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My Ten Selfish Reasons for...

My Ten Selfish Reasons for Wanting the Less Active of the Church to Become Active

1. I promised you in the premortal existance that I would be there to help you through the trials that we were told would come.

2. I promised you I would NEVER give up on you and you said the same for me.

3. I miss you and your understanding ways. I miss your smile, your laugh and your tears as you share of your love of the Savior.

4. We have so much work to do on this side of the veil before we are called home. Please help me get the temple work done for our families who are patiently waiting.

5. I miss you singing hymns in my ear, bearing testimony of the love you have for the Savior and all those little things that I cherish so much.

6. Many of us have multiple callings because we don't have enough active members who can fill them. We need you!

7. Your children are my grandchildren, nieces and nephews and I don't want any empty seats at the big dinner table when we reunite.

8. These are the last days. Satan is rearing his ugly head more and more and he is doing so with
the elect here on the earth. He knows you are choice material, just as I do.

9. Maybe others have used words or actions to push you away. It happens, but you can't give up for some "words". You would sacrifice your life for your child! Why not throw these words where they belong, in the trash and go on and teach by example?

10. I love you.

for Reasons Selfish Ten My

I think it is great, but I do wonder if as members we really express it. It is one thing to say it, but definitely another to do.

My Ten Selfish Reasons for... Studies Doctrine Mormon

I really enjoyed that list, but I have mixed feelings about it all. I think it is important for members to remain friends with people who become less active, but as far as contacting a member who is no longer active that you never knew, I am not sure. When I am assigned to visit teach a sister who has never come to church while I have been a member of the ward, I make the attempt to contact that person a few times, but if they don't want my visit, then I generally back away. I know this isn't what leadership tells us to do, but it isn't really contrary either. If this person asks to be left alone, we are supposed to honor that request. Often, they just don't bother to make the request formally, but by not returning your calls they are letting you know they want to be left alone.

I know most of you will not agree with me. That is fine, but I was inactive for 12 1/2 years. My visiting teacher and I remained friends, but she respected my wish not to have the Church made aware of my moves, etc., because I didn't want VT or HT assigned when I moved. Because she and I remained friends even when I wasn't active, I felt comfortable contacting her as I came closer to reactivation. However, if she had not remained my friend without trying to reactivate me, I would not have maintained that relationship during my period of inactivity.

We all have our agency. This includes the right to choose not to be active in Church membership. Now, don't get me wrong. I am not suggesting we not try to reactivate people, I am just saying it needs to be done sensitively and with respect for the member's desires.

for Reasons Selfish Ten My

Tena, you have made some good points. Actually we cannot force any of our sisters to want to be 'visited', they must agree in welcoming you to their home...after all, what's the sense of calling someone over and over and the person is not really interested?. I know it may sound harsh, but there are other sisters out there who need the visit and they will do anything to get a kindly word from their visiting teachers or any other sister in the Church. So, I understand your point. I don't know how is it in the USA but here Trinidadians are very outspoken people, so they have no problem to tell you there are not interested in a visit.