posted
A woman from the LDS Church called me this morning. She answered a couple of simple questions that I had, and then asked if some representatives could come and give me another free gift.
She was just looking to get an approximate idea of when I would be available, so I told her yes.
But now I am thinking that they might be coming thinking that I want to discuss conversion. Are they really just dropping something off, or will they stay?
I have some questions about LDS religion and culture, but have no interest in adopting them. When they call to schedule an appointment, should I tell them that they shouldn't waste their time with me?
Posts: 134 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
Grad Student - When they come by, just be honest with them. Tell them "I have some questions about LDS religion and culture, but have no interest in adopting them."
When dropping off information, it is standard procedure to ask for a return appointment to discuss the items they've dropped off (once you've had a chance to read them) and to clarify any questions that you have. They may, depending on their schedule and their own preference for doing things, ask to come in and talk more with you when they're making their drop-off.
Posts: 5879 | Registered: Apr 2001
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posted
Wow, there are a ton of LDS people on this! I served in Salt Lake City and had people approach us all the time. But it was rarely to gain info about our church. Usually it was church members asking if they could buy us lunch or it was people telling us that we were evil and going to burn in hell.
quote: I have some questions about LDS religion and culture, but have no interest in adopting them. When they call to schedule an appointment, should I tell them that they shouldn't waste their time with me?
No, go ahead and talk to them and ask whatever you want to know. Most of the people they talk to are just like you. They have some questions about LDS religion and culture, but have no interest in adopting them. Also, if you have questions you could ask members on this board. It seems to me that hatrackers do a good job of telling you what they believe without telling you what you should believe.
posted
Actually talking to missionaries is a great way to get to know about the LDS religion. I actually met a guy at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis who is now a missionary. He was also in a summer program. It was amazing how great the community was. We had a great "cultural" exchange. We even went to each other's churches. It was lots of fun. And I think if a missionary ever knocked on my door I'd probably invite them in for lemonade. I feel bad for them getting the door slammed on them all the time.
Posts: 872 | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
You know, there are people out there who would desperately envy your apparent magical ability to repel missionaries.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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385 Concord Ave. Ste. 100 Belmont, MA 02478 Tel (617) 489 - 3733
That's the main telephone number - if you call it, you will get either one of the older couple missionaries, or else an AP - one of the young missionaries asked to assist in the office.
You could say that you are very interested, the missionaries seemed to have lost their way, but you would still like to meet. What SHOULD happen is that it will get sent down the line, and the missionaries leaders will know about it and have an interest. Hopefully, this will work.
I don't know what happened, but you're on a campus, right? I was on the UofM campus, and that was a very, very busy time.
My most embarassing memory was talking to people on the street, asking them if they'd heard of the church. I stopped one guy, and he looked at me funny, and said, "Yes - I'm a member. I'll be baptized next week. <beat> Don't you remember me? You're the one who set me up with the elders two months ago."
posted
Wow, kat. That's an automatic Level of Glory demotion.
I once took a picture of a baptism. My comp wanted me to take it when he and the lady got in the water. I was greenie enough to do it. The room was packed with investigators, and it was such a peaceful, reverent moment. Then I took the picture, and the feeling vanished. Plus, my camera went into automatic rewind. A genuine CTRL+Z moment.
Posts: 5957 | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
Poor Macc! With youth, we generally take pictures - particularly if it happens at camp and their parents can't make it down for the occasion. Yes, it's a solemn thing filled with all manner of dignity and importance - but it's also full of joy. So we get it on tape. ^_~
posted
I have a “how to contact the LDS” question, so I thought I’d put it in this thread. It’s a moot point now, but maybe someday the answer will be useful again. And besides, I’m curious.
When I was a hospital chaplain I had a trauma call around three o’clock one morning. The ambulance brought in a woman from out of state who’d been in a serious car accident. She said she was LDS and asked for someone to come and give her a blessing. We didn’t have a local LDS contact listed, so I tried every number I could find in the phone book. I got recorded messages (obviously, at three in the morning) but none of them allowed me to leave a message. The messages invited me to church on Sunday and gave me directions how to get there. Another one told me that if I was an LDS traveler and in need of assistance I would have to call my home bishop and have him contact the local bishop, or else no one would help me. (And yes, that is what the message said, “or else we will not help you.”) I couldn’t find out who the woman’s home bishop was, because she was in ICU by that time and drugged to the gills. They weren’t sure if she was going to live. (She did.)
