Quick Mormon Question

Nossa-the-Lame · Aug 12, 2004

All I intended was this thread to answer my questions of the Mormon Missionaries, and now look at it....where oh where did I go wrong....

Latter-Day Saint · Aug 12, 2004

the more you know, the more you grow! and it wasn't your fault; it just sort of happened. don't forget this is a conversation involving many people and it was bound to happen.

Nossa-the-Lame · Aug 12, 2004

you make a good point, maybe next time I start a thread I will just ask for certain peeps to answer, not the whole bunch of ya!!! *shrugs* Oh well, post on!

Prometheus_ash · Aug 12, 2004

As to the cheep persuasion tricks in poorer countries...

I think it depends. When my brother was living in the Ukraine he met tones of Mormon missionaries, doing the same thing they do everywhere else. Thing is, they didn't speak any Ukrainian, and next to no Russian, so had trouble talking to anyone. Of course, there being a lack of English speakers to practice with people went to them in order to practice their English.

The ironic thing is that my brother never once met a Mormon Ukrainian, despite all the missionaries. Mayhaps he never went to the right place, but seeing as he lived there for quiet a while... who knows.

Personally, I love it when Missionaries(of any faith) come to my door. It's not often that you get to have a good debate (like those in general apologetics) about god in RL. PLus, they is the off chance that I will convert them.

Crispie · Aug 12, 2004

You sure they didnt have translators? And as far as debating, in Non-Religion Section debating is something you can almost never dodge in any thread lol.

gaijin178 · Aug 12, 2004

You know, when I used to live in Japan, I lived really close to a mormon church. You missionaries would come and stay at the church for a few weeks and then the next group would come. They would get local people to come to the church because they gave free english lessons and it is very expensive to get a private english tutor in Japan. I never met a Japanese mormon either but I assume that there were some since they had the church. I wasn't really welcome there so I don't know for sure. I do remember the language barrier being a problem as they didn't speak hardly any Japanese. I remember a couple of the missionaries riding on the train one day bothering people about what they were reading when they really just wanted their piece. As someone posted earlier, I don't think the important thing is the number of people are converted but the experience that they go through to make them a more mature member of the church community.

A silly question...do the missionaries keep track of how many people they talk to? Or how many people they give tracts to? Or how many people that they give the Book of Mormon to? Or how many people they convert?

Just curious.

JBucky · Aug 12, 2004

MIssionaries have goals based on previous outcomes. For example, if one weeek I make appointments with 20 people, next weeek I'll try harder and try to get 22 or 25. Most goals go like that. In my mission, we had a goal of baptizing 1 family/month. Most of us didn't attain sucha high goal, but it gave us something to shoot for.

Latter-Day Saint · Aug 13, 2004

good 4 you. just remember phillipians 4:13

Prometheus_ash · Aug 13, 2004

But the real question was if you got to post "converted" stickers on the side of your car (or bike) like the WWII Flying aces got to paint their "kill" list on the side of their planes?

JBucky · Aug 13, 2004

In my mission, we didn't use cars or bikes for a few reasons:
-No Bikes: My mission area(Sao Paulo City and surounding southern region) is just too hilly.
-No Cars: I dunno'. I think the high rate of vehicle theft and assaults turned the church off from using cars.

SO yeah, no victory markings, unless you count all the cool brands I got on my left butt cheek! J/K

gaijin178 · Aug 13, 2004

JBucky,

I am just interested and curious...did you find yourself successful in Sao Paulo? Did you learn Portugues? Were people receptive? Did it through of timing for jobs and school and things like that? I am really interested in learning if you are able to teach me.

JBucky · Aug 13, 2004

Ask away!

Successful- I think I was a bit lazier than I shold have been as a missionary. I wasted a part of my time, and wasn't as effecient as I could have been. BUT, I think that the work I put in was an effective use of my time, and if I could do it again I would definitely have worked harder.

Portuguese- Yup! It wasn't too hard as I had studied 3 years of Spanish in school and understood alot of the cognates(words that are similar in 2 diff languages). It did push all of the Spanish out of my brain, however......As I work as an interpreter for the deaf, sometimes as a mental exercise I will speak in Portuguese and sign at the same time.

Timing, job, shool, etc.- That was a bit of a sacrifice, since I also had to give up a year of school to earn the money to go. The Lord blesses His own, however, and He has given me more in return than I could possibly ever give to Him.

Serving as a full time missionary was the most enriching experience of my life up till now. I didn't fully appreciate that all of the time down there as the hours were long(10AM-930PM), it was hot and muggy, people didn't always want to listen, I was afraid to talk to people on the street sometimes, etc etc. Looking back, it has prepared me to be a better human being and really straightened out my path.

Lifesaver · Aug 17, 2004

It must have been due to a grace from Our Lady who Appeared, patron saint of my country and whose shrine is on my state, to bless my city, to have made your mission unsuccessful.
However, it is sad to think of how many may have chosen to be Mormon, and how their souls, unless they come back to the Catholic Church (where most have been baptized in), are doomed to the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his minions, for all eternity.

