Moving to Salt Lake/Provo area - Will the Mormons drive me crazy? (hotels, houses)

[skibarbie]

If you are really that concerned about "them" coming to the door, you could get one of those "no soliciting" signs for your door. That would also keep away all of the kids selling the discount cards for various things too!!

[JaneyBlu]

I lived in Sandy and had missionaries come to my home at least once a month (seriously, at least). Sometimes, they stopped by when I was at work and they would leave a small pamphlet/card/advertisement at my door. Once they left one under my windshield wipers when I parked in my driveway one evening, rather than pulling into the garage. Another time, they left one under my windshield wipers while parked in the lot at Albertson's on 9000 South--and, yet another time at the same grocery store, they recognized my car and waited for me until I came out. They were sweet and wanted to help me put my groceries in my car, but it was creepy because they had actually loitered around my car--and because I knew they had an ulterior motive.

The thing that drove me a little crazy was that they would never take the hint. I wasn't interested in speaking with them, but they continued to come to the house and try to engage me (different ones over a few years)--and when I wasn't home, they'd leave collateral at my door. I was a little put off by the fact that I couldn't seem to just decide that I didn't want to talk to them. It was like I was forced to present myself, face-to-face, and tell them that I wasn't interested--otherwise, they just wouldn't stop. I felt like they had a "you tell us you don't want to talk to us or we are going to continue to bug you" kind of thing going. I had the feeling that human contact was the goal--no matter what--and that they would do anything to get that moment with you, even if they know you are going to say "thanks, but no thanks."

Maybe my experience is atypical. I do have a family member that lives in Salt Lake that was in a relationship with a girl who had fallen away from the church--and I know that her family arranged for missionaries to seek out both this family member of mine and I (not to mention their daughter). I realize that it was coming from a place of goodness...but, wow. I felt like I had a target on my forehead. Maybe things aren't so intense when missionaries just naturally appear at your door and aren't sent there by well-meaning potential family members that are concerned for their daughter's eternal life.

Come to think of it, I saw a lot of missionaries walking around in Sandy while I lived there. I mostly saw them walking or riding bikes on 1300 East or chatting people up in the parking lot of Macy's (1300 East as well).

[hilgi]

Originally Posted by JaneyBlu

I lived in Sandy and had missionaries come to my home at least once a month (seriously, at least). Sometimes, they stopped by when I was at work and they would leave a small pamphlet/card/advertisement at my door. Once they left one under my windshield wipers when I parked in my driveway one evening, rather than pulling into the garage. Another time, they left one under my windshield wipers while parked in the lot at Albertson's on 9000 South--and, yet another time at the same grocery store, they recognized my car and waited for me until I came out. They were sweet and wanted to help me put my groceries in my car, but it was creepy because they had actually loitered around my car--and because I knew they had an ulterior motive.

The thing that drove me a little crazy was that they would never take the hint. I wasn't interested in speaking with them, but they continued to come to the house and try to engage me (different ones over a few years)--and when I wasn't home, they'd leave collateral at my door. I was a little put off by the fact that I couldn't seem to just decide that I didn't want to talk to them. It was like I was forced to present myself, face-to-face, and tell them that I wasn't interested--otherwise, they just wouldn't stop. I felt like they had a "you tell us you don't want to talk to us or we are going to continue to bug you" kind of thing going. I had the feeling that human contact was the goal--no matter what--and that they would do anything to get that moment with you, even if they know you are going to say "thanks, but no thanks."

Maybe my experience is atypical. I do have a family member that lives in Salt Lake that was in a relationship with a girl who had fallen away from the church--and I know that her family arranged for missionaries to seek out both this family member of mine and I (not to mention their daughter). I realize that it was coming from a place of goodness...but, wow. I felt like I had a target on my forehead. Maybe things aren't so intense when missionaries just naturally appear at your door and aren't sent there by well-meaning potential family members that are concerned for their daughter's eternal life.

Come to think of it, I saw a lot of missionaries walking around in Sandy while I lived there. I mostly saw them walking or riding bikes on 1300 East or chatting people up in the parking lot of Macy's (1300 East as well).

I read a stat that you are twice as likly to get missionaries at your door in every other state than Utah.

[JaneyBlu]

Originally Posted by hilgi

I read a stat that you are twice as likly to get missionaries at your door in every other state than Utah.

I believe that. I mean, Utah is largely LDS. I can see how missionaries would have much more to do elsewhere.

But, believe me, I was visited by missionaries many, many times. It became very uncomfortable.

[IdahoMormon]

Janey, did you have a disgruntled X go to Temple Square and fill out a referral card with your name and address on it every month for a year? There are ways of getting missionaries in Utah, but it isn't normal door knocking. They don't do much cold door knocking because they'd never get any missionary work done. When I was a missionary, if we ever knocked on a door of an LDS family, they always invited us inside for a chat and a snack. It was fun, and a good way to build relationships with the members, but in most places in Utah that would take up way too much of their time.

