6 Ways To Up Your Member Missionary Game

Before I became a missionary I had a skewed perception of what the job entailed.  I thought the weight of conversion rested upon the shoulders of the young servants of The Lord and that as a member of the church my responsibility was to just be a good example of the believers.  As I began to study Preach My Gospel and trained to become a missionary, I learned that members of the church are vital for successful missionary endeavors. The work is being hastened. The Lord is upping the speed of the treadmill whether you're in shape or not; are you going to pick up the pace and help Him or are you going to fly off and run into a wall? While you ponder that and inevitably conjure up a hilarious mental image, enjoy one of my favorite quotes about missionary work from Elder Bednar, "We properly pray for the safety and success of the full-time missionaries throughout the world. And a common element in many of our prayers is a request that the missionaries will be led to individuals and families who are prepared to receive the message of the Restoration. But ultimately it is my responsibility and your responsibility to find people for the missionaries to teach. Missionaries are full-time teachers; you and I are full-time finders. And you and I as lifelong missionaries should not be praying for the full-time missionaries to do our work!" Wow! Missionaries are full time teachers, not full time door knockers and street roamers? Yes. Yes. Yes. An apostle of The Lord has made it clear that members are the cornerstone of successful missionary work. Now that that has been put out there, I want to outline six ways that I believe everyone can become better member missionaries.

6. Don't Leave Church out of Your Weekend Water Cooler Conversations

"Hey Bob, what did you do over the weekend?"-Jim the Catholic

"Oh ya know. Family stuff. The lawn. Manly things. Painting dressers for the wife. Eating Steak. Hunting deer. What about you?"-Bob the shy Mormon

"The same. Except I'm more of a pheasant guy."-Jim the Catholic

"Cool."-Bob the shy Mormon

That was awful. Bob spent three hours of his weekend attending church services and didn't mention it! Not to mention the fact that Bob probably also went to the temple, cleaned the church, helped with a youth activity, served at the Bishop's Storehouse, had the missionaries over for dinner, or did something else on Friday or Saturday that involved his faith.  How can we open ourselves up for missionary opportunities if we won't even pluck the low hanging fruit? I know that I used to always omit church from my weekend synopsis and it was such a foolish habit I had.  Repentance is real though, and Bob rectified his actions the next time Jim asked about his weekend.

"Hey Bob, what did you do over the weekend?"-Jim the Catholic

"I went to my in-laws' cabin on Friday and Saturday, but we came back Sunday morning so we could make it to church."-Bob the ENTHUSIASTIC Mormon

"I didn't know you were a church goer, Bob. Which church do you attend?"-Jim the Catholic

"I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon Church. We meet on Celestial Boulevard and Truth Street. Do you go to church, Jim?"-Bob the BRAVE Mormon

"I hit up mass when it is convenient, but I have been thinking about maybe going to church more often now that my wife is pregnant."-Jim the Catholic

"If you ever want to try something new, we would love to have your family in our congregation. You can even come over for lunch after church. My wife can cook some of the deer I slayed last weekend."-Bob the FISHER OF MEN (and slayer of deer) Mormon

Conversations like this can happen all of the time if we allow them to take place. As members of the church we are always doing something that can be traced back to our faith; Mormonism isn't a religion, it's a lifestyle. Talk about family home evening, mutual, scripture study, and ward activities. Normal people in other religions spend time with their families, send their kids to youth groups, glance at the Bible, and have congregational activities. We aren't that weird, so stop letting that get in your way.

5. Use Social Media to Your Advantage  

If you have a Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or another social media application on your computer or phone you should use it to express who you are; a son or daughter of Heavenly Father. Simple posts can plant a seed that may eventually grow. Did you have the missionaries over for dinner? Take a picture and put it on Facebook with a caption that says, "Our family hosted the local LDS missionaries for dinner this evening. They're such fun young men with good morals.  I'm glad we were able to serve others in such a fun way, even if they did eat us out of house and home!" Did you have a prayer answered lately? Tweet about it, "Heavenly Father helped me find my missing left Michael Kors wedge! #answeredprayers". Your posts don't have to be abrasive, confrontational, or lengthy. In fact, they should be none of those things! If you can post a 78234th rant about gun legislation or another picture of your baby kind of crawling but not really, then you can post an uplifting quote from General Conference.

4. Get to Know Your Neighbors

Do you set a land speed record every night as you step out of your car and bolt into your house so you don't have to be social with anyone? Do you think your neighbors may have three kids, but possibly four because you're still not sure if the glimpses you've seen through the fence are of a dog or an infant? Rectify that! People love meat. Invite your neighbors over for a BBQ and don't even mention the gospel.  Just get to know them; once you've fed them a few times and formed a relationship they will notice the Spirit in your countenance and in your home and will have questions.

