| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 71.1 | Missionary work | RIPPLE::KOTTERRI | Rich Kotter | Tue Feb 23 1988 09:07 | 76 |
| RE: Note 71.0 by SCOMAN::DAUGHAN
Hi Kelly,
You ask, what to Mormons call missionary work?
When Jesus ascended into heaven, he told his disciples to:
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto
the end of the world. Amen Matt 28:19-20
This is what we call missionary work. Teaching the gospel to all
nations, and baptizing those who will accept the gospel.
What do we mean by the gospel? We mean the gospel, as restored in its
fullness in these latter days, and as taught by the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints.
At present, the church has about 35,000 full-time missionaries.
Full-time missionaries are young men and women about college age and
retired couples who interrupt their lives to serve for 1-2 years as
missionaries for the church. Once they volunteer for missionary
service, they receive a "missionary calling" from the prophet of the
church to some mission of the church.
Currently there are missions established throughout the United States,
and all countries of the world where it is legal to conduct missionary
efforts. Missionaries serve at their own expense, they do not get paid
for this service, though they may receive financial assistance from
their local congregation if needed.
As an example, I served as a full-time missionary for two years in
Finland, my oldest brother served in California and Nevada, and two
younger brothers were missionaries in Wisconsin and Italy. My brother's
wife served in Denmark and Norway, and my father served in Hawaii, as a
young man. Now that my father is retired, he and my mother are
currently serving a mission in Alabama. Missionary work is entirely
voluntary. I have two brothers who chose not to go on missions.
In addition to teaching missions, some are called to serve as welfare
or health missionaries. Their function is to assist in areas of the
world where the people can benefit from training in hygiene,
agricultural practices, nutrition, and other things relating to the
temporal (physical) welfare of the people.
On the other hand, the teaching missionaries seek out people who are
willing to learn more about the restored gospel and they teach them.
Once an investigator of the church has been taught and has come to find
out for himself or herself, by the power of the Holy Ghost, that what
they have been taught is true and they desire to live by the teachings
of the church, they are baptized as members of the church.
In addition to full-time missionaries, there are also many people who
serve as part-time, or "stake missionaries", who also assist in this
work, but do so in their spare time.
For me, it was a wonderful experience to serve as a missionary. It is
an experience that is full of joy in the service of the Lord and to see
people accept the gospel of Jesus Christ into their lives. It is also a
trying experience, with disappointments at times and frustrations, as
any important work can be. But I know that the Lord blessed me with His
spirit, and with the ability to learn the language of the people, so
that I could be effective as a missionary.
We believe that this is a characteristic of Christ's true church, that
it will heed the command to "go and teach all nations" of his gospel.
Hope this answers your question.
Rich
|
| 71.2 | More Missionary Work | USMRM7::KOSSLER | | Tue Feb 23 1988 10:50 | 44 |
| Rich brought up a lot of good info about the more overt aspects
of the Church's missionary program. All of that is very important,
but I would like to point out another aspect.
< Note 71.0 by SCOMAN::DAUGHAN >
>from my school days (i went to a catholic school) mission work meant
>going out to the jungle to convert pagans(is that a good way to put
>it?). do you go and do things,say like mother theresa,or do you work
>with basically mormon groups?
I had to smile when I read this. I was born and raised in a strongly
Catholic family, and went to parochial schools for 12 years. In grade
school, we would contribute our dimes and nickels for the adoption and
conversion of 'pagan babies.' We congratulated ourselves for doing an
awful lot of good in this way. I suppose our money in fact did do
a lot of good, but I was secretly glad I did not have to go to the
jungles myself.
Missionary work in the Mormon Church, on the other hand, is an
intensely personal experience, and every member of the Church has
missionary obligations. This includes providing means for others to go
on missions and/or saving money for your own mission. But the main
thrust of member-missionary work is in fellowshipping non-members and
recently baptized members.
What does it mean to 'fellowship?' It means to 'be a Christian.' It
means helping, encouraging, understanding, and lifting up. It means
being a living example of how the Gospel of Jesus Christ actually
*works!* There are so many people out there who hunger for the gospel
message, even if they don't realize it. It is a great thrill to bring
that message to them, and tell them of Christ's redeeming love.
