I also hope you realize that comparing us to Mr. Jones’ sect doesn’t exactly engender goodwill between us. Please read our comment policy.

I’ve had many missionaries come to my home and have been very rude, and have taken many things that I have said out of context. I’m not going to lie. But I also realize that not every missionary is like this, and if someone is willing to share with me about their religion (the central part of one’s life) I am willing to listen to what they have to say.

I would also hope that I could express my opinion as well, but if I don’t, I would still gladly listen to all that they had to say. This may not be the fairest answer though because someone could spit in my face and I’d still open the door give them cookies and listen to them. Haha.

But seriously, If someone did claim to truly believe something and never asked if I wanted to learn about it, I would doubt that they really believed it. I may not agree with everything someone believes but it’s always nice to get the information straight from them rather than surfing the web trying to figure out what someone’s talking about when they say “Family Home Evening” or “General Conference.” Haha. Although I do think it’s important for missionaries to realize that there are people who want to learn more so they have accurate information while they may not have a desire to join the church. I think that’s legitimate, and sometimes missionaries disregard that and it makes people who were trying to do right and get information from the source feel really bad.

Malachi, where are you in your investigation of the Church right now? Just picking it up again? I’d love to hear more about your search.

Bus, you are so funny. How did you get it to work? The problem might be that your browser doesn’t have Javascript and/or cookies turned on. Call me if you have questions.

Having been a missionary myself, I can agree with you that a lot of times we get waaay to driven by goals and an unnecessary sense of urgency. You’re right about how we should go about it.

Interesting choice of name. Sadly I agree that too many if not most missionaries are very agenda-driven, much to the detriment of the church. Also, I will be the first to agree that the comments got off topic. Email me.

stephenstacey@gmail.com

I have privately investigated the church through the web and online missionaries at mormon.org. I have even visited the sites in Palmyra as I live rather close by, I have met missionaries out in public (and at the sites) but rarely have I had anyone come to my door and I am failry sure that I do not know any mormons.

I read the BoM and took the challenge, having been raised by a protestant pastor and having found the denomination of my youth unsatisfactory I was (and maybe still am) willing to give the LDS a shot. There were brief moments where I thought I was on to something with the BoM but they faded rather quickly. The missionaries I met were too agenda driven (i.e. get through the lessons and get a commitment for baptism) and that frankly was a huge turn-off.

I would much rather have someone I knew who was mormon talk to me personally about their faith, how it effects their life, I don’t want to feel like a customer at a used car lot with a pushy salesman trying to move the car that’s been sitting for a while on me…

So make it more personal, don’t invite me to meet the missionaries, tell me instead about you, let me meet your family, invite me to your Sunday service let me see mormonism in action….

I knew I’d be called out on my verbosity, so I apologized in advance for it. I don’t mean to try to create an argument based only on a wall of text.

Let me be quite clear for you.

You have no way of claiming the veracity of any claim or precept using spiritual witness. You have not shown that you have any way of claiming the veracity of any claim or precept using spiritual witness. So, as such, your logical exercise, while valid, cannot be taken as sound. As such, your conclusions about spreading the news of the restored gospel are not yet justified. Appropriate to your belief, you will still continue your approach to missionary work, but you will continue to be seen by others as arrogant and presumptive in your approach, and you will only hinder yourself in your efforts if you cannot understand *why* (it’s *because* of the nature of the belief, which is something you are not arguing at all).

You don’t need to post any more. If you are content with the results of your attempts to spread the gospel, then that’s really all that matters and nothing I say really matters. If you are content with the press that the church has, the light its missionary efforts are looked in, etc., then that’s really all that matters and nothing I say really matters. But if not, then all I’m offering is a different perspective, that if perhaps you could just consider it for a second, you could find something that can help improve and focus your approach. I am not your enemy, even if we disagree on many issues.