Different sets of missionaries do things in different ways. Sometimes they keep records of places they've been and people they've talked to and sometimes they don't. In one area where I was, there was a really nice older guy who loved talking with the missionaries. They had been visiting him for months. I was sent there as a relatively new missionary, and my companion could see that he wasn't really making any progress in the Gospel, so we quit visiting him. No hint needed. The goal of missionaries is to bless people's lives. Of course they feel that the best way to do that is to bring them the Gospel. Obviously a lot of people don't feel the same way, so sometimes the best way to bless their lives is to leave them alone. The problem is you gotta talk to them first to see which group they belong to.

Seems like it would be easier if there were some sort of "Do not call" register.

[JaneyBlu]

Originally Posted by IdahoMormon

Janey, did you have a disgruntled X go to Temple Square and fill out a referral card with your name and address on it every month for a year? There are ways of getting missionaries in Utah, but it isn't normal door knocking. They don't do much cold door knocking because they'd never get any missionary work done. When I was a missionary, if we ever knocked on a door of an LDS family, they always invited us inside for a chat and a snack. It was fun, and a good way to build relationships with the members, but in most places in Utah that would take up way too much of their time.

As I mentioned, I have a family member in Salt Lake who is in a serious relationship with a girl whose family is Mormon, but she has fallen away from the church. They live together and her parents aren't happy about that. It is their dream that their daughter come back to the church and marry a practicing Mormon. She was very clear that she has every intention in moving forward in her relationship with my relative, so her parents had missionaries sent to his home and to my home as well. It was like they couldn't control her into leaving him and returning to the church...so they set out to try to get him to join the church and pursued me as well. So, to answer your question...yes, we kind of did have someone constantly referring missionaries to us.

With reference to knocking on doors, I saw it over and over again in my neighborhood. Most of my neighbors were obviously Mormon, but they went door to door nonetheless.

But, I agree...I wish there were some sort of "do not call" register. You mention that "the problem is you gotta talk to them first to see which group they belong to." I get that...but the issue is that I don't feel that it is anyone's place to "have to talk to me" in order to put me in a group. If I am interested in learning more, I'll seek information. I just don't feel that it is a missionary's place to decide how I would be most "blessed"--by being talked to or by being left alone. In other words, it isn't up to the missionary to decide whether I should be engaged or left alone. I am an individual and it is up to me. Anyway, I digress...

[kaytidid]

I am just curious how a missionary would know who was obviously Mormon from the outside of a house...?

I know that some of my neighbors are Mormon, because, well, they are my neighbors. We talk and I see them go to church. My friend lives around the corner from me. Driving down her street, I couldn't tell you which house had Catholics, Mormons, Baptist, Blacks, Whites, Asians, ect, living there.

In the 16 years I have lived in Utah, I have had more Jehovah's Witness visit then I have Mormons. I have had 2, yes, only 2, visits from Mormon missionaries. That also takes into account the three different homes in two different cities in which we have lived.

[JaneyBlu]

Originally Posted by kaytidid

I am just curious how a missionary would know who was obviously Mormon from the outside of a house...?

I know that some of my neighbors are Mormon, because, well, they are my neighbors. We talk and I see them go to church. My friend lives around the corner from me. Driving down her street, I couldn't tell you which house had Catholics, Mormons, Baptist, Blacks, Whites, Asians, ect, living there.

In the 16 years I have lived in Utah, I have had more Jehovah's Witness visit then I have Mormons. I have had 2, yes, only 2, visits from Mormon missionaries. That also takes into account the three different homes in two different cities in which we have lived.

As was once pointed out in another thread, church members know who is and isn't mormon or active because they all attend church in the neighborhood. They know who lives in each house and whether or not they attend.

[Chango]

Originally Posted by kaytidid

I am just curious how a missionary would know who was obviously Mormon from the outside of a house...?

They know.. and they're watching... Mwuhaaaaaaa!

[GoOrioles]

Seems like my questions are being a bit misinterpreted. If a polite "no thank you" will do, that's great. My question being will this be sufficient or will they just send new missionaries around who I haven't said "no thank you" to yet?
And Lamborgotti, with all due respect, I have no interest whatsoever to hear anyone "share" their beliefs with me, and my belief is that if they feel it necesarry to "share" (I call it recruiting), they can "share" with their own. In your words, 90% of Americans can make up their own mind as to what faith they so choose, they don't need anyone "sharing" (recruiting). It's there, we all know it, and if we want to experience it we will. No need to "share".
Oh and it's not just the Mormon religion I have issues with as far as this goes. I don't want ANY representative from ANY religion "sharing" with me what their beliefs are.