IT’S ABOUT THE RECEIVER…
Successful member missionary work is all about the other person. A recent flight experience I’m calling “It’s about the receiver” illustrates that very well.
It’s About the Receiver
First of all, I flew from Washington DC to Salt Lake City, Utah recently. As is the case with Frontier Airlines, the flight stopped in Denver.
Not everyone on the plane has the same attitude!
On the DC to Denver flight I sat in the middle seat on the exit row. A very tall man covered in a hoodie came walking down the aisle and sat next to me in the window seat. He didn’t speak to me as he took his seat and he never took the hoodie off. Tattoos covered his arms. He said nothing.
Then somewhere over West Virginia my legs accidentally touched his. So he quickly spoke up in a monotone voice.
“Your legs are too wide,” he said in a direct voice. “I’m a big guy and I don’t like to be touched.”
“No problem,” I responded. Consequently, that’s the last we spoke. I transferred flights happily in Denver.
I sat in the middle seat on the opposite side of the exit row on the next flight. This time, the guy sitting in the window seat was nice.
He immediately said hello and introduced himself. He was a minister from the United Church of Christ in Madison, Wisconsin. So our conversations were continuous and pleasant. He was on his way to the Tech Conference for Genealogy in Salt Lake City. He has three kids. Also, he has been the minister in his parish for 28 years.
I eventually asked if he would like an Articles of Faith card. He responded happily, “I have the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, the Book of Mormon…” So, he was well-stocked. His answer was pleasant and respectful.
Most of all, he initiated ALL of our conversations on the flight to Salt Lake City.
So you don’t have to be the extrovert to be successful. The other person’s attitude is just as important a factor as anything.
And you don’t have to always give something away. I believe our job as members of the Church is to help move people forward, but they tend to set their own pace. As the scripture says, “…line upon line, precept upon precept..” So just help them move upwards or one step forward towards having the full truth.
Because of this experience, I mention it to illustrate how the other person’s attitude is a factor in successful member missionary work. This post is not about whether someone got an Articles of Faith card or not, it’s about the attitude of the other person. Since you can’t communicate with someone who is “closed”, look for those people whose attitudes and personalities are “open.” That’s more fruitful ground.
And if their attitudes are “closed”, don’t feel bad. It’s not your fault!
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