I learned in church today

[Jeff Lebowski]

This is ridiculous.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I spoke to a couple of missionaries in long beach who just flash their elder tag for a free meal at a chain of El Pollo Locos. Freaked everyone out when one of them, a sandy haired freckled kid from Idaho started speaking in Cambodian to some work men.

My daughter served in Long Beach. There were several restaurants owned by members where missionaries could eat free. Including the Long Boards ice cream truck:

http://www.longboardsicecream.com/

[Eddie]

As a missionary, I can only think of maybe 4 times that we had dinner with members (or non-members for that matter) the entire time I was out.

Christmas one year, New Year's Eve that same year, my birthday one year, and a couple of days before I left to go home.

I honestly don't remember eating meals with members outside of those times.

[falafel]

As a missionary, I can only think of maybe 4 times that we had dinner with members (or non-members for that matter) the entire time I was out.

Christmas one year, New Year's Eve that same year, my birthday one year, and a couple of days before I left to go home.

I honestly don't remember eating meals with members outside of those times.

Yeah, but didn't you basically have a live-in cook to make all your meals? You can stop complaining.

[Jeff Lebowski]

As a missionary, I can only think of maybe 4 times that we had dinner with members (or non-members for that matter) the entire time I was out.

Christmas one year, New Year's Eve that same year, my birthday one year, and a couple of days before I left to go home.

I honestly don't remember eating meals with members outside of those times.

Just because your mission sucked doesn't mean that everyone's mission needs to suck!

[Moliere]

I learned in church today

This is ridiculous.

Sounds like it’s increasing baptisms

[smokymountainrain]

As a missionary, I can only think of maybe 4 times that we had dinner with members (or non-members for that matter) the entire time I was out.

Christmas one year, New Year's Eve that same year, my birthday one year, and a couple of days before I left to go home.

I honestly don't remember eating meals with members outside of those times.

yikes. in one area i was in, the same family fed us every night. in all but one area, we had members feed us every night. there was only one, very poor area, where we didn't get fed regularly.

[Eddie]

Yeah, but didn't you basically have a live-in cook to make all your meals? You can stop complaining.

A live in cook is nice. But the thing that is TOTALLY under-rated is the live in launderer. That's where it's really at.

In all actuality, I'm somewhat torn on the issue.

Providing meals for missionaries is pretty easy. I mean - the rules can make it somewhat of a hassle if it was regular (eating from 5-6pm, so you have to get home from work early, no single sisters, etc.). But it's a nice gesture, provides an easy way for people to serve if they're of a mind to, gets the missionaries in contact with members in the area to develop relationships, and possibly even saves them a little money in the long run.

But I can also see the alternative. For the missionaries, if they don't have any appointments later, it would be really easy to just hang out with the members all of the time. Killing time, with no where to be. I also recognize that after 6pm is probably the best prime-time for missionarying. I mean - that's when the most people are home for contacting, teaching, following up, etc. So you don't want them spending that prime-time with members in their homes when it's the best time to be working with potentials.

I tend to think that the pro's outweigh the con's. I recognize that certain missionaries might take advantage of this - like one companionship who liked to spend a lot of time at the member's home who had a pair of 17-19 year-old daughters. But that could become an issue whether they are having meals at member's homes or not.

It would be interesting to hear the reasoning behind the new rule, if it is a new rule.

[Eddie]

yikes. in one area i was in, the same family fed us every night. in all but one area, we had members feed us every night. there was only one, very poor area, where we didn't get fed regularly.

Well - that pretty much describes 90% of my mission.

To be honest - I'm not complaining about not being fed - though I can see how it might come across that way. I'm pretty sure we ate much better by paying for the meals. And I felt guilty enough when those poor members living in poverty themselves would send a kid to buy us a soda at the corner store. No way I wanted them spending their money on my meals.

[smokymountainrain]

Well - that pretty much describes 90% of my mission.

To be honest - I'm not complaining about not being fed - though I can see how it might come across that way. I'm pretty sure we ate much better by paying for the meals. And I felt guilty enough when those poor members living in poverty themselves would send a kid to buy us a soda at the corner store. No way I wanted them spending their money on my meals.

i mean, i was in south america, so when i say poor, it's relative to all my other areas that were a little less poor.

