Knock on the door from LDS missionary

[Ceeboo]

Hey ya’ll,

As one who finds Mormonism completely fascinating on several levels, I was wondering if any of the LDS posters here would be so kind to share their experiences/perspectives in regard to the mission knock at the door.

I live in Michigan and have never had said knock at the door.

Although I am sure this depends on several factors, would you try to paint a picture for me as to how this might typically go?

Thanks for the time.

Peace,
Ceeboo

 

[zerinus]

Hey ya’ll,

As one who finds Mormonism completely fascinating on several levels, I was wondering if any of the LDS posters here would be so kind to share their experiences/perspectives in regard to the mission knock at the door.

I live in Michigan and have never had said knock at the door.

Although I am sure this depends on several factors, would you try to paint a picture for me as to how this might typically go?

Thanks for the time.

Peace,
Ceeboo

There is an easy way to find that out for yourself. Ask them to come and knock on your door!

 

[Rascalking]

May I answer? Even though I’m not LDS?

I welcome them in with outstretched arms. I talk with them, (I know A BIT about their faith) and I view them as a brother in our Lord.

I live in NH, it’s happend only once, but they are among the nicest, sweetest, and most pleasent people I’ve ever met.

 

[dnu]

Make sure you ask them about Kolob.

 

[glenconnor]

Usually they just follow me on their bikes while I walk around. They are polite to a fault but very persistent.

 

[Ceeboo]

Thank you all for the responses (I appreciate it)

Honestly, not what I was looking for.

Perhaps I wasn’t very clear in the OP (Sorry). I know a lot about what my LDS friends believe and I would certainly open my home to these young men (Maybe even start the BBQ to fill their bellies).

Because I have never experienced it, I was hoping to get an idea of what happens from the time the door is opened and possibly what happens once they are welcomed in.

Thanks and peace,
Ceeboo

 

[zerinus]

Thank you all for the responses (I appreciate it)

Honestly, not what I was looking for.

Perhaps I wasn’t very clear in the OP (Sorry). I know a lot about what my LDS friends believe and I would certainly open my home to these young men (Maybe even start the BBQ to fill their bellies).

Because I have never experienced it, I was hoping to get an idea of what happens from the time the door is opened and possibly what happens once they are welcomed in.

Thanks and peace,
Ceeboo

When the door is opened, they introduce themselves as representatives of the LDS Church (their badge is prominently worn), and ask to come in and share a gospel message with you. If you let them in, they will share with you the message of the restoration. But as I said, there is nothing like experiencing it firsthand, and that means asking them to come and visit you. Then you will know for sure.

 

[Ceeboo]

When the door is opened, they introduce themselves as representatives of the LDS Church (their badge is prominently worn), and ask to come in and share a gospel message with you. If you let them in, they will share with you the message of the restoration. But as I said, there is nothing like experiencing it firsthand, and that means asking them to come and visit you. Then you will know for sure.

Hey Z,

Thanks for the reply!

If they came to my door, I would love to chat with these fine young men, but I would certainly not feel it appropriate to call and ask them to come as I am very familiar with the claims of Mormonism.

Any hoo, I am sure “how it goes” would depend a lot on who they are speaking with, yes?

Did you serve a mission? Any examples you would like to share with me/us?

Peace,
Ceeboo

 

[dianaiad]

Make sure you ask them about Kolob.

Oh, of course, please do that.

…be sure you insist that it’s a planet, that God lives there with multiple wives eternally pregnant, pushing out billions of little spirits who will eventually have their very own planets to be god over.

I mean, if you are going to make a fool out of yourself, you may as well go all the way…

Diana, who had more than one idiot greet me at the door with a question about Kolob.

…which is, by the way, a star, not a planet, and no, God does not live there.

Excuse me while I go to my mission scrap book and fondly remember some of my more unusual door greetings…

 

[kikkichan]

Ceeboo,

It might not be inappropriate at all. Just express your reason for a dialog before hand. I believe LDS missionaries use so-called talking points as guidelines to keep them on track with their message. But, I’ve found them to be very open to discussion. If you have a visitors center in your area, just drop in.

