Mission the greatest time of your life? - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

MikeWaters · 05-17-2007, 02:41 PM

We hear this phrase a lot. What is generally not talked about is if the mission wasn't a very good experience.

In my case, I had a wonderful time, would do it all over again, and "greatest experience" applies.

So what about you?

Mormon Red Death · 05-17-2007, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

We hear this phrase a lot. What is generally not talked about is if the mission wasn't a very good experience.

In my case, I had a wonderful time, would do it all over again, and "greatest experience" applies.

So what about you?

a very rewarding experience that helped me tremendously afterwards.

Indy Coug · 05-17-2007, 02:54 PM

It was virtually a complete waste of time from a proselyting standpoint.

However, I became a better person and strengthened my testimony.

Did I enjoy my 2 years? No.

Was it a waste of time overall? No.

MikeWaters · 05-17-2007, 03:03 PM

I'm sure glad I didn't go to Europe. I think I would have become disillusioned.

I was in a pretty-hard-to-baptize but-not-impossible missions.

I think I had about 20 people baptized where I was the missionary of record. Far different that missions where it is 20 per month per mission companionship.

Archaea · 05-17-2007, 03:16 PM

The mission provided a good foundation of work, mental discipline and willingness to serve.

From a standpoint of witnessing loads of baptisms, I did not. I was missionary of record for more than average but not tons. However, I was young, naive and ill-informed given my recent decision to join prior to the mission.

The sum total of my Church training included having read the BoM twice through, the Bible once through. I believe I also had read a few anti-Mormon tracts.

Working with the German people gave me a good appreciation for intellect, history, culture, and diligence. It also created a sense of distance, disaffection, isolation, and at times hopelessness. An interesting contrast of hope versus antiseptic hopelessness.

BlueK · 05-17-2007, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I'm sure glad I didn't go to Europe. I think I would have become disillusioned.

I was in a pretty-hard-to-baptize but-not-impossible missions.

I think I had about 20 people baptized where I was the missionary of record. Far different that missions where it is 20 per month per mission companionship.

Europe gets a bad rap but it's not that bad. At least I didn't have to risk my life in algae-infested water or strap bombs to myself. ;-) It's hard work and takes a lot of patience, and many who grow up pampered and not having to be patient or work for anything can't hack that, I suppose. I learned to love the Dutch people and country and yes, I even had a few baptisms. The fact that they didn't happen all the time makes those experiences even more memorable and rewarding. I have no other mission to compare it to, obviously, but I enjoyed it.

pelagius · 05-17-2007, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueK

Europe gets a bad rap but it's not that bad. At least I didn't have to risk my life in algae-infested water or strap bombs to myself. ;-) It's hard work and takes a lot of patience, and many who grow up pampered and not having to be patient or work for anything can't hack that, I suppose. I learned to love the Dutch people and country and yes, I even had a few baptisms. The fact that they didn't happen all the time makes those experiences even more memorable and rewarding. I have no other mission to compare it to, obviously, but I enjoyed it.

Even I like the Dutch. They almost all speak English, and they never made me , an ugly American, feel bad that I didn't speak a word of Dutch (when I visited a few years ago).

BlueK · 05-17-2007, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pelagius

Even I like the Dutch. They almost all speak English, and they never made me , an ugly American, feel bad that I didn't speak a word of Dutch (when I visited a few years ago).

They're the best English speakers in Europe by a long ways, IMO. They're super impressed by an American who would take the time to learn their language. They also think their language is really hard to learn but it's not. It's like German with watered down grammar and lots of English cognates. The Dutch are generally very friendly, just generally not at all religious.

Indy Coug · 05-17-2007, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueK

They're the best English speakers in Europe by a long ways, IMO. They're super impressed by an American who would take the time to learn their language. They also think their language is really hard to learn but it's not. It's like German with watered down grammar and lots of English cognates. The Dutch are generally very friendly, just generally not at all religious.

Just try to say Scheveningen (I went to 5th grade there).

http://polyglot.lss.wisc.edu/german/dutch/JJenkins.html

BlueK · 05-17-2007, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

Just try to say Scheveningen (I went to 5th grade there).

http://polyglot.lss.wisc.edu/german/dutch/JJenkins.html

I can. It's a killer for Germans to say right, but with enough practice Americans can learn to say the sch.

View Poll Results: How would you describe your mission?
Greatest experience of my life	2	4.65%
Among the greatest experiences	23	53.49%
A good experience	7	16.28%
A mixed bag	4	9.30%
Overall, was a negative	3	6.98%
One of the worst experiences of my life	4	9.30%
Voters: 43. You may not vote on this poll

05-17-2007, 02:41 PM	#1
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	Mission the greatest time of your life? We hear this phrase a lot. What is generally not talked about is if the mission wasn't a very good experience. In my case, I had a wonderful time, would do it all over again, and "greatest experience" applies. So what about you?

05-17-2007, 02:54 PM	#3
Indy Coug Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Between Iraq and a hard place Posts: 7,569	It was virtually a complete waste of time from a proselyting standpoint. However, I became a better person and strengthened my testimony. Did I enjoy my 2 years? No. Was it a waste of time overall? No. Last edited by Indy Coug; 05-17-2007 at 02:59 PM.

05-17-2007, 03:16 PM	#5
Archaea Assistant to the Regional Manager Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Orgasmatron Posts: 24,338	The mission provided a good foundation of work, mental discipline and willingness to serve. From a standpoint of witnessing loads of baptisms, I did not. I was missionary of record for more than average but not tons. However, I was young, naive and ill-informed given my recent decision to join prior to the mission. The sum total of my Church training included having read the BoM twice through, the Bible once through. I believe I also had read a few anti-Mormon tracts. Working with the German people gave me a good appreciation for intellect, history, culture, and diligence. It also created a sense of distance, disaffection, isolation, and at times hopelessness. An interesting contrast of hope versus antiseptic hopelessness. __________________ Ἓν οἶδα ὅτι οὐδὲν οἶδα

05-17-2007, 03:03 PM	#4
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	I'm sure glad I didn't go to Europe. I think I would have become disillusioned. I was in a pretty-hard-to-baptize but-not-impossible missions. I think I had about 20 people baptized where I was the missionary of record. Far different that missions where it is 20 per month per mission companionship.