All but the last two were confirmed completely inactive before I left my 18-month mission. I so vehemently opposed baptizing one family that I refused to go to their baptism. Before their baptism, they showed up to church once and couldn't answer the most basic questions. Once baptized, they never showed up again.
I also suggested to a lady, who my companion bapized before I arrived in the area, that she have her name removed from the records of the church because she said, "If I'd known that I had to do all these things, I never would have joined this church."
However, from 1982, we were tasked with contacting people who had been baptized in the Time of Japan(TM) which had occurred from 1978ish when they declared that Japan would see millions converted, until 1982 as over 90% were already inactive. GHQ sacked the Seventy in charge, Elder Kikuchi, and replaced him with and American.
We were tasked with contacting people and asking them if they wanted the baptism canceled o foul, no harm, in order to try to get the membership under control.
I was a much better “anti missionary” than a plus missionary, so I wound up with negative numbers of baptisms. Something over a dozen.
You should have seen the faces in the High Counsel when I gave that report. . .
I asked to opt out of the traditional traveling missionary talks at the various wards in the Stake, and they granted that.
One young single girl......she never set foot in a church after her baptism
A muslim couple who were looking to become christian......lots of extra rules in order for them to get baptised......not sure if they are still active.
A single mother who had previously written herself out of the church, and her two daughters.......she is back out of the church again.
I was top baptizer for 7 on the 24 months I was out. I got 46 people "dunked". I think that was a record. My fastest was 3 hours from meeting him to baptism, yes, 3 hours.
Many were black and I let them join without a WORD about blacks and the p-hood history. I feel sick to my stomach every time I think about it.
about 10 were mentally or socially retarded.
5-7 were kids of in-actives.
Only 3 complete families.
All but 3-4 were wretchedly poor: In the ghetto, govt. housing, on food stamps, living in abandoned trailers, etc.
My best "families" went inactive. I went to visit about 6 years ago. Not trying to be funny here, but the only actives were the retarded ones and the ones who life off the church.
South Africa in the early 2000s. Really tough place for missionary work. Although I was frequently told by the ZLs, APs, and MP to set a goal to have X amount of baptisms by X date. When I didnt meet that goal, I was severely chastized. Gee, I wonder why I had a mental breakdown on my mission?
Zero, since I'm a girl. But if were not talking about going down in the water with them and doing the actual deed then -a family of 4 (mom, dad, little girl, little boy) but that was 2 weeks after I arrived in that area so it was not really my doing. -5 eight and nine years old of inactive or part-member families -1 thirteen year-old from a part-member family -1 woman in her mid-to late twenties that was a niece of a part-member family and friend with a whole bunch of families related to each other (she was actually related to one of the 5 eight-nine years old) Central California in early 90's
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2013 03:58PM by quebec.
We were, in general, expected to baptize at least 5 people a month. Getting less one month was not a big deal. Missing it for 2-3 months straight usually meant you would get chewed out by the MP.
4, I think. Brazil. I was disappointed at the time...I had heard about missionaries baptizing 500 there in the 80's and 90's. I'm grateful now. I'm pretty sure that none of them are active now.
Damn a lot of us here are RMs ... I wonder if the Church is listening . I suspect the surge in young unprepared 18 year olds who have never lived away from home or dealt with adult issues are going to leave in even higher percentages.
Around 45 in Utah SLC North in 83/84. Quite a few were children in part member families or inactive families. Some older folks joined because they thought it may aid their chance for access to welfare
When did missionaries start counting baptizing part member families kids as converts? When I was a missionary this was done within the wards and the missionaries did not get near children. This is kind of creepy when you think about it.
Did the Missions become desperate to bump up the numbers of converts?
In my mission in the mid 1990's 8 year olds were not counted as a convert if at least one of their parents were members but if they were 9 years old, or older they were considered converts. I believe this was standard across all missions. I don't know when this started or if they've always counted 9 year olds as converts.
18. Melbourne, Australia 06-08. Most were extremely destitute emotionally or financially. Most are inactive now, many went inactive while I was still in the mission.