service was the key factor. Only 2 percent cited the sharer's ability to clearly explain beliefs as being the most important to them."

Would an increase in service have a significant impact on missionary work? I'm not sure.

[justamere10]

Lots of great ideas here--thanks for sharing! To me, it's interesting that only a couple people mentioned greater use of the Internet. (Particularly interesting since we are all active lds.net users!)

Any other ideas out there?

I personally think that cyber missionary service is of great value. There's a new discussion board devoted to helping members get started as unofficial cyber missionaries.

http://www.LDS1.org

[GingerGolden]

Thank you justamere10, for leaving that link.

hmmm...

My fundamental would involve a "spiritual awakening" for all those who have the opportunity to hear the gospel.

By whatever means our Heavenly Father sees fit of course...

That the minds & hearts of those (personages of wheat) who do experience having the truth come to them, be overwhelmed with the realization of truth and know it for what it is...when the (carriers of the gospel) missionaries bring the message to them.

Of course, I think the tares would also benefit a spiritual awakening, but I'm not about to push the fundamental past its natural course...

[Maya]

I would:

In our ward they will start a misionary course=M how to spread gospel in sundayschool time. I am afraid it will only go on the ways to spread the gospel when meeting people in everyday life not on internett... but I am not sure. We will se.

Anyway I would have a course for those who are interested or maybe chosen in cyber misionarywork and I would do it fast! Why so fast... Because I feel it is important, that we get people on line who KNOW what they are doing and how to do it.

Ok we have the boards, but many of them are not even LDS run boards and their level is very variable. Also there are some LDS on line, who are not that good. There should be courses for everybody about how to behave, what one can, could, should do on line. And there should be courses for those called or specially interested in then use of internett in misionary work. Also maybe those called could maybe get good programs or at least guidance to use them in order to make LDS videoes in their language. Right now I am fighting with Windows Movie Maker that is not behaving at all!

I feel some schooling would be great. It would also rise the quality and the value of this work in the eyes of poeple. Now it is a bit half despised looks we get... uh are you using all days on the internett... the gaynsayers wont change their opinion anyway.... we have not been told to do that, it is only for profs, usual members just make a mess of it....

And MOST of all all this should NOT wait years before it spreads out of USA, but it should be started NOW all over the world! Why such a hurry? We have already lost a LOT of time while we been told to keep away from the internett, as there are ONLY bad things there. Thus our opponents have had good time to bulid up their attacs against us on the internet.

Cyber Misionaries can work from their home. It can even be done by other language than what the country uses where you live! Even on holidays! So it is a nice thing to do for anyone interested, but I think also CMs need someone to go to to ask help from, someone to keep them from the ear and someone to tell them if they are doing good job or if they need to improve the act. I think we need more prof people there! (I volutner to come to USA to learn about this anytime... I eat porage... my family will eat porage for 3 months to make the money for the trip if nessessary... sure they do, if there is nothing else to get from the kitchen... )

Too may sitl thinks that internett is a scarry place that you sould avoid as much as possible... you might even get addicted!! People are also scared to tell their OVN ideas and touhghts about the gospel, they are afraid to say anything that is "wrong" and may be corrected by authorities. They are afraid if they start a movement or get in to a movement that is going wrong way. So much suspicion about the use of internett around here anyway!

Yes everyone is in to the good old dor to dor frend tiering program. I think together internet and dor ro dor could be great. So many people are on the internett today, trying to find the answers or just for fun. But misionaries are not dealing out internett adresses to people they meet as they dont have any or are not tought to... people MIGHT be more interested in the first touch to happen on the internet... so they googole church ... they see chuch site... probably wont go there, looking for less propaganda or beeing afraid they get cocies (choclate chip i hope) and cam be traced back to! So where do they go... antisites... probably. So we do need to fill the internett with more good (Mormon)!

The use of internett should be used, but not by everyone. We need education to use it for misionary work. Also the predjuces against the use of internett in Cyber Misionary work should be given more backing up from the authorities, so people can see it really is ok to do it! Maybe it should be called a Cyber Misionary program.

Cyber Misionaries dont ONLY meet investigators, but they meet the "shaken syndroma" and inactives too, even usual members may have aquestion the neighbour asked they were not able to answer. I see Cyber Misionarywork as a very big and important part of the Church today. CMs need a really tought skin in order to meet the anties and accusitions around and taht may be a scarry thign to some, but not everyone is needed there where it is worst!!

Great work Heather & gang. Keep it up!!