Where I live, there isn't a day go by that I don't see the missionaries wandering the streets. I don't think they have much to do. They usually walk somewhat apart, like they are not getting along very well. They look so uncomfortable. I've wondered what would be a better use of their time.

Any suggestions?

The first thought that came to my mind was shouldn't these young men be participating in the blessings of cleaning toilets? That would be a blessing both to them and their one true church. It would give them a purpose other than wandering the streets hoping that they can win the lottery and find a golden investigator.

Charitable work. Ministering to the physical needs of the hungry, the homeless, the sick, and the lonely. Using financial resources provided to them by the Mormon church.

+10000000

Trying to find investigators (tracting or street contacting) was the absolute WORST thing in the world. I would have GLADLY cleaned toilets all day long if that meant I wouldn't have to knock on doors. Doing charitable service would be a great thing for missionaries to kill their time with but unfortunately the church wants them to spend their time proselytizing. In my mission, which I am sure is the same for most missions, we were only allowed to do 4 hours of service a week.

Soup kitchens, homeless shelters, hospitals and schools need volunteers.

They look like fools knocking on doors in affluent neighborhoods as asking to "help" clean the pool or sweep the gazebo for those who can easily hire help as needed.

We were told to only spend 4 hours a week doing charity work. Missionaries who did more were thought to be slackers, hiding behind charity work so they didn't have to do "real" missionary work. I hear nowadays they are allowed to offer help to prospective converts or reactivations but that is different than volunteering at a nursing home, working in a soup kitchen or helping clean up a city park.

Charity work following the model of Christ would not qualify the recipient. It would offer the charity, perhaps screen if the resources were limited, but the Mormon church has access to an exceptional financial pool of wealth.

Hmmm I saw in a Nursing home in Jacksonville 4 missionaries doing social work (entertaining nursing home residents playing Bingo etc.) for 3 days. How do they do that when they only have 4 hours?

tracting:testimony killer

For some odd reason, I always enjoyed knocking on doors - but not as a missionary but as a candidate for office. It is exhilarating to meet new people and exchange ideas. I actually even went a couple of times with the missionaries and enjoyed it. Perhaps this is because I would begin discussing the people we met and what they thought. One time we met a Greek Orthodox woman and I learned that they also believe we can be with our spouses in heaven. This is not just a Mormon doctrine. The woman was quite happy in her religion and no appointment was made for a later discussion. I told the mishies about all of the different religions in the city, noting that we had two different Greek Orthodox churches, Russian Orthodox, Ukrainian Catholic, BaptisT (several of different types), Presbyterian (two), Methodist, Lutheran (3 of different sub-sects), Catholic (including Italian, Irish, Slavic, Polish, and misc.), and Jewish congregations ranging for ultra-orthodox to reformed and everything in between, plus any other religion you could think of and how the mishies should have been taught about each so that they could see where people agreed or disagreed with Mormon doctrine and why. Alas, TSCC has no interest in giving the mishies such information because they might then recognize how Joseph Smith amalgamated doctrines from various groups including, of course, Islam.

Note also that the filming of "The Cardinal" was done in the Irish Catholic church in Stamford - now officially a Bascillica. In one scene it was said that the Irish were, of course, the real catholics! I suggest readers watch of movie.

It's called 'syncretism' and the church practices it big time...

Which is why it is so confusing...