-kc

Hey Z,

Thanks for the reply!

If they came to my door, I would love to chat with these fine young men, but I would certainly not feel it appropriate to call and ask them to come as I am very familiar with the claims of Mormonism.

Any hoo, I am sure “how it goes” would depend a lot on who they are speaking with, yes?

Did you serve a mission? Any examples you would like to share with me/us?

Peace,
Ceeboo

 

[Zundrah]

Make sure you ask them about Kolob.

 

[Zundrah]

Oh, of course, please do that.

…be sure you insist that it’s a planet, that God lives there with multiple wives eternally pregnant, pushing out billions of little spirits who will eventually have their very own planets to be god over.

I mean, if you are going to make a fool out of yourself, you may as well go all the way…

Diana, who had more than one idiot greet me at the door with a question about Kolob.

…which is, by the way, a star, not a planet, and no, God does not live there.

Excuse me while I go to my mission scrap book and fondly remember some of my more unusual door greetings…

Dianiad,

Do you really record all of your visits?

 

[dianaiad]

Dianiad,

Do you really record all of your visits?

Lesse…18 months. On those days when I did not have actual teaching appointments, my companion and I would sometimes walk 20 miles a day…I knocked on a LOT of doors.

In Cardiff that was a pleasure. That city has rowhouses that have been around for a few hundred years, and their entry ways and doors have tile mosaics, each one different; unique. The city had an ordinance that ensured the continuity of those entry ways; the owners could gut the places…buy several of them and combine them into one home…pretty much do what they wanted, but they absolutely could NOT touch the mosaics. It was like an all day walk in an art museum, punctuated by chances to teach.

…sorry, got caught up in a very nice memory there. However, to answer your question?

no.

Just the ones that made an impression. Doors themselves (except for the Cardiff mosaics) didn’t generally do that.

 

[Ceeboo]

Lesse…18 months. On those days when I did not have actual teaching appointments, my companion and I would sometimes walk 20 miles a day…I knocked on a LOT of doors.

In Cardiff that was a pleasure. That city has rowhouses that have been around for a few hundred years, and their entry ways and doors have tile mosaics, each one different; unique. The city had an ordinance that ensured the continuity of those entry ways; the owners could gut the places…buy several of them and combine them into one home…pretty much do what they wanted, but they absolutely could NOT touch the mosaics. It was like an all day walk in an art museum, punctuated by chances to teach.

…sorry, got caught up in a very nice memory there. However, to answer your question?

no.

Just the ones that made an impression. Doors themselves (except for the Cardiff mosaics) didn’t generally do that.

Hello dianaiad,

Looks like you can help me (If you would like )

What was an encounter typically like (When you were let in)?

What was your success rate like? (Did you have any converts? How many let you in to give message)? Did/does it depend on what “beliefs” the person might already have?

Anything else you would like to share?

Thanks and peace,
Ceeboo

 

[zerinus]

Hey Z,

Thanks for the reply!

If they came to my door, I would love to chat with these fine young men, but I would certainly not feel it appropriate to call and ask them to come as I am very familiar with the claims of Mormonism.

That still shouldn’t deter you from talking to them. If you tell them from the start that you already know something about the Church, and probably not be interested in joining, but would like to hear their message anyway, they would be glad to visit with you and share their message. They get so many rejections that they will be glad to have someone listen to them for a change!

Any hoo, I am sure “how it goes” would depend a lot on who they are speaking with, yes?

I wouldn’t say so. Perhaps “how it goes” would be a combination of what personality type they are and how their message is received.

Did you serve a mission? Any examples you would like to share with me/us?

I joined the Church as an adult, and was beyond the age of missionary service; but there are plenty of returned missionaries around who can share their experienced with you.

 

[Ceeboo]

Thanks again Z,

Your warm efforts to share with me and the time taken is most certainly appreciated.

