The Return of "Repent and Go" on a Mission

[_RockSlider]

I was talking to a very good friend of mines (devoted TBM) son the other day (both of us sitting on a bar stool), and he said the missionaries can now have TV's.

Anyone else heard this?

[_ajax18]

I attended this priesthood session, and if it was his intent to be more inclusive, it sure didn't come off that way. After saying, "This is a life-and-death contest we are in, young men, so I am going to get in your face a little, nose to nose, with just enough fire in my voice to singe your eyebrows a little." I think this approach will only serve to drive more young people away. Most people these days are looking for a more casual relationship with their churches, not to be reprimanded and chastised by them.

Some of my fellow athletes claimed they liked it when the coach got in their face or roughed them up. I personally think it had less to do with motivating the players and more to do with the coach enjoying being able to treat people that way. Holland, and his big mean frowns, are reminiscent of Lavell Edwards.

[_bcspace]

Most people these days are looking for a more casual relationship with their churches, not to be reprimanded and chastised by them.

Those are not the kinds of members we seek. However, my opinion is that raising the bar is a mistake. Sure you get more missionaries who are terrible, and terrible converts as well, but by the same token you allow the really good ones to excel. "I repented and you can too" is a very powerful mesage. So is a little bit of creativity and life which I think "raising the bar" stifles. I still can't help but think "robot" when I meet missionaries today.

I could be a little bit biased. The Church experienced some of it's best growth when I served and my experience could be considered one of the most successful in an English speaking mission even though I clamped down hard on the type of convert we baptized (and made many other missionaries and stake and ward leaders angry as a consequence). I just wouldn't allow baptism unless they were regularly attending Church and paying tithing. I was the ZL so there was very little they could do about it and the mission prez wouldn't release me.

And yet, I was in a top baptizing companionship in the top baptizing English speaking zone for all the last year of my mission. I had this nasty habit of surprise visiting lazy missionaries still in bed and playing nintendo at noon on weekdays. We never reported them to the prez, we simply encouraged and exhorted them to get back to work and followed up on it. See? We raised the bar ourselves.

As for the OP, I don't see any evidence of the bar being lowered in the comparison of those two talks.

[_ajax18]

Those are not the kinds of members we seek.

You truly must have been one in a million in the world of Mormon missionaries. One in 10 million if you consider those missionaries who still baptized and rose to the ranks of zone leader.

[_bcspace]

You truly must have been one in a million in the world of Mormon missionaries. One in 10 million if you consider those missionaries who still baptized and rose to the ranks of zone leader.

Success breeds success. That is what raising the bar seeks to be, but isn't. It's more like socialism were everyone is chopped down to size and can't grow based on their unique individual skills and talents.

[_harmony]

Those are not the kinds of members we seek.

My good gosh O'Friday. Are you serious????

We seek ALL to come to know Christ.

Let us all thank God that bcspace isn't in my ward/stake/country/planet.

[_bcspace]

Those are not the kinds of members we seek.

My good gosh bcspace. Are you serious????

Quite.

We seek ALL to come to know Christ.

Which can't be done with a casual relationship with his Church. Event the Bible says this (Ephesian 4:11-14).

[_hatersinmyward]

As for the OP, I don't see any evidence of the bar being lowered in the comparison of those two talks.

Jeffery R. Holland-October 2011 General Conference

No missionary can be unrepentant of sexual transgression or profane language or pornographic indulgence and then expect to challenge others to repent of those very things! You can’t do that... I am asking you young men to be active and be clean. If required, I am asking you to get active and get clean.

Holland also hinted that society's standards are falling so the LDS Church must follow suit; Which I didn't include in my excerpt.

Lowering the standards to get more kids out on missions seems to be the undertone. You'll need to read the entire talk bcspace.

M. Russell Ballard-November 2002 General Conference

Please understand this: the bar that is the standard for missionary service is being raised. The day of the “repent and go” missionary is over. You know what I’m talking about, don’t you, my young brothers? Some young men have the mistaken idea that they can be involved in sinful behavior and then repent when they’re 18 1/2 so they can go on their mission at 19.

[_Brackite]

The LDS Church has one of the worst Missionary Programs among any of the Religions out there.

viewtopic.php?p=355685#p355685

[_Mercury]

Oh please. If you are from a rich and well connected family it does not matter what you did before or on your mission.