Some of you have probably had missionaries knock on your door. You likely told them you weren't interested in what they had to say. You probably said something along the lines of, "I'm comfortable with the church I go to now," or , "I don't like discussing religion with people." Or, my personal favorite: "I don't believe in your religion."
Have you ever wondered what they had to say?
Think about it for a minute. These 18 and 19 and 20-year-old boys and girls are standing on your doorstep. You ask them where they're from (because that's the first question everyone always asks) and you realize that they're far from home. These young adults leave behind everything--school, work, family, friends, dating, everything they know--for 18-24 months to share something with other people. They do this of their own free will with no expectation of compensation; missionaries actually pay to do what they do. They pay around $10,000 to leave everything familiar behind for a year and a half or two years to knock on your door--a total stranger to them--and tell you about something they hold dear. A book. A prophet. A Savior. A plan.
If these young people make such sacrifices to have extremely awkward moments--and believe me, you have some really uncomfortable experiences as a missionary--in the hopes of sharing something they hold to be very valuable and life-changing, don't you think it would be worth your time to hear them out?
Next time you see some Mormon missionaries out and about, think of your old friend Rachel. That's exactly what I'm doing right now in Oregon. So however you would treat me, I want you to do the same for any missionaries you see. Hear them out. See what they have to say.
You never know, it just might change your life.
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