I keep hearing about how the new missionary program will have missionaries doing their proselyting via internet rather than tracting. Is that exactly right? Does anyone here know for sure?

I think they are just going to cut back on the tracting. They are actually going to have the mishies sit in the ward buildings during "slow hours" and do online mishie work (both with members and non-members) and/or be there for walk ins by people on the street. I guess they are going to try and have the ward buildings open all the time like other churches do.

I'm sure you will still see them riding around.

What do they think will draw people into the churches? Will they offer free food? Put an "open house" sign out front? I can't imagine how this will possibly work!

It was at least 105 degrees here today.

Saw the poor mishies riding their bikes.

Same yesterday...

WTF !!! !!! !!! !!!

Fuggin Cult

Video game contest!

Take two 18 year old male missionaries, add lots of boring down time at ward chapels, mix in loads of frustrating time on the internet without success with someone breathing down your neck and what do you have?

Trouble with a capital T. Those young men will be so insanely bored and/or depressed they will undoubtedly find some kind of fun that doesn't include working for LDS Inc. I predict dating will more than likely occur. Hiding out at libraries, coffee bars, etc. will likely become routine behavior.

I cannot imagine what I would have done if I had been asked (sorry, I mean ordered) to sit for hours using the internet with the MP looking over my shoulder or harassing members to give me contacts. Sounds like missionary work is devolving into a punishing sort of test of faith. Can the elders hold out for two years without losing their minds?

Trouble with a capital T. I think you've stumbled on to something. They need to put a pool table in the Primary Room.

Another inevitable result will be outright fights between stir-crazy young men. When I was on my mission I never wanted to go clubbing or get drunk with my companions. I did, however, want to smack some of them in the face. The whole reason for paring missionaries up is to make sure they follow the rules. Most of them will follow the rules. But everyone has their breaking point.

Are mishies going to be allowed to use Facebook? Farmville is about to get a lot more crowded!

IMO

They will be tracked via their portable electronic devices..Phone or iPad to discourage goofing off. It will be hell...those of you that served missions know how the politics work. Every missionary will be ratting out each other to gain favor to mp and assistants.

I think the game plan is for Missionaries to be "working" together with ward and stake mission leaders to develop names from members from within the local area in order to pester people who already have a relationship with non-mormons or the "less-active". They will also be friending the local members on Facebook in order to facilitate access to members non-member friends. They will be working from the wardhouses when times are slow probably with church formatted computers or Ipads that will monitor their activities.

I think is what they see happening is that the wards will be providing a steady and consistent supply of contacts for the missionaries to meet with in the evening while they spend their mornings at the wardhouse chatting and friending the local nonmembers on FB that have been provided by members. Afternoons would be left for tracting and openhouse activities that their successful efforts will be bringing in.

What really will happen is that missionaries will be doing what they normally do depending on their own personal motivation and at least more than one missionary will get in trouble with local girls when they start having illegal chat sessions with the local fifteen year old girls who will be friending these eighteen year old boys on Facebook. And that will be what ends the program. As far as openhouses go, no one is going to tour a wardhouse. No one cares.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/2013 10:07AM by whiskeytango.

This is going to be a PR disaster.

Picture this. Ward building is open when natural disaster strikes an area. Refugees seek shelter therein. Missionaries lock the doors, waiting for permission from the mission president to let them in. The mission president is waiting for permission from SLC, but the natural disaster has $%#^#d up his cellphone service.

Crowds form on lawns and someone breaks a window shouting, "My grandma has to go to the bathroom," I mean, it's not like their stained glass or anything, right.

The missionaries can't use a phone, don't have permission and have a gun for self defense. They hear a rock crashing through a window and fire.

---OR---

The missionaries are told to provide shelter and safety to anyone who needs it. Food is stocked in the kitchen, which now has a permit to be used. The missionaries invite the refugees in for a meal, which learning to prepare for 100 people is in their MTC training.

The ward members have been trained that in a natural disaster, they are to report to the ward building to help with relief efforts. They help pitch tents on the lawn and in the parking lot. They organize and set up medical attention tents for light injuries, sparing the hospitals which are overcrowded.

Ward members are prepared to provide transportation to hospitals and stay with the injured. The members use backup generators to call the hospital and ask how they can best help in this type of emergency.

Members use ATVs, snowmobiles, rowboats, dogs, to find survivors. All of these resources have been identified ahead of time.

The ward building is heavily stocked with supplies to provide relief to the community in any type natural disaster except maybe nuclear war. The Mormons are well-organized to provide childcare, reunite families, and give out soup and coffee.

The community is so appreciative of the selfless help provided by the generous Mormons that there is more interest developed in the cult-among-us.


Yep...in my dreams.

Ana

whiskeytango. Hi, I was sure I must know you from your earlier posts, but it took a while. I was NG pre-desert storm and and for a short period after. LEO now retired. Nice to see you.. (here)

Likewise brother..Good to see you.

Disaster ahead. Chatting with never mos who post links and data on true LDS history, and ask questions. Going door-to-door finding old people and poor people who dont use computers or research things, would get more Baptisms.

Will the senior missionaries be armed, or will each building have security? Some buildings are in bad neighborhoods. I went to a building in Chicago where the parking lot is under the building with big gates that are locked.

Also, in Utah there are four buildings in what I would consider my neighborhood. Easy walking distance without crossing any major streets. Surely they won't open all four.

They will open the one out of four that has the newest and most up-to-date furnishings, the nicest accessories, the cleanest rest-rooms, the nicest light fixtures, the best grand piano, the nicest organ, the most architecturally interesting (tough one there) or the nicest landscaping.

Will that include the nicest firearms? I'm sure Browning would donate something lovely with an inlaid stock and a gold trigger.