Comments on: Member Missionary work

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 22:21:53 +0000

I had the opportunity to serve my mission in B.C. at the time "Sally" posted the original comment. Based on what I saw then and also what I have seen in my own ward since returning, I believe there is no one single answer to ameliorating member missionary work.

The conclusion I made in returning from B.C. is that it takes the gospel to share the gospel. As an individual (and family) if you want to share the gospel, then you have to do the drill: daily scripture study, daily prayer, attend Church, family home evening etc.

Another aspect of sharing the gospel comes from the unit itself. Is the Bishop leading the unit with a vision of how the gospel should be shared. Is it front and center in his mind? Do the quorum and auxiliary leaders prayerfully sustain the plan? Are the quorums and auxilaries in a capacity to retain new members and newly activated members? Do members understand that success is sharing the gospel, and keep sharing the gospel, no matter what decision the invitee makes?

Finally, I'll share this with you. I am finding it easier to share the gospel when I consider that the purpose of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to offer the blessings of the atonement, death and ressurection of Jesus Christ to all people, regardless of how they are classified. Even the most active, temple-sealed family still needs to receive more of the gospel. I can't explain why, but when I think about what the Church really stands for, then I feel that I can will (eventulaly) find those prepared to receive the gospel. It also strengthens my ability to home teach and fellowship anyone and everyone.

For me, having the proper perspective is key.

By: Jason

Jason — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 23:43:12 +0000

You probably not still commenting on this important subject of member missionary work, but I do have something to comment as a returned missionary.
Members invite, missionaries teach. As a now full-time member-missionary since I left my mission I’ve been focusing on inviting people to hear the gospel and being an example. Last week I invited my non-member cousin I only knew for a week to church and she came to church and really felt the spirit.
Yesterday, I was walking to the temple and talked to 1 less-active, a non-member who wants to go to the temple and the visitor center, and a non-member whose younger brother is taking the lessons and encouraged her with my testimonies that what the missionaries teach is true.
In preach my gospel, chapter 11, it teaches us how to invite/commit people. Will you read and study this chapter so that you may know how to be an effective inviting member-missionary? I know you will come closer to the Lord because of your faith to serve.

By: Pew Sitter

Pew Sitter — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 03:31:42 +0000

Perhaps some GA gave a talk to SP's,or new MP's and the number 7 took on a life all its own and was treated as fact. Perhaps this is another case of Mormon legends versus fact.

By: rick

rick — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 21:35:38 +0000

"in the late 80â€s"

That would have been at the height of growth for the church in recent years - I wonder what the ratio is like now. And what the name of the study was, for that matter.

By: JM

JM — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 21:29:38 +0000

rick,

Once upon a calling ago, I cited the same statistic and was questioned on it. I called the missionary department and asked if there was a source for this statistic. I was told that the missioary department did a study sometime in the late 80's. The study revealed that of all the converts sampled, on average they were formally contacted / approached about the church seven times.

I asked for a copy of the study. He couldn't find it and wasn't really that excited to go find it for me.

By: rick

rick — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 21:21:15 +0000

It looks to me that he is talking about the entire church with the exception of "Utah, Idaho, Arizona and a few other places."

By: Pew Sitter

Pew Sitter — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 06:18:16 +0000

rick said: "Do you have any references for all of these â€statisticsâ€ youâ€re throwing around, or are you just making it up as you go along?"

It might be what he has observed where he lives or what he has heard.

I read the replies from this time last year and find it amazing how little things have changed from then till now for me.

By: rick

rick — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:51:26 +0000

"it takes seven good contacts for people to join"

Sorry for being the guy weighing the average way up to seven. I can't even count the number of contacts I've had and I still haven't joined.

"Most inactives either have a nonmember spouse, or nonmember children of baptism age" "The majority of people that join the church are single" "most inactives do not raise their children LDS"

Do you have any references for all of these 'statistics' you're throwing around, or are you just making it up as you go along? :)

By: Stephen

Stephen — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:06:55 +0000

This is Stephen again. I apologize for the delay. I did not mean for it to sound like I just pray, and every time I get someone on my door waiting to hear the gospel. I think to praying and setting a date may be about timing, sometimes we are sowing and sometimes we are reaping. I do not think we should quite sharing the gospel just because we are not immediately having success. In the scriptures, people were talked to by the Lord's servants whether people thought they would recieve it or not. Everyone should recieve a chance to hear the gospel. Just because someone does not recieve it now, does not mean it did not make a difference considering on average, it takes seven good contacts for people to join. As a we sow abundantly, we reap abundantly. As we sow sparringly, we reap sparingly.The cumorahproject.com is a great website for this subject if you feel inclined. I can understand the need for inactive work to be under the responsibility of the priesthood quorums, because that is the responsibility of the priesthood leaders. Let me also emphasize the point again that the inactive work and missionary work go hand in hand. Especially in parts of the world where the church is not church. Unless people are in Utah, Idaho, Arizona and a few other places. Most inactives either have a nonmember spouse, or nonmember children of baptism age. The majority of people that join the church are single, and usually the ones that go inactive, leave before they get married, or end up marrying a nonmember while they were active. Statistacally, around the world most inactives do not raise their children LDS, contrary to many peoples belief. This can be a combined effort, with the priesthood or relief society, working with the member, and fellowshipping the nonmember and the missionaries working with the nonmembers. When are the members and missioanries going to work together to build up the church, instead of compamentalizing everything so much. Let me also clarify on the word social assimilitation. I think that when President Hinkley has stated that every new convert should have a social network, whereever they are converted in the world, this is social assimiliation. Let me also emphasize that the Church has an retention level as of seven years ago, I do not know what it is now, of 25-40%, depending on where in the world they are baptized. Much of this has to do with hyperbaptism, get converts in to the water and get them out. Many of the missions that pump out the greatest number of baptisms, also have the lowest retention. They baptise too much for their wards and branches to support. On the other hand, the seventh day adventist baptise over 700,000 people a year, and retain over 80% of those around the world. This is because their conversion takes several months, and they are very well assimilated into their church units. This is ironic, considering our church has so much more to offer, it being the whole truth. Just some thoughts.

By: JM

JM — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 20:45:27 +0000

Stephen,

I envy your naive outlook.

Go get'em tiger!