Raising the Bar

[Sullyute]

I got this from my son yesterday. He's not the most patient kid and my guess is most of his comps are ready to get rid of him also but it sounds like they could lower the bar a little so they could get more kids out that have a personality.

That is too bad for your son. Dealing with your companion is the hardest part of a mission. If he has gone a whole year without a decent companion that is rough.

My uncle absolutely hated his mission, because he was a large guy that could hold his own but very easy going so the mission president gave him all of the lazy indigent problem elders. Unfortunately, looking back I think that I was probably most of my comps problem companion.

[Pheidippides]

LOL! I wonder if we share the same mission (I think we might) and if that is the case then I know how you feel. We had one stud elder back a couple years and since then it's been horrible. It got so bad that no one would invite them over for dinner. The WML had to beg peoople to feed them.

Then they replaced them with sisters who were almost just as bad. We did just get lucky and have two pretty good sisters, but man it was at least a two year drought of bad to horrible missionaries.

I think all three of us are in the same mission. We've had a string of lackluster elders lately. Not bad, just not memorable at all. They don't even attend my gospel principles class anymore. Not sure why. Maybe that's a reflection on me, although the class' numbers have swelled with all sorts of random people.

[Moliere]

I think all three of us are in the same mission. We've had a string of lackluster elders lately. Not bad, just not memorable at all. They don't even attend my gospel principles class anymore. Not sure why. Maybe that's a reflection on me, although the class' numbers have swelled with all sorts of random people.

They are coming to hear the gospel of nikuman, it's a sign and a wonder!

[Pheidippides]

They are coming to hear the gospel of nikuman, it's a sign and a wonder!

Actually, my wife and I are both convinced that my own struggles have made me a more effective teacher. One of the things I've learned is that, regardless of one's level of faith, is that there simply is not consensus on a lot of stuff that has been passed down over time. Much of what I was told as a youth simply isn't true by any standard, or at least it isn't doctrine. I blame Mormon Doctrine. Shocking I know.

So I am very careful about what I teach. I research issues carefully, and make sure I can scripturally back up everything I assert as fact. For the rest - like when we get into things like Word of Wisdom and how it relates to caffeine and decaf coffee - I will present quotes from various general authorities on both sides of the issue to the extent they exist, intentionally draw out the conflicting views, and then make the points that we should do as best we can and not judge others in such matters. I also go out of my way to point out things like it's okay to believe in evolution just as it's okay not to, from a church standpoint.

The result is that older seasoned members learn historical stuff they didn't know (I don't introduce the thorny stuff - just background for the standard principles) and newer members get a sense of comfort as they try to deal with these new topics. I've been a member for 34 years and don't know what I believe most of the time; why should they beat each other up over their difficulties.

I only have two rules: I don't teach things that are detrimental to the church or heretical, and I don't teach things I don't believe. That does make for some conflict or some lessons I have a hard time teaching; I often will have subs do those lessons when I am gone. I also make a point of using new testament scriptures and particularly NIV translations for a number of reasons, some of which are not immediately apparent.

Occasionally somebody will ask me what I believe or think on a tough topic. Sometimes I'll share my views in the class (do I cook with alcohol? Yes!) and sometimes I'll say we should talk after class (what's my personal view on the Adam and Eve story? More symbolic myth than historical fact).

I've had all sorts of visitors, ranging from the bishopric to the stake president to the mission president, and they all seem to like it.

Sorry to blather on about it but this class is the high point of my Sundays. It's the one reason I really want to go to church every week.

[TheBYUGuy]

I think all three of us are in the same mission. We've had a string of lackluster elders lately. Not bad, just not memorable at all. They don't even attend my gospel principles class anymore. Not sure why. Maybe that's a reflection on me, although the class' numbers have swelled with all sorts of random people.

I think we share a lot of the same missionaries, and whether or not it's a Church-wide epidemic, I just don't think they send very good ones to this area. The family I home teach recently griped to me that the missionaries were showing up nearly every day at their house to just hang out and get out of the heat. Someone else with 5 kids told me that the missionaries called them to ask for a ride to HEB, which is about 1/2 mile from their pad.

Off topic, we currently have a Poly with the same name as a very prominent BYU/Utah football family (so he must be related, right?), but he is probably shorter than me and less than 200 lbs.

[happyone]

I think we share a lot of the same missionaries, and whether or not it's a Church-wide epidemic, I just don't think they send very good ones to this area. The family I home teach recently griped to me that the missionaries were showing up nearly every day at their house to just hang out and get out of the heat. Someone else with 5 kids told me that the missionaries called them to ask for a ride to HEB, which is about 1/2 mile from their pad.Off topic, we currently have a Poly with the same name as a very prominent BYU/Utah football family (so he must be related, right?), but he is probably shorter than me and less than 200 lbs.

We had this problem with missionaries in Germany 40 yrs ago, so I don't think is a new problem

[creekster]

We had this problem with missionaries in Germany 40 yrs ago, so I don't think is a new problem

IN fact, this problem has really diminshed the last few years in our ward. We mever have the missionaries hanging around. They show up for dinner, leave a short message and are gone. It is perfect.

[Pheidippides]

IN fact, this problem has really diminshed the last few years in our ward. We mever have the missionaries hanging around. They show up for dinner, leave a short message and are gone. It is perfect.

Ours will stay for too long when they come over. But so do the home teachers, when they come at any rate.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

I was out of town last weekend, and I thought I'd be home in time to teach by GD class. As it turns out, I misread my itinerary, so I was scrambling on Saturday night/Sunday morning to find a substitute.

I decided that I could ask the missionaries and that they could definitely teach a 35 min lesson on just about anything. Our missionaries are not very outgoing so I thought it would be a great chance to get them involved and let people get to know them. I left a vm, then texted them. They texted back, you want us to teach gospel doctrine?" I replied "yeah." 15 mins later my cell rings, and it's a member of the bishopric. The missionaries said they weren't "comfortable" teaching gospel doctrine and asked if the bishop could find a sub. At this point, I'd already emailed half the ward and the SS prez asking for help finding a replacement. 10 mins later I get a text "Called bishop...he'll find sub."

My response? "Pansies."

I realize the mishies aren't my substitute teachers, but is this just another example of the shy, backward, introverts that are supposedly setting the bar so high? It seems like this is the type of fellas we get in my ward (I don't think it's a "leadership" area, but could be wrong about that).

This is funny, Sunday I was installed as the assistant to the WML, along with some guy I've never met before as the WML. During Sunday school hour we met with the missionaries and asked where the GP class was held. They said there wasn't one because nobody was called to teach it. The new WML said "Can't you guys teach it?" One said "We don't feel comfortable doing that" to which I responded "You don't feel comfortable teaching? I guess we don't have a lot of investigators then."

Probably not the best introduction, luckily when I was driving the missionaries home from church I learned that one of them is going home tomorrow.

[Green Monstah]

This is funny, Sunday I was installed as the assistant to the WML, along with some guy I've never met before as the WML. During Sunday school hour we met with the missionaries and asked where the GP class was held. They said there wasn't one because nobody was called to teach it. The new WML said "Can't you guys teach it?" One said "We don't feel comfortable doing that" to which I responded "You don't feel comfortable teaching? I guess we don't have a lot of investigators then."

Probably not the best introduction, luckily when I was driving the missionaries home from church I learned that one of them is going home tomorrow.

That's because they're Eugene missionaries. Everyone knows that Portland missionaries have got mad teaching skillz, go home and marry a super hot wife and become sexual superstars.