[Northwestcoug]

But I can also see the alternative. For the missionaries, if they don't have any appointments later, it would be really easy to just hang out with the members all of the time. Killing time, with no where to be. I also recognize that after 6pm is probably the best prime-time for missionarying. I mean - that's when the most people are home for contacting, teaching, following up, etc. So you don't want them spending that prime-time with members in their homes when it's the best time to be working with potentials.

Wait. So you're saying missionaries have appointments after dinner? Like, with real-life investigators? Who don't cancel their appointments? And the missionaries don't have to ride bikes around aimlessly, trying to figure out which member family they haven't visited for awhile so they can drop in on them?!?

[hostile]

We did plenty of tracting in London South, but had no quotas per se. Tracting was the least productive form of contacting, but still produced results. I met many interesting people, some of whom were baptized. I didn't hate tracting.

One of my favorite tracting stories is from my friend who was in London South. Something to do with a horny bulldog and my friend’s leg.

[grapevine]

The person that runs cumorah.com railed on missionary dinner appointments. Said it took missionaries away during prime proselyting time. You need to eat. We had no more than an hour rule. In most instances you cannot keep that rule to save your life. Dinner not ready, trapped at the home. Long winded members that. Will. Bullshit your ear off. I. Had plenty of that.

Or y can be an asshole and up and leave. First zone leader that way he went on to become ap. Bragged on some meeting of turning down desert at Stake Presidemt to keep that rule.

I hated asking members to pick us up as they were sacrificing to feed us. Grants we didn't ahve miles all the time. Some things not practical. Can,t have 5 da when husband not he until 6. Missionaries in our area do go to Eagles Neat sometimes, relative not active owns that bar and restaurant.

We had people that called for missionary meals. One embarrassing experience had calendar to pass around in relief society and caller. One calendar forgot so we got double booked. Had pagers and someone asked if we were coming. Had dinner on calendar I seen so at that house and couldn't say much. Caller asked were we were I told her. Can,t do that, sorry, couldn't. Say much there. Comp on trade offs she chewed him out. People we stood up didn't make big deal over it. Who felt worse we did.

She threatened to call president. We and ga touring that time. John Carmack. He seemed level headed. Go to 2002 devotional at Ricks he talked about a game he watched on a Sunday night. If Da,s Aren,t camping good things I think.

We used to arrive at dinner time and get fed. People didn't care, many didn,t. Told us umpteen times to show up of no da. Some of that.

We jaunt. Had stake conference and missionaries asked us to think of someone they anted at that meeting. Good one I think they are eager for converts and some may not come you think but people still join in doves, missionaries waant us to give them referrals.

Another missionary thing how many do baptisms for numbers and baptize people that later become casual because they want numbers. I. Am sure some of that does. Happen from time to time,

[myboynoah]

The missionary meals list came around PH on Sunday and I didn't sign up. I am truly inspired.

[Eddie]

Wait. So you're saying missionaries have appointments after dinner? Like, with real-life investigators? Who don't cancel their appointments? And the missionaries don't have to ride bikes around aimlessly, trying to figure out which member family they haven't visited for awhile so they can drop in on them?!?

You guys had bikes? I WISH we'd had bikes. We once walked 3.5 hours once for an FHE appointment on some farm in the sticks. Since it was Monday night, we ended up giving up a chunk of P-Day and started our bus ride to the end of the line and walk not long after lunch. They fired up the generator so that we could show a double feature of Jonny Lingo and The First Vision on an old 35mm film strip projector and accompanying tape player. Luckily, we were able to scam a ride back home.

Putting all of that aside - one of my areas was a combination of a relatively wealthy (for Guatemala) neighborhood and a huge poor one. We spend most of our time in the poor area, as that is where we would get referrals and have people to teach. That said - we decided that we wanted to also knock on every door in the wealthy area - and dedicated 1 day a week to that endeavor.

I'll never forget one magical night that was absolutely crazy for us. We knocked on exactly 5 doors. That's it. And as a result, gave 3 first discussions and had 2 shorter conversations with people who didn't have time to meet longer than that - giving them a Book of Mormon instead. That NEVER happened in the wealthy area. Never.

Of course - the families we taught all cancelled our future appointments when we showed up, and nothing ever came of it. But it was still a pretty great night to be a missionary.