I am very interested in how different people with different religions live their life. I don’t know much about Mormons outside of the few videos I’ve seen about Mormon families, the way they live, what values they teach their children, etc. It fascinates me. I’d like to meet with Mormon representatives, but I’m not interesting in converting. Is it true that they won’t go away if you tell them you’re not interested to hear anymore? I have difficulty believing that since what I have seen on the net tells me that you are well raised and polite people. I am actually more upset about never having had a visit from Mormons who I could talk with. Would you see it as a waste of time if I’d speak to a Mormon without interest in actually converting to the religion? Do you have some kind of international network? How can I find nice Mormon people in my area, just to make friends and learn something about another culture?
2 Responses to “I am very interested in how different people with different …”
Webmaster de AllAboutMormons.com
2008-10-12 02:18:19
Hi friend. It was wonderful to hear from you. I can sympathize with your interest in understanding other religious cultures! I myself have attended Catholic, Evangelical, Adventist, Jehovah Witness, and Hare Krishna religious services. I was not interested in converting to any of these religions, but, like you, I simply wanted to gain a better cultural understanding. It's fascinating to learn about the lens through which others see the world.
I was a representative of the Mormon Church (called a "missionary") for two years in Brazil. It was not my custom, nor was it the custom of my companions, to visit people who were not interested in our message; such visits are typically a waste of time. If you explain that you are no longer interested and no longer wish to receive their visits, the missionaries should stop coming by. While it is true that some few missionaries are socially awkward (most are 19-year-olds), the vast, vast majority of Mormon missionaries have the good sense to terminate visits when asked to do so.
I suspect missionaries in Europe would love to talk with you about the Church, even if you're not interested in converting. Unlike many other regions of the world, in Europe missionaries do not have many opportunities to talk with people who are interested in the Church. Frankly, they'd probably be thrilled to talk with you!
You should know that not all Mormons are full-time missionaries. Most Mormons are just regular people with regular jobs and regular lives. If you'd like to meet these kinds of Mormons, I invite you to attend one of our Sunday services. When you arrive, try to talk to the bishop or branch president, who is like a "pastor" in other denominations. Explain to him that you're not interested in converting, but that you want to learn more about Mormon culture. Hopefully, he'll be able to help you further. To learn the address of the Mormon chapel nearest your home, as well as what time Sunday services start, visit http://mormon.org/worship/
The second most famous Mormon choir is arguably Saints Unified Voices, which won a Grammy in 2006. You can listen to brief excerpts of their music at http://www.suvchoir.org/new/onevoice.html
I was a representative of the Mormon Church (called a "missionary") for two years in Brazil. It was not my custom, nor was it the custom of my companions, to visit people who were not interested in our message; such visits are typically a waste of time. If you explain that you are no longer interested and no longer wish to receive their visits, the missionaries should stop coming by. While it is true that some few missionaries are socially awkward (most are 19-year-olds), the vast, vast majority of Mormon missionaries have the good sense to terminate visits when asked to do so.
I suspect missionaries in Europe would love to talk with you about the Church, even if you're not interested in converting. Unlike many other regions of the world, in Europe missionaries do not have many opportunities to talk with people who are interested in the Church. Frankly, they'd probably be thrilled to talk with you!
There is indeed an "international network" you can contact to receive a missionary visit. To request a visit, go to http://www.mormon.org/question/talk/0,8554,796-1,00.html
You should know that not all Mormons are full-time missionaries. Most Mormons are just regular people with regular jobs and regular lives. If you'd like to meet these kinds of Mormons, I invite you to attend one of our Sunday services. When you arrive, try to talk to the bishop or branch president, who is like a "pastor" in other denominations. Explain to him that you're not interested in converting, but that you want to learn more about Mormon culture. Hopefully, he'll be able to help you further. To learn the address of the Mormon chapel nearest your home, as well as what time Sunday services start, visit http://mormon.org/worship/
You may also be interested in exploring Mormon culture as manifest through song and dance. The Tabernacle Choir is the most famous Mormon Choir. Here's some links to videos of recent performances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9s2AF7Cs9c, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeywEMgH9SA, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmpVkocKipI
The second most famous Mormon choir is arguably Saints Unified Voices, which won a Grammy in 2006. You can listen to brief excerpts of their music at http://www.suvchoir.org/new/onevoice.html
You can also learn more about Mormon culture at https://www.allaboutmormons.com/mormon_culture.php
Hope this information helps. The Mormon Church has been a great blessing in my life. Good luck with your investigation!
I'd love to have communication with you. You won't have to meet in person.. Haha!!