…or to convert anyone, these days.

My wife’s parents were taught and baptized by missionaries who found them while tracting. So were most of the people I taught on my own mission.

The experience of tracting is like most others: You can get out of it what you put into it. It can help you to become a missionary, in the sense that Elder Bednar is discussing, if you let it. It can be done spiritually, humbly and genuinely. It can build the testimony of the missionary as well as those he/she finds.

My parents were taught and baptized by missionaries who were referred to them by members of the Church (as were about a dozen other fmailies on our street). So were most of the people I taught on my own mission.

Will you elaborate on this, please? How does knocking on doors bring missionaries closer to Christ?

On your mission you are taught that idleness is of the devil and if you’re obedient and work hard, success will come. Well, working hard is one thing, working smart is another. A missionary that tracts his/her entire area is working hard, but not very smart. But because of their “hard work” they feel good, and feel as though they are accomplishing a lot.. I’m not saying tracting is easy–it sucks. But it’s the best (easiest) way to APPEAR as though you are working as hard as possible.

It’s hard for many missionaries to sit down with a member, build a relationship with them, and (gulp) ask for references. The first thing I did when I got to any area, was I went to every single members’ home to introduce myself and get to know them. Most “righteous” missionaries would see this as wasting time, but I knew what I was doing.

Another problem is that most missionaries aren’t taught how to do this effectively.

I only went tracting a handful of times on my mission and did baptize an entire family (my only tracting baptisms). But finding them was more of the inspired “GO KNOCK ON THAT DOOR!” type. It was not a random coincidence.

I absolutely do not believe in knocking on doors, though it is necessary in many areas where members are scarce or useless.

Tim J.

Is it only effective if they baptise someone?

What if all they do is help someone and then the person decides not to be baptised?

Was that time wasted?

If they weren’t mishies, you’d probably say no…but they are so their MP says they could be doing more ‘effective’ things.

…to get more baptisms.

Body counts are inherently un-christlike.