I am not always the kind of person Jesus Christ wants me to be. As a
semi-recently (19 months ago) baptized member myself, I have a lot to
learn about being a Christian. But there are other members who go out
of their way to help me, and I am grateful for that. They are being
Christian, and they are fulfilling their missionary obligations in a
very concrete way.
In Christ's Love,
/kevin
|
| 71.3 | And More And More... | USMRM7::KOSSLER | | Tue Feb 23 1988 11:12 | 27 |
| >Currently there are missions established throughout the United States,
>and all countries of the world where it is legal to conduct missionary
>efforts.
Anyone can have a visit from the representatives of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. You can ask any member, or if you are
in New England, you can call the Boston Mission office at 617-868-0630,
or you can call an 800 number in Salt Lake (800-453-3860 outside
of Utah or 800-662-3756 within Utah).
Whichever way you prefer to contact the Church, there will be people
who will be delighted to talk to you, and will send the missionaries
to visit you if you request.
>At present, the church has about 35,000 full-time missionaries.
Actually, we are around 38,000 now, with the number growing rapidly.
>In addition to full-time missionaries, there are also many people who
>serve as part-time, or "stake missionaries", who also assist in this
>work, but do so in their spare time.
I am one such Stake Missionary, and find it to be one of the most
fulfilling things I have ever done in my life.
In Christ's Love,
/kevin
|
| 71.4 | Missionary Work is Love Unfeigned | SIERRA::LENF | Len F. Winmill | Mon Feb 29 1988 12:44 | 24 |
| Missionary work can be thought of in another way. A little story:
As I returned from my mission to Chile, my Stake President asked
me in a private interview "Were you a success on your mission?"
I responded that I wasn't sure what that meant and that I had not
held any important responsibilities while there. His rejoinder was
"Did you love the people?" to which I could reply "Most Certainly,
as I took leave knowing that probably I would never see those people
again in this life, I could hardly hold back the tears untill I
was alone inside the plane."
When a returned missionary says the oft heard phrase "It was the
best two years of my life" s/he most likely is referring to the
joy that comes from the opportunity to focus one's life on teaching
about Jesus, truly caring about other people, and seeing people
that you have come to love grow and progress in part from your efforts.
Your brother,
Len
|
| 71.5 | It is Worldwide Bonding. | SIERRA::LENF | Len F. Winmill | Mon Feb 29 1988 12:52 | 25 |
| Missionary work is real people to people at it's best.
Many years ago, I heard Seargent Schriver speak to a group of LDS
young men. He said openly that when given the assignment to create
the Peace Corps, he patterned it after the LDS missionary force
as much as he could.
When the majority of the young adults of a culture go off to a
different culture (often a different country) and then work closely
to teach and get to know those people, They return home much broader.
The culture itself is greatly strengthened in terms of the
understanding of it's people. It takes on a new sensitivity for
the problems of groups different from themselves.
At the same time the recieving group benefits too. All around the
world the the LDS missionaries spread a love and respect for
individuals that come from somewhere else (notably the USA).
If this kind of personal contact and caring could be as widely
practiced in all the world as it is in the LDS church, there wold
be a world wide bond that would be unbreakable.
your brother,
Len
|
| 71.6 | It teaches leadership. | SIERRA::LENF | Len F. Winmill | Mon Feb 29 1988 13:06 | 37 |
| I can concieve of no finer leadership development program.
While it is true it takes some development to get a person out there
to begin with. A mission really does something for the missionary.
First, one has to really analyze one's own beliefs and know that
they really believe it. To go out and teach what you don't believe
is not somthing most people can do. My wife taught at the Language
Training Mission (where missionaries are taught foreign languages
before leaving to the place of assignment). She saw so many young
men struggle within themselves, and finally come out of it committed
to the purpose and ready to go with confidence.
The act of teaching (albeit mostly in small groups) teaches much
about ability to communicate, to "read" other people, and how to
forget one's "self-consciousness" for teh sake of the message.
