Hi all - Documentary on Leeds missionaries

[lameboulder]

Hi all, I'm Seb. (I've posted this in the introductions forums too but this should really be here)

I'm 24, live in Leeds (UK) and I'm a film student. I should say I'm not actually part of LDS but I'm intrigued.

I've met numerous missionaries in Leeds and I've always been impressed by the dedication of the young people out there. Specifically one sunday evening, I was walking home from work and someone approached me. I was already in my own world and didn't really feel like a chat but this guy's dedication blew me away. Here he was stood in front of me on a sunday evening, it's wet, cold, dark and he's thousands of miles from home wanting to talk me about faith.

I didn't catch his name unfortunately but he stuck in my mind. So now I'm looking to talk to people on missions in Leeds for a documentary I'm putting together. I really want to know what makes people like the Sunday guy tick. I want to talk to people about their experiences and about them, their lives in Leeds and back home in the US. Even if you just want to say hi that's fine.

And that's me - Hi everyone

[pam]

Welcome to the site.

[FunkyTown]

Welcome! I'm a UKer myself, living in Wokingham.

I should point out that you probably won't get active missionaries to be interviewed on camera. They aren't allowed. Too bad, as it would be incredibly poignant. As a film student myself, I'd love to put on the tragedies and triumphs of someone in a land where religion simply doesn't play in to most people's everyday life.

[Guest]

Maybe you can get footage from newly returned missionaries instead.

P.S. Returned missionaries are those who have completed their mission and has gone back home. So yeah, they're not gonna be in Leeds anymore but you can probably find a few of them who live within a drivable distance from you who has just returned from a mission - now these wouldn't be Americans but fellow UKers...

[volgadon]

Actually, what you want to do is contact the mission president.

[lameboulder]

Cheers guys, I really appreciate the advice. Contacting the mission president sounds like the way forward. It's a real shame active missionaries can't be filmed though, I really wanted to see what life is like for them.

Do you happen know if the Leeds Mission president deals with the American missionaries only or all the missionaries related to the area? I'm going to dig out the contact details now and bob an e-mail over.

[Copperboat]

I actually had a very similar experience many years ago. At the time I wasn't particularly interested but I was impressed by the missionary. Some years later when I first read the Book of Mormon and then met my local missionaries I'm sure that previous positive experience made me more receptive to their message. It's strange to think that this chap had been back in the US for years by the time I joined the Church and will never know what an impact he made on me or how he participated in my conversion! Makes you realise that mission work is very much a long term business.

Good luck, Seb, for what it's worth I'd love to see a film like this. If you can't make the documentary try a drama. A Yorkshire version of the Other Side of Heaven perhaps (The Other Side of the Pennines?!?!). Best of British, Drew.

[Wingnut]

Do you happen know if the Leeds Mission president deals with the American missionaries only or all the missionaries related to the area? I'm going to dig out the contact details now and bob an e-mail over.

The Leeds mission president has stewardship over all the missionaries that serve in the Leeds mission (whatever the boundaries of that may be). Whether the missionaries are American, Japanese, German, or British, if they are assigned to the Leeds mission, the local mission president is "over" them.

[Gramajane]

Well- there are several (you can buy in stores) movies about LDS missionaries that you might enjoy watching. "The Other Side of Heaven" by Disney- is about Elder Grobergs mission to Tonga years ago. It stars an early Ann Hathaway.

Then there is "The Best Two Years" about a new elder assigned to the Netherlands. I LOVE this movie and my brother was almost in it. (He married a dutch girl). It is funny, insightful and also inspiring.

"The Errand of Angels" is one taking a young lady through her mission-- (18 months for girls) and I think it is about Austria? (I forget) and it was also good at showing how hard it can be to

miss your family and culture

learn to get along with others in a 24-7 companionship

learn a new language

but the greatest thing is when you are the tool in bringing the re-established gospel of Jesus Christ to someone and they choose to accept it and change their life to the plan of happiness! YES!

Enjoy!