Prometheus_ash · Aug 17, 2004

Lifesaver said:
It must have been due to a grace from Our Lady who Appeared, patron saint of my country and whose shrine is on my state, to bless my city, to have made your mission unusuccesful.
However, it is sad to think of how many may have chosen to be Mormon, and how their souls, unless they come back to the Catholic Church (where most have been baptized in), are doomed to the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his minions, for all eternity.

Eternity is not so bad, if you are dressed for it.

JBucky · Aug 25, 2004

Lifesaver said:
It must have been due to a grace from Our Lady who Appeared, patron saint of my country and whose shrine is on my state, to bless my city, to have made your mission unsuccessful.
However, it is sad to think of how many may have chosen to be Mormon, and how their souls, unless they come back to the Catholic Church (where most have been baptized in), are doomed to the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his minions, for all eternity.

OUCH! That was pretty cold, mano. It's good that your english is correct enough to express your venom.

I never said my mission was unsuccessful, just that my weakness made me less successful than I could have been. It certainly had NOTHING to do with a statue of a very important(but still very dead)nossa senhora aparecida. I had the opportunity to help many people down there to come to know the Gospel, and many were baptized!

I'm also relieved to know that only one "aspect" of Mary opposed my mission, I certainly didn't want to irriatate Nossa Senhora das Bicicletas, Nossa Senhora das Cabecadas, or Nossa Senhora da Ignorancia. Good to know they wern't out to get me!

Nossa-the-Lame · Aug 25, 2004

Nossa's a word? and I thought I was being origional....Whats it mean? And is it portuguesse?

JBucky · Aug 26, 2004

Nossa-the-Lame said:
Nossa's a word? and I thought I was being origional....Whats it mean? And is it portuguesse?

Yeah, Nossa's Portuguese for "our"(similar to Nuestra or Nostra in other latin-based languages), implying a feminine verb. Nossa Senhora Aparecida translates literally into "Our Lady Appeared" with appeared being an adjective, not a noun. A more correct translation has been stated here, "Our lady who Appeared", which still isn't quite right. "Our appeared lady" may be closer. Nossa Senhora refers to Mary, or in this case, some mystical "aspect" of Mary that some people think we should pray to.

Your name made me think that you were Brazilian or Portuguese.

Nossa-the-Lame · Aug 26, 2004

JBucky said:
Yeah, Nossa's Portuguese for "our"(similar to Nuestra or Nostra in other latin-based languages), implying a feminine verb. Nossa Senhora Aparecida translates literally into "Our Lady Appeared" with appeared being an adjective, not a noun. A more correct translation has been stated here, "Our lady who Appeared", which still isn't quite right. "Our appeared lady" may be closer. Nossa Senhora refers to Mary, or in this case, some mystical "aspect" of Mary that some people think we should pray to.

Your name made me think that you were Brazilian or Portuguese.

Nope! I wish though But nah, I made up nossa for a character name! I took my name(Jason) and spelled it backwards(Nosaj) and replaced one letter at random with another(the J with an S) and put it somplace to make Nossa. I was like "I am so original..." and now look, waaa.....

Croesus · Aug 26, 2004

Lifesaver said:
It must have been due to a grace from Our Lady who Appeared, patron saint of my country and whose shrine is on my state, to bless my city, to have made your mission unsuccessful.
However, it is sad to think of how many may have chosen to be Mormon, and how their souls, unless they come back to the Catholic Church (where most have been baptized in), are doomed to the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his minions, for all eternity.

I am sorry, but I am laughing. This is off topic. Seeing as I am really cold right now, a firey lake doesn't sound too bad.

I'll tell you what. I am not praying for you to become mormon. I think your religion has the ability to make people good. Also, I was just talking about religion to my friend Axon in my signature. hmmm....

Anyway to answer the question:
yes it is requested that males serve, not required. If you don't serve, there are no official consequences, but it will affect your life.

One quote that I am thinking of "Jesus had a perfect church that had perfect member, then he let us (humans) join." Show me a church that has more than 1million memebers that is devoid of judgement, and that follows the basic teachings of Jesus. Sinners are in every church. Now that I have said this, yes some mormons are going to wonder why such a person didn't serve a mission. Even a person who can't pay for their mission (yes those missionaries are usually either funded by themselves or parents) then the local ward/parish will fund the mission.

In order to serve a mission you do have to be a good person, or lie to several people about things (which isn't a good idea). Then the apostles (how much do you know about mormons?) will decide were you go.

As for success on a mission, yes you work hard you are successful. I recommend missions to everyone, meaning any religion, or lack thereof. Go and talk to people in a calm and open way about your beliefs. You should be able to find out more about yourself.

:edit:

gaijin178 said:
I am really interested in learning if you are able to teach me.

Are you talking about portugues? It would be hard over the internet. Maybe he could tutor you. I wish I knew more about Budhism. I was a LDS Missioanry in France, and we found a budhist temple and visited. I really liked the people that lived there. One of the people there was a teenager, and he didn't speak french, so we offered to teach him (during english classes). I personally think that he was in the right religion for him. Where can I find some more information about buddhism? I've already read Sidhartha.

Fuzzy · Aug 26, 2004

Croesus said:
Seeing as I am really cold right now, a firey lake doesn't sound too bad.

I've heard this caused difficulty for missionaries in the arctic and sub-arctic regions...

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