Does it drive you crazy when...

[EarlJibbs]

So I went to a multi stake meeting last night with ward councils where the mission president, his wife and two members of the 70 came and spoke to us. 

 

You know when you are up in front of a crowd sitting or speaking, although you may not make eye contact with people, you have a general direction you look but not focus on? Well I found myself sitting in the direction that the mission presidents wife (while she wasn't speaking) was looking as her "go to" spot staring into the crowd. I know she wasn't looking at me, but the entire time I had this nagging feeling that she was! Haha! I was trapped in the stare zone!

 

Has anyone else run into this? Once you notice it, your mind doesn't let go. Just stop looking at me! hehe. 

 

[Vort]

I always assume it's my Hollywood good looks they're enjoying.

[David13]

Vort

I'm sure they are thinking the same thing when they stare at you that they think when they stare at me.

"How in the world did that guy get into this church?"

dc

[Guest]

I'm going to take this opportunity to confess:

 

It really bothers me when they talk about ways to invite people to Church, "our target is 10 baptisms by Christmas", etc. etc. at the pulpit.

 

We oftentimes have some friend of my son go to Church with us.  Like this Sunday, we have 2 kids that will be joining us that's never been to a church before.  When they give these kinds of talks, it always makes me squirm and worry that the kids will think, "oh, so anatess junior invited me to church because he was told by his pastor...".

 

I wish they would leave those types of talks for auxiliaries...

 

But yeah, that's just me.

[Fran]

"our target is 10 baptisms by christmans" it makes me wonder if for these people human beings are just numbers to write on their records or if they are really wanting to make people feel good in their congregation and just make them grab some empty chairs... 

How do converts usually feel ? 

[Vort]

This is a matter of personality difference. I, too, greatly dislike numbers-oriented activities with respect to convert baptisms. But those who go by this method view it differently, and perhaps with greater maturity. They don't necessarily think of people as numbers or objects; rather, they (at least some) find that working toward a goal is facilitated by visualizing specifics. So as distasteful as I find the numbers efforts, I try to keep my words and thoughts kind in this area.

[erog84]

This too has always been something I didn't care for.  I understand that need to set goals and shoot for them, but there is understandable reasons why some of those outside the church looking in view it as a business.  Even as a member it has been a sore spot when it seems we are " all about the numbers ".  I know overall as a church that isn't the case, but when individual leaders perhaps take the numbers game to the extreme, it is dissapointing to see.

 

Personally Earl, I would have started to make weird faces to see if I could get a reaction out of her, it would be too tempting to ignore!

[Guest]

No, Earl.  They're staring at you. :)

[Bini]

Hahaha!

 

I've found myself staring at people from time to time. I'll just zone out. Sometimes I won't even realise I'm staring at a certain body part until the person says something. This has happened between me and a friend, once. Apparently I was completely zoned out and my eyes were focused on her bust area! Not sure what I was thinking, and didn't even really notice what I was looking at, my eyes just zoned there while I was in some sort of la la land...It was odd though because I was still somewhat conscious of what was being said around me lol