AFK December 2007 to December 2009
polycounter
Well, folks. I'll be leaving on a mission to Tulsa Oklahoma from December 12th 2007, to To December something 2009. I'm not doing this because I'm expected to, or because my Dad wants me to. I'm doing this because I want to. I want to change people, I want to touch their lives and give them an opportunity to hear the gospel. I want to change the world. And that's what I'll be doing while I'm away. I'll be around for a few more days, but I'll see you all around Christmas 2009. Take care guys.
Replies
I vote you continue to touch our lives with more dinosaur people and ferret people and people people art.
Hopefully you'll fare better than the missionaries I've been friends with. Both have told me horror stories about getting all sorts of threats, guns pulled on them, etc. And the missionaries that have come to my door have always been dicks who try to try to invite themselves and block me from closing the door while insisting they know what is right.
Something I never understood about missions is that they feel the need to spread their own religion while they do it, isn't it enough just to help people and bring them aid or education or whatever? *shrug*
isn't it enough just to help people and bring them aid or education or whatever?
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What's wrong with a missionary educating people about his faith?
Anyway, hope it goes well and you keep safe, man. Seconding ebagg, I've heard awful stories. All of the missionaries i've known/known of were happy they did it, though. Also, what he said about a laptop and art.
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isn't it enough just to help people and bring them aid or education or whatever?
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What's wrong with a missionary educating people about his faith?
Anyway, hope it goes well and you keep safe, man. Seconding ebagg, I've heard awful stories. All of the missionaries i've known/known of were happy they did it, though. Also, what he said about a laptop and art.
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Or more to the point whats wrong about a missionairy NOT spreading his mind filth, I mean faith.
Good luck with it but I detest ALL forms of religion spreading.
Or more to the point whats wrong about a missionairy NOT spreading his mind filth, I mean faith.
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well, they would be a pretty horrible missionary if they didn't spread their faith -- that's kinda the mission in question.
http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=missionary
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isn't it enough just to help people and bring them aid or education or whatever?
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What's wrong with a missionary educating people about his faith?
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What's wrong with it is that it often turns into trying to force people into a faith, not educating them about it. Educating would involve teaching about the faith, not teaching the faith. A subtle difference in wording but a significant one in practice.
I personally agree with Thom, I find these missions to be incredibly disrespectful.
That said, if ya feel you've gotta do it then go for it and good luck.
Also... Oklahoma? They have computers there don't they?
I too agree on the 'keep in touch' bit. Maybe a blog or journal of some kind would be a unique approach, and you could have the people whose lives you've become involved with post up on it (maybe hand out single-used login's or something).
Im expecting crazy improvements once you get back.
A friend of mine went on a mission where he couldn't call friends, family, listen to music, read non-religious books, read the news, watch TV, and his mail was illegally censored. If he did anything, his companion or someone from the church or his host family had to accompany him and/or approve of the outting.
This is brainwashing 101. Isolation from people outside of the group. Deprevation of normal stimuli, etc. Needless to say when my friend got back from the mission, he was not the same person, and I don't mean this in a good way. His eyes were glazed over in that fanatical glory-of-the-lord kind of way, he was very judgemental, and very sales-ey about his religion. It took about 5 years before he got to be anything like the guy who I'd grown up with.
Just be cautious about this kind of personality erasure and B.S.
my experience wit missionaries in india, morocco, and even in canada has left me with a horrible image of harrassers, stalkers, and high-nosed jack-wipes.
not saying that ur all like that! but just my experiences with them.
but anyways.... enjoy urself! be sure not to force religion on ppl! dont stalk or harrass either!
and do keep uploading ur art!
im sure they've got computers in Tulsa?
Good luck and ignore the naysayers, Makkon - hope you have a great experience!
Cmon dude, buy a laptop, keep at your art, and give us updates on your adventures.
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Definitely.
rooster: I think missionaries are allotted a blog, so I can at least let everyone know what's going on while I'm on the field. I'll have to look into that.
Xenobond: It took a lot of thinking for me to come to that conclusion. I looked at what would be happening in the next part of my life, and realized that there is no better place to be than on a mission serving God and helping people. Thanks for your support.
ebagg: I can still sketch while I'm away. My uncle tells me he was able to draw a lot while he was on his mission. Just imagine a 2 year art dump.
I've heard some horror stories too. I got a letter from my friend in a Spanish speaking California mission that he got shot at. He would have been shot in the head if he didn't duck.
Vitor: Thanks man, and happy birthday!!!
MoP: Hey, thanks MoP. I really to hope to make a difference.
As for spreading religion, it's really the initial purpose of my mission. Rather, of all things, we just want people to be happy, and we believe that we have an effective way. It's not a big deal if no one converts, just as long as we can help them and make them happy.