Peace,
Ceeboo

 

[AtticusFinch]

Oh, of course, please do that.

…be sure you insist that it’s a planet, that God lives there with multiple wives eternally pregnant, pushing out billions of little spirits who will eventually have their very own planets to be god over.

I mean, if you are going to make a fool out of yourself, you may as well go all the way…

Diana, who had more than one idiot greet me at the door with a question about Kolob.

…which is, by the way, a star, not a planet, and no, God does not live there.

Well, then you disagree with several LDS Apsotles…
20. B. Young (1851) (describing Kolob as “the planet nearest unto the habitation of the Eternal Father”); Young (1853, p. 652) (“Why cannot we behold the inhabitants of Kolob or the inhabitants of any of those distant planets?”).
21.John Taylor (1857, p. 1001-02) (“Thou longed, thou sighed and thou prayed to thy Father in heaven for the time to arrive when thou couldst come to this earth, which had fled and fallen from where it was first organized, near the planet Kolob.”).
22.Orson Pratt (1866, p. 561) (referring to “a certain world, called Kolob, whose diurnal rotation on its axis equals one thousand of our years”); Pratt (1873, p. 317) (referring to “a certain great world, called Kolob, placed near one of the celestial kingdoms, whose diurnal rotation takes place once in a thousand of our years”).
23.Orson Whitney (1907, p. 48) (“But there is a great planet called Kolob, nearest to the throne of God.”); Whitney (1920, p. 83) (“Joseph Smith taught that there is a great planet named Kolob, nearest the Celestial Throne, and that it revolves once in a thousand years.”); Whitney (1930, p. 392) (referring to Kolob as “a mighty governing planet nearest the Celestial Throne, a planet revolving once in a thousand years”).

Even one of your hymns talks about going to Kolob: If You Could Hie to Kolob"[46] is a Latter-day Saint hymn that was written by W. W. Phelps, a prominent early Mormon. The music is taken from a well-known folk tune known as “Dives and Lazarus”. It is hymn number 284 in the hymnal for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The hymn reflects doctrines unique to Mormonism, such as the eternal nature of spirit (including man’s spirit) and matter. It also conveys doctrines elaborated by Joseph Smith, Jr., the first Latter-day Saint prophet, about the plurality of gods and eternal progression. The word hie means To go quickly; hasten, which may be a conscious reference to the Hebrew “קַל” (Kol), meaning swift, fleet or light. (c.f. Isa. 5:26)

Are you right and the Apostles I mentioned wrong?

Excuse me while I go to my mission scrap book and fondly remember some of my more unusual door greetings…

I, too, have very find memories of meeting invrestigators on my mission

 

[dianaiad]

Hello dianaiad,

Looks like you can help me (If you would like )

What was an encounter typically like (When you were let in)?

There was no real ‘typical’ encounter. They differed according to the people involved. We would ask if they’d like to more about what we believed, and if they did, or had questions, we would have a brief discussion and set up lessons. Sometimes we were treated with great courtesy. Sometimes we were not. Sometimes we were treated to squash and buiscuits (that’s punch and cookies to the folks in the USA). Sometimes we had rocks thrown at us. We never knew what would greet us when the door was answered.

What was your success rate like? (Did you have any converts? How many let you in to give message)? Did/does it depend on what “beliefs” the person might already have?

I taught several people through to baptism that other missionaries found for me. I found people that other missionaries taught through to baptism. I never found, taught or saw through to baptism a single person. My 'success rate" was not numerically high,but those I taught are still very strong in the church. So are their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. I did mention that my mission was a long time ago, didn’t I?

I still keep in contact with two or three families.

Anything else you would like to share?