I tried again at 7am, just before I went off duty. No luck. When the secretary got in at 7:30 I asked her to keep trying. She called every half hour or so until someone answered the phone in person. She said they didn’t want to talk to her and didn’t want to send anyone. Eventually she convinced them.
If that was my only experience with the religion, I’d think it was the most insular, uncaring, and just downright rude group I’d ever dealt with. However, I know that all of you Hatrack LDS folks are nice and helpful people, so I have to assume that this particular ward is not the norm. (Someone told me later that the reason we didn’t have a local LDS contact on our call sheet is that they didn’t want to be called.)
Was there something else I should have done? Was this an unreasonable request?
(Rereading, this looks more like a rant than a request for information. I didn’t really mean it that way. )
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
That's a really unfortunate experience that you had, dkw. It sounds to me like you did everything humanly possible. I guess I don't understand why the local LDS people would not want to be contacted. I know it would be difficult to determine who should be responsible for making sure there are contacts who can provide blessings at wee hours in the morning, but I don't know why on earth they wouldn't want to have people who you could contact so that somone could have a blessing in this kind of situation.... Posts: 5879 | Registered: Apr 2001
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posted
I don't know how widespread this practice is, but here in Las Vegas the hospitals keep a list of the religions of those patients who wanted to be listed. Then, twice a week we (I'm LDS) send a couple of adult male church members (priesthood holders) to visit them. They ask for the list at the front desk, then make the rounds. I believe they also leave a contact number.
I know they do this in Utah, too, but that shouldn't surprise anybody.
posted
My goodness, dkw, that's terrible. No, of course it wasn't an unreasonable request.
I can tell you the reason that traveling LDS are supposed to have their home bishop call the local bishop, though. There are a whole lot of people who will try to get monetary assistance from a local bishop by falsely claiming to be LDS and having car trouble/starving/whatever. One of the local bishops in a given area will have the job of dealing with traveling people who need help, and they have to speak with the home bishop in order to make sure that the person is legit. A friend of ours once told me of a time when he was asked for money by a guy claiming to be a Mormon in need of help. He turned out to be on the run, having killed two people (IIRC, it was two). So, in order not to be known as an easy touch for unscrupulous types (LDS or not), a referral has to be obtained.
At any rate, an injured traveler in need of a blessing is an entirely different case, and shows the need for local LDS leaders to have their contact numbers at hospitals. But I don't know what else you could have done in your situation, aside from going through the hopsital, asking staff if they knew any Mormons. It wouldn't technically have to be a bishop who gave the blessing; a worthy priesthood holder could.
Posts: 335 | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
dkw, sounds like you had a bad experience. I can assure you, most of the time it's not like that. Most LDS people I know (including me) would trip over their own feet in the rush to help someone out, especially a stranger. That's probably because in the LDS belief, service is considered one of the chief ways to live a Christ-like life. It's drilled into them from birth that the best way to feel good about yourself is to help others.
When I hear about experiences like yours, I wonder if its the same LDS church that I know. The answer is yes, but sometimes Mormons don't act like they should. Its not hypocrisy; only human weakness.
To prevent something like this from happening in the future, I suggest trying once again to find someone to add to your hospital's contact list. Explain to them that occasionally you may have someone arrive at your hospital who is LDS and wants a blessing, and you need someone to be able to contact if that should happen.
Let me know if this helps.
Posts: 786 | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
While I fully agree that the local LDS leaders seemed to have dropped the ball on this one, I think it should also be remembered that we are a church with no professional clergy, so getting really anything done takes a lot of time and energy beyond the norm.
Posts: 1068 | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
In case anyone is wondering, the missionaries called the day before to cancel the second appointment.
But I got a call for an 801 area code yesterday (I assume Utah), and they are sending me the video in the mail. Not quite what I had hoped for, but it will have to do.
Posts: 134 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
Saw some here a few months ago while I was walking down the street. I am interesting in Mormonism because of OSC but i still dislike organized religion for reasons I can't figure out. I wanted to talk to them, but I got sick and could not make it to the meeting, but I do see young mormon men at the local library from time to time. Perhaps I'll pick their brains in a shy polite way someday.
