Why do missionaries tract?

[Shaka]

My MTC teachers hammered it into our heads that tracting was a lousy way to find people. I arrived in the field to find I had companions that loved to tract. ne thought that the more we suffered the more God would bless us When I was made a senior comp a bagged the tracting and experienced a dramatic increase in success. Sure I would tract once in a while just for the experience but I found it was usually a big waste of time.

I spent a lot of time doing service. I did everything from helping out in orphanages to coaching a high school basketball team (it was South Africa and they sucked) for a time. I found that the service opportunities increased our profile and led to a better reputation in the community. In one community our service caught the attention of the local newspaper and they did a profile on my companion and I that including pictures. After the article people would stop us and want to talk.

[The Fourth Nephite]

I think you're joking but I'm afraid you may be serious. If the Spirit told you to tract then the Spirit gave you bad advice.

Where did you have these "tremendous results tracting"? Even if you personally baptized dozens of currently active members through your tracting efforts (which I doubt) that would be a statistical aberration.

The type of service that I think missionaries should do instead of tracting wouldn't be something each companionship would find on their own (which on my mission was usually sort of lame). It would ideally be organized at the Churchwide level and would be substantial and meaningful service.

No, I'm absolutely not joking and the Spirit doesn't give bad advice. Sometimes people mis-interpret the Spirit or don't do their part.

I served in Pennsylvania. I didn't baptize dozens of people tracting, I baptized 11 by tracting and several by other methods. That's not dozens, but for Pennsylvania it was a lot. Of the eleven:

1 is currently a Branch president.
2 (a couple) have served 2 missions and would serve a third if it wasn't for health problems.
2 (another couple) have passed away firm in the faith
2 more are very active
3 are inactive
1 I'm pretty sure is inactive, but not positive

I'm not saying it isn't a statistical abberation. It probably was, but I was successful in tracting because I had faith in it, I listened to the Spirit and when the Spirit told me to do something, I did it.

If I only had worked with the members (which there's nothing wrong with), I would have had a lot of free time during the daytime. Also, most of my areas were small branches and there weren't a ton of members anyways.

I believed 1 Nephi 3:7. The Lord didn't send me to Pennsylvania on a service mission, he sent me to proselyte. I believed him and he prepared a way for me to do it.

As for meaningful church service (both to church members and non-members), I have found no shortage of such opportunities since I returned from my mission.

[CardiacCoug]

I'm warming to the service idea. Think about an organized force of 50,000 volunteers; a service force that never leaves. I'm envisioning several 60 Minutes pieces and Larry King interviews coming out of it.

Right.

Who can argue that sending kids around to knock on doors (which generally just annoys people and wastes time) is better for the Church than having the missionaries participate in a more organized and robust service effort?

The vast majority of the meaningful teaching and baptizing opportunities would still be there without ever asking missionaries to go door-to-door.

[ERCougar]

I think you're joking but I'm afraid you may be serious. If the Spirit told you to tract then the Spirit gave you bad advice.

Where did you have these "tremendous results tracting"? Even if you personally baptized dozens of currently active members through your tracting efforts (which I doubt) that would be a statistical aberration.

The type of service that I think missionaries should do instead of tracting wouldn't be something each companionship would find on their own (which on my mission was usually sort of lame). It would ideally be organized at the Churchwide level and would be substantial and meaningful service.

We have a nurse who's leaving on a mission in a few months. She's going to South America to do medical work. How cool would it have been to apply to medical school with a 2-yr medical service mission under your belt? Instead, I was left to explain what kind of "service" was needed in France that I was uniquely qualified to provide...

[RobinFinderson]

I haven't followed the whole thread, but we used to tract as filler when we didn't know what else to do. I was more obedient than most, so I did a lot more tracting than most.

