www.byzcath.org Forums Got stopped by Mormon missionaries last night...

while on a walk. My husband was very patient with them (much more so than I would have been, had I been alone). My husband pretended to be interested, and listened to what they had to say (he was thinking of how to convert them

When they asked what religion we follow, we said 'We're Catholic'. They visibly jumped back � appalled (Mormons think we are idol worshipers, among other things).

My question to everyone: What would you do in this situation? What would you say to go about converting them?

I've read on another post about run-ins with Jehovah�s Witnesses, but not Mormons. We did pray for them, but what else could we do? They seemed innocent - they really believe they are doing the work of God. Naturally, we are concerned for their souls. How would you go about pointing them in the right direction?

Once these types came to my door and started their spiel. Then they asked me what my belief was and I replied "the Nicene Creed, have you ever heard of it?" All I got were blank stares. They have a lopsided view of church history.

The advice I've always received from ex-Mormons was the following:
1) Always be kind and loving
2) Be firm and clear about your religious choices and why, asking the Holy Spirit for guidance on which words to say
3) Have no intention of converting them on the spot
4) If you have them available, give them any tracts you feel appropriate

They are well trained in how to respond to arguments and are also trained not to accept or read material given to them by others. Most of them, however, had a long conversion process to leave Mormonism that required many, many loving faithful Christians pointing them in the right direction. When they reached the end of this process, they were more open to receiving the words or documents presented to them. Give your testimony, say a prayer for them, make sure your life is in line with what you are preaching, and go on about your day. That's the advice I've always had. You'll plant the seeds.

Good practical advise, Wondering. I like the coment on planting the seeds.

Bergschlawiner, I agree, they do have a lopsided view. I just which in that brief encounter we could have evenend it out a bit. I don't think they study church history very much. I think knowing some facts could? set them straight?

There was a book put out on how to counter Jahovah's witness' arguements, and I am wondering if there is something similar for Mormons?

There is a large Mormon population here, so it's very likely we will encounter them again.

They kept asking if they could come to our house. I'm sure they would have fled in horror upon seeing the icons we have all over the walls

St. Mary of Egypt,

Check out this old thread:
Mormons are coming

I have seen at least one book directed to converting Mormons to Catholicism. I've forgotten who wrote it, but my guess is that it will not be difficult to find if you look around.

You might be referring to this book:

"When Mormons Call: Answering Mormon Missionaries at Your Door," by Isaiah Bennett published by Catholic Answers. (San Diego, CA: Catholic Answers, 1999)

and this for the JWs:

"Answering Jehovah's Witnesses" by Jason Evert, also published by Catholic Answers (San Diego, CA: Catholic Answers, 2001)

Amado

Ray S.

Thank you for the link! Boy, am I learning a lot! I'll be ready for the next encounter, and hopefully persuasive in getting them to listen, even if they are trained not to.

Through God, all things are possible. I pray it's in His plan to convert them.

http://www.transporter.com/Mormonism/index.htm

http://www.transporter.com/apologia/index.htm

The above is a link from Steven Clifford, he used to be a Mormon but now he's Catholic.

Here's his blog:

http://www.trnspt.com/blogger_trnspt.htm

True story: I have a Catholic friend who was raised a Mormon. I was surprised - not by her conversion, but that she was ever a Mormon. Just sort of came up one day rather randomly. All I could say was, "Wow, you just don't seem like a Mormon." And she said, "Well, I guess I wasn't a very good Mormon." And that's all I ever got of that grand conversion story!

Oh my, I had a couple of mormon elders come to my home just last week. I talked with them for about 2 hours. I wanted to start listing councils and fathers but I took a softer approach and I think it worked with one of them. He was a fallen away Catholic and when I told him all about the eastern rites he was asking for books and addresses to local parishes. I don't know if he was genuine but I am still praying for him and his buddy, which by the way, was quite perturbed with all the "Catholic" talk that was going on.

Glory to Jesus Christ!

I am posting on here the response of a dear friend of mine, who is now a Roman Catholic but grew up a Mormon, in a family highly-placed in the LDS Church. I hope his response is a blessing for you.

"On the Mormon front, as you know I was a Mormon missionary. We talked with
lots of people and faced rejection every day. People yelling at us, closing
doors in our face, reading scriptures against us; Galatians 1:8 was always a
favorite that Southern Baptists like to quote against us, "But though we, or
an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we
have preached unto you, LET HIM BE ACCURSED." (They always liked that last
phase!)

I learn to talk with people from almost any walk of life. I learned to pray
as the Evangelicals do so we could pray with them in their homes. I learned
to speak in the language of those who had been "born again" even telling the
story of my baptism in terms they would understand and relate to, as the day
I accepted Jesus and was "saved".

I taught a Church of Christ minister who actually did have an influence on
my life by asking me what appeared to be sincere questions about what
Mormons believed and why. I remember doing some basic research into a few
questions he came up with as he read the Book of Mormon, like how did the
Nephites know how to make steel especially before it was commonly believed
to have been discovered...

One way to help Mormon Missionaries is to ask them questions, questions like
the ones on my web site. But the best way is to get them into Holy Space
and allow them to feel the presence of God in a place they would never
expect to experience this. This is what happened to me in England and it
blew me away, it shook me to my inner soul, and it took me over two years to
figure out what had happened, just what it was that I had experienced. God
spoke to me through music, if there is any way to get a Mormon missionary to
experience the beauty of Vespers, to know that music can really be at the
center of worship and not just something to begin and end a meeting or give
you a break from the sermons.

Yes be nice, these are sons and daughters of parents who miss their children
very much and pray for them every day. Yes ask them sincere but thought
provoking questions, but most important they must be where only God can
reach them for we can not reach them, they are beyond our grasp, only God
can touch them and turn their self-assured self-sufficient hearts into
hearts that long for God, hearts that will never be filled in this life
having only experienced a taste of the glory of God and realizing that we
know nothing instead of having all the answers.

Owen"

Prof. J. Michael Thompson
Byzantine Catholic Seminary
Pittsburgh, PA

Thank you Professor Thompson, and please relay that to your friend!

Definitely a thought provoking post, that truly makes sense about planting the seeds of Truth into the hearts of those such as these missionaries. The seeds that we may plant in Christ's love today, may actually through God's providence bear fruit tomorrow.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

Father,

Owen referred to a website. Would it be appropriate to link to that?

CDL

Dan,

That would be up to Professor Thompson to link that site. He was just posting the thoughts of a correspondent of his in that post.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+