3. Invite People to Church When It Is Easy

Are you giving a talk in sacrament meeting? Are six of your kids singing in the primary choir on Sunday? Do you have a son or daughter giving a mission farewell talk? Are you giving the lesson in High Priest Group? When you are doing any of these things, you have a valid reason to invite others to come and watch you. You would never hesitate to invite people to your son's soccer game, your daughter's choir concert, or your Pampered Chef party, why hesitate to invite them to church when you are "performing"?

2. Listen to The Spirit

It's so easy to listen to the quiet words of the Holy Ghost when we agree with what He is telling us.  It is completely different when He asks us to step outside of our comfort zone. I promise you that He is giving you missionary opportunities daily, you just aren't always taking them.  Sometimes it doesn't make sense to talk to your co-worker about The Living Christ, to invite your high school best friend to your child's baptism, or to strike up a conversation with the stranger in front of you at the movie theater, but through small and simple things are great things brought to pass.

1. Remember That No Isn't the End of the World

If you've tried some of the above listed things or other techniques to share the gospel but haven't had success, then don't let that discourage you.  Jesus definitely didn't let others stop Him from doing His thing, and as members of the church we have covenanted to take upon ourselves His name.  With His name upon our hearts we can act as He did, teach as He did, touch hearts as He did, and be the messenger of good tidings and peace that He was and still is. We often focus on the power of the atonement as a saving and soothing grace, but it does other things too.  The atonement can enable us to become better people and to do that which is frightening to us. You have a pearl of great price to share with as many as will accept it. Why hide it because of fear, apathy, or shyness? Pray for help and Heavenly Father and Christ will help you, even if that means he has to start from the very beginning by planting the desire in your heart to share the truth of the restored gospel.

My Interview with Ellen Degeneres: Prophets

Having been raised in the LDS faith I have encountered many of the same questions over the years.  How many moms do you have?  Where is your horse and buggy? Do you know you're going to hell?  So you worship Joseph Smith, right?  Why are you so weird?  These are just a few of my favorite gems.  I've decided to dedicate one post a month to answering a frequently asked question.  Here's the thing though, FAQ lists are for college admissions websites and door to door vacuum sales pamphlets.  I figured a (fake) interview with Ellen Degeneres would get my point across and be a little less like reading a manual on how to put together your IKEA nightstand.  Ellen, if you read this and ever want to do a real interview, I would love to grace your program with my presence (and give every member in the audience a free Book of Mormon! I'd even throw in a red marking pencil #bigspender).

Ellen:  I hope you are all excited for today's program; it is going to be one to remember.  We have a very special guest that I can't wait for you to meet.  It's Channing Tatum!  But before we get to the dessert of this program we have to eat our less delicious vegetables.  We are going to have a recurring guest at the end of every month who will come and answer a question about the Mormon faith.  Please welcome Sister Poppe, a full time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--otherwise known as the broccoli of today's broadcast.

(mild awkward clapping; a few hisses; a few boos; a cat's meow; one exuberant cheer--from my mother)

Sister P:  Thank you for having me on today, Ellen.  It's a pleasure.

Ellen:  It's nice to have you.  Today I would like to focus on one question that many people have about Mormonism.  What is this business about prophets on the Earth today?

Sister P:  I'm glad you asked that Ellen.  The belief that there is a prophet on the earth today is a unique message that only the LDS faith offers.  A prophet is someone that acts as the mouthpiece of God on earth. Think of the prophets in the Bible; Abraham, Moses, Jeremiah, etc.  They were all individuals called of God to teach people and guide them.  That is what the current prophet, Thomas S. Monson, does.  He is called of God to lead humanity.  We believe that President Monson has the power to receive revelation from God to help people on their journey to return to Heavenly Father.  The prophet doesn't rule our lives.  He gives us guidelines that will lead to a happy lifestyle that is in accordance with God's plan.  Picture this: Dumbledore and Elsa have a baby that has all of their greatest qualities AND the ability to communicate with Heavenly Father and that is a prophet.  Someone kind, wise, humble, and a little baller.

Ellen:  Don't you think it's a little crazy to believe that there is a man on earth today that communicates with God directly?  I mean, even Dory is skeptical of this principle and she's a dingy true blue.

Sister P:  If you truly believe that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever then it isn't that outlandish to believe that there is a prophet on earth today.  Christians across the planet believe that there were prophets during the Biblical era. If Moses could lead the Israelites across the Red Sea, then why can't a man today lead me through the treacherous times we live in? Why wouldn't there be a prophet today?  Heavenly Father loves all of his children equally.  He wouldn't provide a leader for his sons and daughters millennia ago and not do it today. There have been periods of time without prophets on the earth, but that's a discussion for a different day.  I believe that Thomas S. Monson has been called of God to direct people today and that after he dies another man will be called of God to direct in his stead.  I can't make you believe it, but I can promise that if you learn more, read the Book of Mormon, and pray to know if there is a prophet today that you will receive a personalized answer from Heavenly Father.  That is how prayer works.