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
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quote:Bok: Still, it seemed to be your classic locals vs. newcomer story.
My wife and I visited the Boston LDS temple shortly after its completion, and the fiberglass steeple was sitting in the parking lot of the non-LDS church across the highway to the north. Apparently the Mormons weren’t even allowed to store the steeple on the premises during the construction. That sure was nice of that other church to store the steeple for them.
Posts: 2655 | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
As long as someone else bumped this thread, I never got to meet with the missionaries. I called. The cancelled. Then they came unexpectedly the day that I had oral surgery. And never came again.
Was it because I checked off "Jewish" when I got the Book of Mormon from their website? Do they focus mainly on Christians?
Posts: 134 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
Nope. To be honest, I've never heard of missionaries acting like this. ... I don't know what to tell you besides keep trying, this is pretty ridiculous, most of the time the missionaries will jump at so much as a chance of talking to someone who shows so much as vague interest in talking back. I'm sorry, that sounds really... unfun.
posted
Yeah, they spend so much time trying to make contacts. If they don't have anyone more promising, they end up tracting, which is every missionary's least favorite activity. (Or seems to be, anyway.) So either those missionaries are very overworked at that ward, or else something is in disarray. They do move around a good bit. A new pair comes to a given ward every six weeks or so sometimes. Perhaps they just dropped the ball. Please do give them another try. Or go through the website www.mormon.org to request someone come and talk to you.
They are usually absolutely delighted to hear from anyone. When I called and left a message on their answering machine saying I wanted to take the lessons and be baptised, they thought that was so great that they saved the tape and played it at the mission conference. Posts: 5509 | Registered: May 1999
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posted
I just requested an appointment at mormon.org. The email I got in response has the subject line, "Order Confirmation." I thought that was funny.
Posts: 134 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
Grad Student, I reread this thread and just died all over again. Hopefully this will work - the missionaries will have definitely changed by now. Oh my goodness.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
Okay, based on the experiences of several Hatrackers, I'm going to come up with a new reccomendation.
The best way to get the missionaries to your house is to go to church.
Reasoning: They HAVE to be there. You will DEFINITELY find the missionaries at church. They usually sit near the back. Plus, if you go to church, you'll probably meet churchmembers there and that makes life easier if you like it, I think. But even if you're not looking for a permanent friend because you don't plan on needing one because you aren't planning on being at church every week, going to church definitely gets the missionaries' attention. I think that's how Rakeesh and Taal both made appointments. If you want to find church, go here.
However, if you don't want to do that, go here, and Salt Lake will inform your mission who will inform the missionaries in your area to call you and make an appointment. Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
On the other hand, Telperion playing as a missionary would be something to see. He'd be the first missionary ever to actually enjoy being with his companion 24x7.
Posts: 2655 | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
Are you saying that the exhibit was in bad taste, or was the behavior of the protesting students in bad taste, or was the school administration's handling of the matter in bad taste?
Posts: 2655 | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
So like the school administration in the article, we profess to celebrate diversity as long as our diverse elements never come together?
We can have departing missionaries in one thread, and people thinking that missionaries in white shirts are cute in another thread, but never let the two threads come together?
What a convoluted set of rules.
Posts: 2655 | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
Having never met any Jatraqueros in real life, mental dressing up is all there is. While I am convinced that most people here are real, I'm at a disadvantage when it comes to putting a face on them.
Imagining a Gothic, gay, Shakespearean actor, dressed in a white shirt and tie, with possibly some silver leaves protruding around the neck and sleeves seemed mildly amusing. Having actually spent some time with a gay missionary companion, and having experienced many awkward as well as tender moments with him, I don’t think you could accuse me of showing contempt or bad taste by imagining gay people in white shirts.
Maybe imagining people as Mormons is my real problem. Well, I can’t win there. If I say that I can’t imagine someone as a Mormon, that’s offensive, and if I say that I can imagine someone as a Mormon, that’s forcing my religion on them. Call in the thought police!
Posts: 2655 | Registered: Feb 2004
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It sounds to me like you did everything humanly possible. I guess I don't understand why the local LDS people would not want to be contacted. I know it would be difficult to determine who should be responsible for making sure there are contacts who can provide blessings at wee hours in the morning, but I don't know why on earth they wouldn't want to have people who you could contact so that somone could have a blessing in this kind of situation.... ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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