SupRore: Thanks
thnom: I understand where you're coming from. All throughout history, there have been disputes, wars, death, and slavery over religious beliefs and spreading them. But I can attest to you that force in any form is wrong, especially when it comes to religion. We intend to give people the opportunity to hear the gospel should they choose to hear it, and if they don't, we won't bother them any more. We don't harass, stalk, or force people into converting. I don't know about other churches or religions, but we are civil and respectful of other people and their rights and beliefs.
SupRore: Well, not necessarily. I've met several people who didn't convert a soul on their entire mission, but they helped and served people, brought them food and electricity etc. A mission isn't all about conversion, numbers are unimportant. We just want people to be happy.
Tulkamir: Look, I know where you're coming from, and I can understand how you feel, but if this mission were disrespectful in any way, I would never even consider doing it. We Do Not Force. We give people the opportunity. We serve them, and we help them. We do not impede on their religious rights and beliefs, and we do not force our beliefs on them. Other churches might have that method, but the Mormon church does not. I apologize for any misunderstandings.
KeyserSoze: True, not the right place for it. But it still brings up some issues that I don't mind discussing.
flaagan: Thank you for your support and advice. I think I may be alloted a blog, but I think only I can post on it. It'd be cool to have converts or people I've helped post, but that might come off as advertising. Anyway, I need to look into it.
aesir: Hey, thanks man. I'll definitely have a sketchbook with me. My friend Becky tells me she's had opportunities to dray some portraits of the families she was teaching, and a few converts as well. I'm looking forward to that, I know my portraits need work.
Ryno: Thanks for the advice. I think that if people take that sort of isolation so hard, they shouldn't be going on a mission. I don't see it as brainwashing. They have those mission rules for a reason. It's always wrong to be judgmental, and I think your friend may have had some impressionable mental instabilities if that's how he turned out when he got back. Most of the return missionaries I know are wonderful, kind, insightful, intelligent, and open minded people. There are some who come back as jerks, but that's just how it is. Missions don't brainwash people, people just turn out how they are by their choices and thoughts. Your environment only has so much effect on you.
indian_boy: Haha, if my companion starts proselyting like that, I'll be giving the mission president a call and have the jerk transfered. It's never right to be forceful. That's contrary to the message we're trying to convey. People have religious freedom and rights, and for us to be forceful and dogmatic about it would be against our very religious beliefs. But even missionaries are people, and sometimes those people are idiots or jerks. I'm sorry for your bad experiences, Perhaps if you run into another, maybe you could give him some advice on his approach? Sometimes people aren't even aware of what they're doing.
Josh_Singh: Thank you so much for your PM and advice. I really really appreciate it.
vermilion: Thank you! I really appreciate your advice. I suppose I'll run into a lot of that sort of resistance out there, so I guess it is wise to disregard the naysaying.
WhiteEagle: Thank you
Spark
can i say "give em hell"? too cynical?
ok
post ur blog thing once its on eh?
stay in touch
(and I second the motion for you to get a laptop and continue to post)
a non-flaming / hate-filled response... cool
j/k
guess ur one of the better ones lol!
but yea... dont forget: i did wish u my best too!!
good luck man! enjoi.
GL.HF.DD as my friends put it... and i emphasise on the DD....
cheers
I think it's admirable to give 2 years of your youth to something you believe in. All the Judeo-Christian religions urge people to not yolk with unbelievers. I seriously disagree with this idea, but the LDS chruch gives its missionaries a wonderful opportunity to do the exact opposite. It's the opportunity of a lifetime. The LDS faith really knows what theyre doing in this regard.
Why?
Because all you will be doing is pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. Ever had a traumatic incident that changed your frame of mind for hours or even days afterward? Moments like that broaden your perspective and allow you to look at your life as a by-stander. These are the most valuable moments of my life because they allow me to make impartial decisions, appreciate what I have, and become sensitive to matters that are obscured by the pattern of every-day life. These are the moments when great ideas are born.
People may not realize this, but its one of the underlying reasons we enjoy vacations so much. Im not suggesting that your mission will be a vacation but it will provide you with the constant renewal that pushes you out of your pattern.
This is gift, dont let it pass you by!
The church will teach you ways to center yourself everyday so that you do not become overwhelmed by the environment which surrounds you. I would urge you to take that very seriously, but for an entirely different reason. Do not become complacent with the environment around you. Try and approach each day as your first and when you feel that inspirational push outside of your usual state-of-mind/being then break out that sketchbook or that notepad and capture the moment.
A journal, a sketchpad, a camera these are great tools for your upcoming journey. Its your opportunity to wield this frame-of-mind like a paintbrush.
You are a luck guy, I wouldnt trade the next 2 years for anything else in the world if I were you.
Drop me a line every-so-often and tell me about all these great insights youll have!
-R