How do missionaries get people to stop drinking?

[dahlia]

You guys know that my son is not a member, though he supports almost everything about the Church.

One of his issues with converting is that he wouldn't be able to drink. He's not a drunk, he just enjoys a beer or some wine once a week or so, though he often goes weeks without drinking. He's not even the kind of guy who drinks a lot of beers during a football game or anything.

How do missionaries help people stop drinking who aren't heavy drinkers/alcoholics? For example, if you are on a mission in Italy, how would you get people to stop drinking wine, when it is obvious that they can drink wine with a meal and don't go around drunk. If my son were an alcoholic, then it might be easier for him to see why he should give it up, but for the casual drinker, how do the missionaries get them to change their minds? I guess the same thing can be said about coffee.

Please don't tell me this behavior is commanded by the WoW. I get that, but that's not going to be enough for him. It's got to be rooted in some non-religious thinking for him to ever get to the religious aspect of it. I've been thinking, but since alcohol is not a problem for him, I am having a hard time coming up with why he should do without.

I have alcoholics in my family and one of my mother's friends was a big alcoholic when I was a kid. Having seen all that, I dislike what drink does to people and was never much of a drinker myself, so it was easy to say no when I joined the Church. But that is me, I always frame liquor in terms of alcoholism, when obviously many people around the world drink and are fine.

Thoughts?

Thanks.

[estradling75]

Umm... you do realize that asking how the missionaries do something without using religion is kinda like asking a teacher to teach math without using numbers? Right?

Missionaries are successful because they teach people that it is God's will, and the people choose to obey (or not as the case may be).

If you are going to remove religion you have to find a different model for what you are looking to do.

[skippy740]

The Word of Wisdom is a spiritual law of health of the Lord's covenant people.

The gospel of Jesus Christ isn't about convincing others. It is about the Holy Spirit and a personal relationship with God & Christ. Let the Spirit do its work - which is to teach and testify to the heart. Our job is to preach, but not impose. Exhort, but not coerce.

I'm going to take the pressure off you: It's not your job to find a reason for him to do without. That's the Spirit's job. Let Him do it. Just be his mom. In fact, he'll LIKE it if you say "It's up to you."

[dahlia]

Umm... you do realize that asking how the missionaries do something without using religion is kinda like asking a teacher to teach math without using numbers? Right?

OK, you have a point. I was just looking for some missionary Jedi mind tricks on helping people to stop drinking. I figured they were used to dealing with all kinds of people and maybe they had been taught in the MTC some ways to get people to rethink drink liquor or coffee.

[LittleWyvern]

OK, you have a point. I was just looking for some missionary Jedi mind tricks on helping people to stop drinking. I figured they were used to dealing with all kinds of people and maybe they had been taught in the MTC some ways to get people to rethink drink liquor or coffee.

The only way I have heard of is a testimony of the Word of Wisdom, not just a knowledge of it...

Please don't tell me this behavior is commanded by the WoW. I get that, but that's not going to be enough for him. It's got to be rooted in some non-religious thinking for him to ever get to the religious aspect of it.

...and I'm sure you and your son gets that. But I believe that one must have a testimony of any law, not just the Word of Wisdom, before following it becomes natural. At least, that's how I approached teaching commandments while I was on my mission. If somebody doesn't want to do something, they are rarely going to do it spontaneously out of their own choice.

[skippy740]

OK, you have a point. I was just looking for some missionary Jedi mind tricks on helping people to stop drinking. I figured they were used to dealing with all kinds of people and maybe they had been taught in the MTC some ways to get people to rethink drink liquor or coffee.

Unfortunately, no. Missionaries are not trained addiction counselors. There are always some ideas that are passed on within the missionary ranks to help (anyone familiar with the grapefruit juice & cinnamon mouthwash one?), but they're kinda hokey.

The Church does have the 12-step program - primarily for sexual addictions - it can be used for any addition such as drugs or alcohol.

Based on your post, I don't think your son really needs such a program.

