The manipulation pattern

[Pheidippides]

It's stories like this that make me feel better (or not as badly) about my unremarkable, unproductive, occasionally disobedient mission.

Yeah. I was a stupid 19 year old but I wasn't a stupid immoral lying 19 year old.

[Eddie]

It's stories like this that make me feel better (or not as badly) about my unremarkable, unproductive, occasionally disobedient mission.

Maybe this belongs in the "mission memmories" thread, but just seems to fit here.

I remember getting called in for an early morning meeting at the MP's house one day. We had to be there by 6:30am and lived an hour away - so it was EARLY for us.

Apparently there had been a missionary party at one of the church buildings a night or two before with a bunch of elders from various districts/zones nearby. Nothing way crazy or that would've been out of place if they hadn't been missionaries - just playing some games, eating cake/ice cream/candy. Stuff like that.

The MP had heard that my Comp and I were there. As I looked around the room at who else was in the meeting I noticed that from the 6 companionships present I had been companions with at least one of the elders in each at some time previous.

They all vouched for me that I hadn't been at the party.

I wasn't sure if I should be more gratefull I hadn't been there, or more offended that all of my buddies were there and they hadn't thought to invite me.

[Paperback Writer]

On my mission, I had the expereince of serving in the same areas where another missionary (under a different MP) set the mission baptismal record 1-2 years prior. The great majority of these converts were not active and a lot of our time was spent on working with these new converts and their congregations on a path to active participation in the church. Had some success and many started attending church regulary for the first time. Also, many of our teaching opportunities came from friends and family of these new converts. On my exit interview with my MP before going home, I mentioned the coincidence of serving in the same areas as the missionary who set the baptismal record and was told it was no coincidence - it was by design.

About a year after my mission, I actually met the RM who set the baptismal record back in my home ward (he was from Utah and I was from the midwest) - he was now engaged to a former girlfriend of mine. And in my mind this was no coincidence as this meeting took place in the midwest not Utah were this RM was from and where there's a much higher chance of meeting other RMs from one's mission. Anyway, he wanted to share mission stories and was surprised to learn we worked with many of the same people. I didn't tell him my MP had called me to serve in the same areas as he served under the previous MP. But I did ask why he thought so many of the converts he baptized were never really active and were back meeting with the Elders a year or so after their baptisms. That's when I got a better understanding of the high pressure tactics that were in use under the previous MP and this RM seemed to be a master at it. I would surmise the difference as he saw the objective "to baptize" while I saw the objective "to convert".

I was glad that I had the opportunity to meet this RM as I had formed a poor opinion of him and viewed much of my mission as "cleaning up his mess". I realized that we were both part of the Lord's work, plan, whatever. During our long talk, I decided that he was a good missionary and a really good guy and was just following the program/instructions as he knew it. I was doing the same under a different MP and different program. We both loved the people we worked with and the people of our mission.

[The_Tick]

Manipulation is implicit in all human interactions. And your righteous indignation hasn't skipped a beat. Bien fait.

Neither has your casting of judgement. I will admit that I am judging you, but at least I am being upfront about it.

[Paperback Writer]

I wasn't sure if I should be more gratefull I hadn't been there, or more offended that all of my buddies were there and they hadn't thought to invite me.

I bet if you dug a little deeper, we would have a common experience. I found that at times when there were organized splits with other companionships there was one set of Elders who went and did "the work" while the other set went and "had a little fun". I was always in the former...and still bothered by it to this day.

[Rosebud]

good grief. You and rosebud.

Egads. Stop being such a prick Babs. Time to grow up.

[shoganai]

Unfortunately I didn't get to Japan until long after the "Ammon Project" days (although my second mission president was serving around that time and confirmed most of the crazy stories we heard).

One thing I never did (and still never have) completely come to terms with is the idea that someone else will make a choice based mainly on my faith and/or obedience. I think my cynicism comes from sitting through so many district and zone conferences where the message I heard was, "There are lots of people out there that God will lead to get baptized if only we as missionaries are obedient and hard working enough."

Having to grapple with the idea that someone else's salvation and happiness are contingent on my actions, and that God would so frequently deny them to a prepared, sincere seeker of truth, constitutes many of the truly bad memories I have from my mission.

[DU Ute]

Egads. Stop being such a prick Babs. Time to grow up.

[TripletDaddy]

Egads. Stop being such a prick Babs. Time to grow up.

Thank you for saying what we were all thinking.

[tooblue]

lol. While UDan's sanctimony is indeed epic, I'm pretty sure he's just playing around here.

Whoa there, I was adding to the conversation and applauding Dan for the timeliness of the sanctimony; bien fait = well done!

[Pheidippides]

Egads. Stop being such a prick Babs. Time to grow up.

I'm going to ignore the myriad silliness in this post and simple point out that, in the future, you may want to use gender-appropriate epithets. Some of us with actual penises would appreciate it as a matter of good form. TIA.

[tooblue]

No need to make jokes about my weight.

lol ... I hate beets.

[tooblue]

Neither has your casting of judgement. I will admit that I am judging you, but at least I am being upfront about it.

I'm not judging anyone, I was having fun. Sorry if I offended.

[Indy Coug]

Egads. Stop being such a prick Babs. Time to grow up.

[Babs]

I have a little secret.