When I was about 15, I was pretty excited about being a Mormon. I was only 4 or 5 years away from heading out to be a full-time missionary, and part of that experience was to memorize what was known at the time as the missionary discussions.
There were 6 of them, and they came as 6 separate booklets, and a set of flip charts to be used with them.
Being nervous about needing to memorize these, I asked to receive them as a Christmas or Birthday present one year, so I could get a head start on learning them.
My father consulted with the local Mission President on the matter, and subsequently informed me that they did not think it was appropriate for me to have those in my possession at that time...
I haven't really thought about that until I heard something this morning which brought that memory back.
The discussions are supposed to contain within them the core principles of Mormonism, and are set out to present to Non-Mormons those principles in an orderly manner.
When I was able to finally get a copy of them, shortly after arriving at the Missionary Training Center, en-route to my final mission location, there were several principles contained there-in, that I, in my 19 years of prior Mormon membership was unaware.
The whole memory strikes me as slightly odd.
I still have my copy of those booklets somewhere and recall being extremely proud of myself to memorize all six while still in the MTC (only for 3 weeks as I went to an English-speaking mission).
ReplyDeleteBut the "inappropriate" comment certainly strikes me as being odd too given that there's a commandment in the D&C to learn the word before seeking to preach it. And given that Joseph F. Smith went on a mission to Hawaii when he was 15, no doubt he knew about many of the core principles and likely more at that same age.
I've gotten to the point of, if the person doesn't offer an explanation of why, there's something fishy going on.
Once I finally got to the MTC, the instruction I got there was to memorize the content, but then to share it in my own words.
ReplyDeleteThen I actually got out, and I was supposed to memorize them word for word, and then some GA came out, and made a huge stink about us needing to use the exact words, since they were the words of prophets and people would only feel the spirit if we used those words.
I tried it once... Don't know if I've ever seen eyes glaze over quicker. There I was with someone for whom English was their third or fourth language, and I launch into... "Most people believe in a Supreme Being...."
Switching back to the topic at hand... My initial temple experience was a little weird as well... I get why some of the stuff is kept secret, but they went a little overboard on the whole secrecy thing with me.