Missionaries often also have opportunities to take on other direct
leadership positions. Consider that often local areas use missionaries
for much of their leadership (when just starting out). Also consider
that a Mission consists of about 200 young adults often spread out
over a large area with ONE mature adult at the helm. This requires
a lot of other leadership positions to be filled by the young people.
This work also teaches the joy of sacrifice. Sacrifice often of
one's own savings and certainly sacrifice of one's time.
This work teaches much about the value of helping others. I have
two cousins that used to tease and ridicule my mother at great length
about being a school teacher. They both adamantly declared that
they would never return to school after high school. Yet after
going on a mission, each one not only went on to college but each
earned a masters degree and each has been happily serving as a teacher
for many years (broken in each case by a time they went out to serve
as a mission president).
your brother
Len
|
| 71.7 | It teaches faith, fasting, & prayer | FAST::LEIGH | | Mon Feb 29 1988 13:20 | 10 |
| My Stake President said that while missionaries are in the Missionary
Training Center (MTC) learning a new language, they learn to rely on the
Lord through faith, fasting, and prayer. He said that for seven weeks they
struggle with the new language and feel like it is hopeless. During the
eighth week they increase the frequency and spirituality of their faith
and prayers, and as a literal miracle, they gain a command of the new
language which they thought would not be possible (they leave the MTC after
the eighth week)
Allen
|
| 71.8 | Update on Africa | NEXUS::S_JOHNSON | | Mon Feb 13 1989 12:59 | 70 |
| Last thursday night we attended Know Your Religion in our area
(Colorado Springs). The speaker was a Brother LeBaron and he spoke
about revelation and deception. He was a missionary and a mission
president in Africa. I forget which part of Africa he served in. He
also spoke about the church in Africa and had some very interesting
things to share with us.
There were two things that impressed me most about his presentation.
He showed how the growth of the church has been affected by the
revelation given in 1978 which declared that all worthy people can have
the blessings of the priesthood. There were two sets of figures he
showed. They both show how fast the church has grown in Africa.
1830-1978 16,865 Converts joined the church.
1978-1988(9) 17,000 Converts joined the church.
1st Stake organized in the Phillipines in 12 years after
introduction to the gospel.
2nd Stake organized in Africa 9.6 years after introduction
to the gospel.
He compared the length of time to create the first stake in Africa with
the length of time to create the first stake in the Phillipines because
the Phillipines is one of the fastest growing areas in the church.
He was assigned to go to Africa and interview the people there to see
how the church is doing down there 10 years after the revelation was
received. He told several faith promoting stories. Of the things he
spoke about I have listed the ones I remember below.
1. While the illiteracy rate is very high in Africa, 82-5% of the
leadership in the newly created stake have university degrees. He said
this says something about the type of people the church attracts.
2. He related several instances where people were introduced to the
church and were told by the general authorities in Salt Lake that the
time was not ready for them to join the church. The reasoning,
according to what they were told, is that it would be very difficult to
live down there and not have the fellowship of other saints. Many
people went off and developed congregations and got followers and built
churches and put up signs saying they were the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints. Some even incorporated the church down there.
When elders were finally sent down there, they organized branches right
away because of the people who were already teaching from the Book of
Mormon and other church publications. Before branches were organized,
they worshipped according to there customs and had singing and dancing
during the meetings. After the congregations were formally organized
and they got some priesthood leadership working, the singing and
dancing didn't happen anymore. He said he asked one of the local
leaders why and the leader responded by saying that after they received
the Holy Ghost and felt it's presence, they changed there ways. One
person regularly wrote the church presidency pleading with them to send
missionaries down there. One letter chastized the brethren for not
sending the priesthood down there when the scriptures said the Saviour
taught to preach the gospel to all nations.
3. One person down there was called to be a patriarch in the stake.
He said yes, then asked what a patriarch blessing was and what he had
to do. He, of course, learned what his calling required him to do and
received his own patriarchial blessing. I think he was the one who
lived far from the where he was to attend church, so he went home and
introduced the gospel to his neighbors and people who lived close by
and they ended up organizing a branch which met in his home. That was
his way of dealing with the travel associated with going to church. He
just could not afford to travel a long way.
scott
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