[rameumptom]

Dahlia,

It is in how one frames the issue. For me, it isn't about drinking or health, etc.

The issue is: has God called prophets in our day? If he has, then we should follow them so that we can follow God.

So, it is all about gaining a testimony of the gospel, and that God has called Thomas S Monson as a modern prophet.

[NeuroTypical]

Hi Dahlia,

The jedi mind trick is a direct, personal witness from the Holy Ghost that God is who He says He is, and our church and scriptures are what they say they are. In short, the thing that works, is coming to a testimony that God says so, and although I don't necessarily get why, I believe Him.

You could challenge him to give it a try. If he wants to understand, he might want to try going a month walking in the footsteps of a clean and sober mormon. Walking around, praying for guidance, doing service, going to church, submitting his will to God's, not drinking - just to see for himself what everyone is all so excited about. Just trying on the shoes to see if they are comfortable. I mean, he can always go back to it later if nothing works, right? Since he's not addicted, it shouldn't be a big deal, right? It's not like he'll ever really get a good answer by just asking people...

[Anddenex]

At the end of my mission, something I wish I would have understood at the beginning of the mission, I discovered how important the aspect of faith is to the word of wisdom.

In the beginning I tried to prove to investigators all the good for not drinking and all the bad for drinking or disobeying the word of wisdom.

I duly noted that anybody who had issues with the word of wisdom, the big ones: coffee, tea, alcohol, etc... it mattered very little the positive and negative affects they have on a person. What I truly discovered is that they didn't have a testimony in the calling of Joseph Smith, or the restoration of the gospel, and the importance of obedience.

I begin to realize more and more why we were told to teach nothing but faith and repentance.

I would assume you have, however, have you asked your son regarding his feelings toward the Prophet Joseph Smith? Does he see him as a prophet? When I received an affirmative response, I simply then would say, "We keep the word of wisdom, not because of all the good and not because of all the bad that may result, even though this is a good reason to stop, we simply don't because we love God and keep his commandments. If God were to ask me to stop drinking Kool-aid, then I would stop drinking Kool-aid."

It was amazing to me how simply this worked on people then trying to have an intellectual discussion on the health benefits.

These are my thoughts.

[BrendaM]

I have 5 sisters and 2 brothers, and a 20 year old adult daughter; all have been baptized, all have chosen to be inactive. All drink socially. I love them all so much, sometimes I feel physcially ill when I think about their immortal souls. Because of that love, I pray everyday, that they will choose to return to the gospel. It's ultimately up to each person to be obedient to the Lords commandments. The Word of Wisdom is a commandant, no less then, thou shalt not steal.

The missionaries have no "magic" potion. The individual has to be willing to allow the Spirit to help them overcome their natural tendancies to live a temporal life. This comes about by discussing the gospel with them, any time the time is right.

I was a smoker for many years before I became active again. It was my choice to return to the fold, my choice to constantly pray to help me overcome the addiction of nicotine. My choice to want to be a better daughter of God. Doesn't make me perfect, but makes it my choice.

[NightSG]

The Word of Wisdom is a commandant,

Like this one?

Sorry, had to do that. But I do find it odd how many people follow the WoW faithfully, yet disregard other commandments at will.

[beefche]

Sorry, had to do that. But I do find it odd how many people follow the WoW faithfully, yet disregard other commandments at will.

Ok, you may not mean this, but do you realize that by making this kind of a statement, you are saying that you do not pick and choose which commandments to follow and thus, you are perfect?

We ALL pick/choose commandments. We fail miserably at some of them. No one is perfect.

[NightSG]

Ok, you may not mean this, but do you realize that by making this kind of a statement, you are saying that you do not pick and choose which commandments to follow and thus, you are perfect?

We ALL pick/choose commandments. We fail miserably at some of them. No one is perfect.

Do we pick some to ignore, or do we just fail at following certain ones? I'm certainly not claiming I don't fail, but it's not a matter of simply deciding that some aren't as important, which is the attitude I've gotten from a few people.