I was reading yesterday that about 50% of all senior couples are called as Member Leader Support missionaries. That allows a mission president to use a couple any way that he may wish. The problem that we have discovered it that because it is SO undefined there really isn't training, guidance or even a list of ideas given. If I were in a position to suggest something to the MTC I would suggest that they gather all of the MLS missionaries in that week's group and at least share for one hour some of the successful things that MLS missionaries have tried and done. We have a Ward with lots of inactives but strong people in the leadership positions. We have a set of full-time Elders assigned to our ward.
Our Mission President just came in August and he mentioned a few things like movie nights that some couples were doing but really just gave us the key to our apartment and told us what ward we would be assigned to.
Our Bishop has never had a missionary couple and although he has suggested some people for us to go and visit we have little to go on from him.
One thing that MLS missionaries often do is go to the home of all of the inactive people, visit with them and invite them to come back or see if there is any service that they can provide for them.
Our Stake announced last week that they are going to begin a six-month program where priesthood will go to visit EVERY prospective elder in the ward and ask three questions. 1) Do they have a testimony. 2) Would they like missionary lessons and I think it included something about home and/or visiting teachers 3) Would they like an interview with the Stake President. This was done in another Stake in Oregon with great success.
The difficulty I am seeing is just exactly where we fit into this picture. If the priesthood are expected to visit these people and report their findings then should the missionaries also be visiting these same people? Overkill is not a happy thing for most people.
As you all know, I am not a sitter-arounder. It is miles from one member to another and often in the rain. If I am supposed to be there and knock on their door I am willing to do so but I do not feel like we are at all productive just dropping in on people.
Here are the positive things that we have tried to do-
1) I printed up a little flyer with our phone numbers, our picture, a short story of Monson Cookies and the recipe. We have taken a plate of the cookies and the flyer to visit a few inactive and part-member families.
2) I typed up a ticket on yellow cardstock good for one Family Home Evening with the Ellingtons. They are required to provide the place and a non-member or an inactive member and we will bring a short lesson and the treat. We have a Christmas lesson ready with a short video if we get some takers.
3) I prepared a colored cardstock card labeled "Member Missionary Tips" for each family. We bought a box of labels and we will provide one tip for being a member missionary each week. We handed out the cards and the first label today but future labels will inserted in the Ward Bulletin for the next 20 weeks that we are here. They should be able to put about 10 labels on each side of the card. Today's tip was, "While talking with your friends be sure to include the Church in your conversations. When you say something liek, "I was working with scouts at our LDS Church" or "When I was a Mormon missionary in Korea" it is a natural door opener for gospel conversations.
If you have other ideas of things that we can do or great member missionary tips will you please share them. "I WILL GO, I WILL DO" but I need to have a better idea what.
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