Thanks and peace,
Ceeboo

Mission experiences are life changing…I think that even those missionaries who later leave the church can say that. I have memories of some very intense encounters; some really strange ones, cruel ones, abusive ones…and funny, blessed, spiritual and life affirming experiences, too… I remember the purely intellectual exchanges with the atheists who were simply curious, the evanglicals who met me at the door with piles of pamphlets…and the Catholic octogenarian who met me at the door with a crucifix and holy water, who threw the water in my face and told me (or the evil spirit in me, I was never quite sure which…) to begone.

She instantly apologized to us…she hadn’t seen the little black name tag that identified us as MORMON missionaries. She thought we were the Baptists who had been bugging her every other day for three months.

SHE invited us in, fed us lunch and we had a lovely time.

…and no, she didn’t become a Mormon (at least not while I was there), but she did love to have the missionaries stop by. We made sure she got to the doctor, got her prescriptions and had company on holidays.

She IS one of my favorite memories.

Diana

 

[Ceeboo]

There was no real ‘typical’ encounter. They differed according to the people involved. We would ask if they’d like to more about what we believed, and if they did, or had questions, we would have a brief discussion and set up lessons. Sometimes we were treated with great courtesy. Sometimes we were not. Sometimes we were treated to squash and buiscuits (that’s punch and cookies to the folks in the USA). Sometimes we had rocks thrown at us. We never knew what would greet us when the door was answered.

I taught several people through to baptism that other missionaries found for me. I found people that other missionaries taught through to baptism. I never found, taught or saw through to baptism a single person. My 'success rate" was not numerically high,but those I taught are still very strong in the church. So are their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. I did mention that my mission was a long time ago, didn’t I?

I still keep in contact with two or three families.

Mission experiences are life changing…I think that even those missionaries who later leave the church can say that. I have memories of some very intense encounters; some really strange ones, cruel ones, abusive ones…and funny, blessed, spiritual and life affirming experiences, too… I remember the purely intellectual exchanges with the atheists who were simply curious, the evanglicals who met me at the door with piles of pamphlets…and the Catholic octogenarian who met me at the door with a crucifix and holy water, who threw the water in my face and told me (or the evil spirit in me, I was never quite sure which…) to begone.

She instantly apologized to us…she hadn’t seen the little black name tag that identified us as MORMON missionaries. She thought we were the Baptists who had been bugging her every other day for three months.

SHE invited us in, fed us lunch and we had a lovely time.

…and no, she didn’t become a Mormon (at least not while I was there), but she did love to have the missionaries stop by. We made sure she got to the doctor, got her prescriptions and had company on holidays.

She IS one of my favorite memories.

Diana

Hey dianaiad,

Thanks a bunch for sharing that!

I would imagine that the experience is most memorable indeed.

Thanks again

Peace,
Ceeboo

 

[AtticusFinch]

Hey dianaiad,

Thanks a bunch for sharing that!

I would imagine that the experience is most memorable indeed.

Thanks again

Peace,
Ceeboo

Ceebo,

As a missionary, I was blessed with many wonderful experiences. True, not all was easy. I served in Honduras 1984-1986. I lived in places with no electricity and did not always have water. One place I lived, we had to put a sock over the showerhead to filter out the dirt when we showered. It was very primitive. But I learned to love the country and still do.

The people were extremely humble. They were seldom, if ever rude. We were invited in almost all the time. I was blessed (at least from an LDS perspective) to baptize someone on almost every weekend of my mission. My total baptisms was over 140 in the 16 months I was there (back then, missions were 18 months).

I had several Spirititual Experiences on my mission, including giving a healing blessing to two kids dying of Malaria, and the kids were completely well 24 hours later. There were many, many wonderful experiences on my mission. I read my mission journal frequently. There was nothing quite like the feeling of serving the Lord full-time.

I left the LDS Church after law school. A horrible experience occurred that included some Mormons trying to kidnap my kids because I was no longer a fit father. They were not representative of the true Mormons, but it was a final straw for me.

Later, in the Army, I was sent BACK to Honduras for a year and was able to find many of the people I baptized and apologize for teaching them. I felt God had let me go back mainly for that reason.

Anyway, the mission experience was simply amazing.