A Simple Proposal to Completely Revolutionize the LDS Missionary Effort

[jmaxwilson]

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A Simple Proposal to Completely Revolutionize the LDS Missionary Effort

In the April 2009 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder L. Tom Perry, who is one of the Twelve Apostles of the church, spoke about the responsibility of every member of the church to facilitate the missionary effort to teach the Restored Gospel. He urged us to step up “to do a job that is rightfully ours and for which we are better suited” than the missionaries. He urged us to open our mouths

to our friends and family. (Read the whole address: “Bring Souls Unto Me“, April 2009)

...

Elder Perry’s words reminded me of an idea I had at the end of my own mission that dovetails perfectly with this new effort. Since his presentation I haven’t been able to get it off my mind. The more I think about it, the more I think that it needs to happen. Here it is:

Sacrament Meeting Invitations

Yes, I think that Sacrament Meeting Invitations could revolutionize the member missionary effort. Here’s how:

It requires a simple, but fundamental shift in how we treat Sacrament Meeting speaking assignments.

Read the whole thing and let me know what you think.

[Hemidakota]

Nice...I will have to try my whole street and see would come to the Sacrament meeting. Awesome website.

[jmaxwilson]

Thanks! Let me know how it goes.

[Guest]

This is a great idea! I don't know why I haven't heard of this before now...

I had an uncomfortable experience with several people lately. This trainer at the gym told me Mormonism is a cult (yeah, very common) and I wasn't able to step up to defend LDS. I just said, yeah, we get that all the time. That would have been a great opportunity to expand on that and see if I can get her to open her mind about LDS a bit. My neighbor across the street also teaches in their church and school that Mormonism is a cult. I didn't want a strain in our relationship so I just don't say anything. Another missionary failure on my part. Grrrr.

[LDSVALLEY]

Thanks! Let me know how it goes.

The Mission started doing this in the fall. One Sunday per quarter is a friend and family sacrament where we do up posters, flyers etc and encourage members to simply hand out invitations or put them up on public message boards. They also provided business cards for each Wards location and service time. Next month will be our fourth one.

Going by the full time missionaries it has been a great event. Going my me, Mission Leader, it has not been great. They report every Investigator or recent less active who attends in their numbers. I subtract those who had been coming out regularly and only count new faces or first time return Less Actives. By that counting after 3 times we had 2 Investigators, who never came back and two less actives, one of which has come back again.

Trying something new is always worth considering however. What doesn't work in one area can still be a great idea in another.

[LDSVALLEY]

Correction

We don't do it as a personal invitation except with the business card. I hate to say it but most people in our Ward would just refuse to give talks or to hand them out.

[LDSVALLEY]

This is a great idea! I don't know why I haven't heard of this before now...

I had an uncomfortable experience with several people lately. This trainer at the gym told me Mormonism is a cult (yeah, very common) and I wasn't able to step up to defend LDS. I just said, yeah, we get that all the time. That would have been a great opportunity to expand on that and see if I can get her to open her mind about LDS a bit. My neighbor across the street also teaches in their church and school that Mormonism is a cult. I didn't want a strain in our relationship so I just don't say anything. Another missionary failure on my part. Grrrr.

I have found that turning it into a humor approach works well. When someone said this to me about being a cult I looked at them and said something like:

Yeah, I thought that so I joined but just my luck they ended up being just Christian church focusing on good works, family, God and helping others. Where is a good cult when you want one.

They didn't know what to say, simply chuckled with me and the topic changed.

I also had once at sitting down to a dinner theater there was one couple and then our party of around 15. The man looked at me and asked if we were all related, I replied no, that we were friends and family. He said good for a moment he thought he was going to be sitting with a bunch of Mormons!

I looked at him chuckled and said:

I hate to tell you this but of the 15 people in our group you are sitting next to my wife and me who are the only two Mormons in the group!

He was embarrassed at first tried to apologize and might have moved to another table but I kept the humorous bent going, told him not to worry about it, told a couple other "stories" people say about Mormons but jokingly.

Instead of being a bad memory for him and his wife and me and mine it was a fun evening. During quite periods we were able to answer questions he had and they left knowing more about Mormons then before. And I'll bet he is more careful on what jokes he says to strangers.

Find what works for you and use it.

[mtman318]

This looks likes a good idea. Since I'm in a BYU ward now, it wouldn't be practical to actually use this yet, but I'll mention this to fellow members for future use.

My favorite part about this is that you call talks "sermons," as they ought to be called. It helps both speakers and listeners to take the assignment seriously.

[cbcmariners77]

The language has to be something that non-members will understand. So calling them "sermons" is perfect.

[ClickyClack]

I like it. It's been a while since I saw the numbers, but to get one convert, you have to knock on many, many, many doors. If the people in question have already attended a Sacrament meeting, I seem to recall the number being about 50/50. Huge!