Ellen:  Thank you, Sister P.  We definitely have a lot to think about after your visit.  I am looking forward to your April visit where you will talk some more with us about the intricacies of the Mormon religion.  Alright. We are going to have a quick break before a big dish of Channing Tatum dessert!

6 Things You Should Do Before Assuming Mormons are Crazy

A few months before I left on my mission there was an internet phenomena that blasted the nation. I prefer to call this craze the "Infinite Number of Highly One Sided Things You Should Do Before You Hit a Certain Age" lists.  Bloggers from across the nation responded to one another about the most important things people should do in their 20's.  A firestorm of disrespect mounted on Facebook news feeds from Baltimore to Berlin as individuals argued for responsibility or frivolity during one's early adulthood.  In the short 6 weeks I've been out on a mission I have decided that a blog post needs to be dedicated to the 6

 Things You Should Do Before Assuming Mormons are Crazy:

6.  Get to know a Mormon in your community.  

If you don't know much about Mormonism chances are your perception of an average Mormon is skewed.  I imagine a creature that is 1 part Mitt Romney, 2 parts quiet Mennonite kid (for some reason people think we're the same), and 1 part Donny and Marie Osmond sprinkled with a few sister wives is what springs to mind when you think of a Mormon (or a citizen of Utah).  While entertaining, that simply isn't what most Mormons are made of.  There are approximately 6 million members of the Mormon faith in the United States. Though most of them live West of the Rocky's, chances are if you look hard enough you can find one in your community.  They most likely have a front yard, a small SUV or minivan, hobbies, a grill, and some children; just like you.  

5.  Learn the real name of their church.

Mormon is actually just a nickname that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) have been given.  Often individuals of the LDS faith will call themselves Mormons because it is more recognizable, but at the end of the day the most politically correct term for these individuals is Latter-day Saint.  When you take the time to recognize that the name of the religion actually bares the name of Christ and not Mormon, it is easy to see that Jesus Christ is at the center of everything we do.

4.  Learn more from a reliable internet source.

Check out www.mormon.org.  It's run by the LDS church and has a lot of valuable information. You can see member profiles (like mine) and chat with missionaries in Salt Lake City.

3.  Meet with some missionaries.

Maybe this point is a little selfish.  As a current full time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I am eager for people to teach.  I want to answer people's questions and I know that any other good missionary will want to do the same.  We're not out to baptize you. We're out to teach you of the truth of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  Would you ask Miley Cyrus to help you with your biology homework?  No.  Then don't ask your Baptist minister to tell you about my faith.  

2.  Attend a church meeting.

Latter-day Saints respect Sunday as the Sabbath day and worship in congregations across the globe. Every chapel has a three hour block of meetings that includes a sacrament meeting (akin to mass), Sunday school, and another gospel related class geared toward specific age and gender demographics.  I hate to disappoint right off the bat, but there will be no sacrificial goat killings, awkward chanting, or Kool-Aid.  Find out where your closest meeting house and meeting time is here.

1.  Read the Book of Mormon

Beneath the title of every Book of Mormon is listed the sentence, "Another testament of Jesus Christ".  Many people don't know anything about the Book of Mormon, let alone that it is literally another book to testify of the divinity of Jesus Christ.  It is a companion to the Bible, not a replacement.  No one threw a fit when J.K. Rowling decided to write Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, because Harry Potter is awesome and everyone wanted another book that testified of his awesomeness.  The same is true for the Book of Mormon.  Why wouldn't you want another book that proclaims the gospel of Jesus Christ?

I know that I often rely on wit and humor in life, but I can be serious as well.  I know that the Book of Mormon isn't a book that some mere man wrote.  It was written by prophets in ancient times for our day.  Though the messages are old, they are universal and apply to each and every person that has been, will be, or currently is on earth.  Jesus Christ is our savior and the Book of Mormon testifies of that on almost every page.  The message of the Book of Mormon is centered on Jesus Christ and is of great value and importance.  It will enable you to improve the quality of your life and will help you face the problems and challenges that we all face.  We all have agency in life and no one can make someone read the Book of Mormon, but I can promise you that if you sincerely read with a desire to learn more, you will find happiness.  So stop googling Mormonism, watching HBO shows about polygamous families, and singing songs from a blasphemous Broadway show about my faith, and find out about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the right way.