Though it wasn't tracting, I especially liked going to college/university campuses and talk to students. Out in the fresh air we could approach hot college girls in short shorts and offer to sing hymns. Sometimes they would let us sing, and then in two-part harmony we would try Nearer My God to Thee. Having spent some time at BYU where I witnessed many a lass go weak in the knees when serenaded by a comely RM, I was convinced this might convince some of these ladies to consider going Mormon. In retrospect I think we convinced most of them that we were gay. Life lesson: A lot of the stuff you learn at BYU doesn't work in the real world. But some of it does.

[Levin]

I'm warming to the service idea. Think about an organized force of 50,000 volunteers; a service force that never leaves. I'm envisioning several 60 Minutes pieces and Larry King interviews coming out of it.

[CardiacCoug]

Dudes, the field is white, ready to harvest. Didn'y any of you read D&C 4? I didn't go on a mission to serve (except as it related to proselyting). I had better things to do at age 19 than that. I went to share the Gospel. If all I wanted to do was serve, I could have stayed home and started college earlier and served up a storm.

Tracting is awesome. I admit that it's hard work and takes a fair amount of faith, but I had tremendous results tracting. I'm not knocking working with the members. You gotta follow the Spirit. The Spirit told me to tract my ass off so I did.

I think you're joking but I'm afraid you may be serious. If the Spirit told you to tract then the Spirit gave you bad advice.

Where did you have these "tremendous results tracting"? Even if you personally baptized dozens of currently active members through your tracting efforts (which I doubt) that would be a statistical aberration.

The type of service that I think missionaries should do instead of tracting wouldn't be something each companionship would find on their own (which on my mission was usually sort of lame). It would ideally be organized at the Churchwide level and would be substantial and meaningful service.

[The Fourth Nephite]

Dudes, the field is white, ready to harvest. Didn'y any of you read D&C 4? I didn't go on a mission to serve (except as it related to proselyting). I had better things to do at age 19 than that. I went to share the Gospel. If all I wanted to do was serve, I could have stayed home and started college earlier and served up a storm.

Tracting is awesome. I admit that it's hard work and takes a fair amount of faith, but I had tremendous results tracting. I'm not knocking working with the members. You gotta follow the Spirit. The Spirit told me to tract my ass off so I did.

[il Padrino Ute]

What a waste of two years. What this shows is that missions should be gotten rid of. By the way, I don't even believe the 1.2 true converts per missionary figure, given the source. This figure is patently subjective and a moving target. It's no doubt grossly inflated, given the source. It wouldn't suprise me if the LDS Church had less than 500,000 really active tithe paying mullah members.

Are you saying that you received absolutely zero benefit from the 2 years you spent as a missionary?

[The Fourth Nephite]

I only baptized one person in 2 years from tracting. It was in my 3rd month.

I am still married to her 12 years later.

No shit.

I believe in following through on fellowshipping.

Didn't they send you home when you married her?

[Shaka]

Anyone tracts at my house and they'll get the heel of a cold beer bottle across the brow.

While I agree with your opinions of tracting I think this statement is pretty over the top. What would you have done if the companion of your target had drug you out of your house and beat your ass to a pulp?

[wuapinmon]

Maybe if your wife was knocking back a cold one. Big talk tough guy.

http://cougarguard.com/forum/showpos...97&postcount=5

Pwned! Having been a missionary it's hard to believe SU would be such a dick about tracting. When someone knocks on my door, I am polite, courteous, and civil......all the things a good citizen, especially officers of the court, should be. Talking big about throwing beer bottles sounds like something a stupid 19-year-old kid would say he'd do so that his buddies might think he's cool.

[YOhio]

Anyone tracts at my house and they'll get the heel of a cold beer bottle across the brow.

Maybe if your wife was knocking back a cold one. Big talk tough guy.

http://cougarguard.com/forum/showpos...97&postcount=5

[RC Vikings]

Anyone tracts at my house and they'll get the heel of a cold beer bottle across the brow.

Come on Frazier, more likely you would just throw that glass of wine in their face.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Anyone tracts at my house and they'll get the heel of a cold beer bottle across the brow.

You know, you act like you are a real asshole sometimes, but I just don't believe it. No way you would do that.