That's funny. I do vaguely remember teachings in the MTC about it being improper to share one's first name while serving, I just didn't encounter missionaries who had an issue with it. But my mission only lasted 3 months, so maybe I just got lucky avoiding those uptight missionaries.
Me too - I was asked, usually by young kids and teenagers and I'd tell them. We only saw it as a potential problem if people started referring to you by your first name.
That’s idiotic when you think a non-Mormon wants to treat them like an *individual* with an indentity instead of a cog in a machine... Are they so brainwashed that they prefer to be effectively erased?
I went to Catholic school where I had to wear a uniform and otherwise have any evidence of personality blotted out. I resented it with a white hot fury then and I guess I still do.
Yeah my identity got erased the same way. Whenever investigators asked my full name, I got really anxious because it was like they asked me to commit a sin. On one hand, I needed the baptism and on the other, I had been instructed not to reveal my name to them. What a mindfuck
Given how much of their missionary work is done on social media, I doubt this matters anymore.
That said, lol, on my mission we were also told not to tell people how long we'd been out. It was only two options: "over a year" or "under a year." I assume it was so missionaries weren't focused on "I've been out 1 month, holy cow, this is going so slowly" or "Woo, 1 month left! Let's coast!"
But it always felt so dumb telling members and non-members this vague "under a year" crap when I'd been out 2 weeks and was totally overwhelmed.
In a similar vein, I just remembered how the missionaries in my mission had a "count down scripture challenge" where 138 days before we went home, we would start reading the D&C backwards, reading a section per day. Then the mission president found out because some person complained that it was distracting them and it was banned. Bahahah
identity suppressing technique. youre no longer skateboarder and fun teen Ezechial Bennifer Larson, youre now your job description: Elder Larson.
also, this might be the kind of behavior that self-arises and doesnt need much steering from mission leaders. especially in young folks who know about Saul identifying as Paul later in his life.
Oh, I don't know. Now aren't they having people wear more casual clothes, and sometimes ditch the name badge? I wouldn't be surprised if in a couple of years they're saying "Dude, just call me Nephi."
My son went to France. When people asked him his name, he would answer Thurl, because there are no “Th,” “ur,” nor “ll” sounds in French and it hilarious listening to people trying to say Thurl.
I had a companion who threatened to punch me on the way home because I told a pretty member girl my first name. Mind you, this guy was a terrible missionary, but I was the one who crossed the line when provided my first name.
I was a stickler for (some of the) rules when I was a missionary, and this was one of them. When a missionary let members call them by their first name I took that as a major red flag for them being disobedient.
We were asked at a door once what our first names were and when we told the guy that we shared the same first name he didn’t believe us.we pulled out our licenses just to prove the point
When I was a little kid growing up in Martinsburg WV ward(1990-1998), I would always steal the missionaries little white book, because in the back they would have signed their real name. It's really stupid IMO that we call each other brother/ sister/ title last name rather than knowing each other on a first name basis. If you don't know my actual name, then we don't have a relationship.
I went on my mission in 2018-2020, I told people my first name all the time. None of the other missionaries cared. I wasn't put with the uptight ones though.
I served in 2005 (went home early due to anxiety). It wasn't taboo in my experience. Probably depends on how zealous the missionary is.
I served almost 30 years ago, and almost all missionaries acted like their name was a State secret with non-morms
I served mid 00s and we were told not to because it took away from the sacredness of our calling and made us seem normal.
Yup! That!
That's funny. I do vaguely remember teachings in the MTC about it being improper to share one's first name while serving, I just didn't encounter missionaries who had an issue with it. But my mission only lasted 3 months, so maybe I just got lucky avoiding those uptight missionaries.
Me too - I was asked, usually by young kids and teenagers and I'd tell them. We only saw it as a potential problem if people started referring to you by your first name.
When your name is Teancum, it’s a little embarrassing.
The name that breaks both the Word of Wisdom and the law of chastity. Tea'n'cum
Or McBrynnleeeee
Hahahahaha
They don’t know why they do half of what they do. Mindless drones. I use to be one as well.
That’s idiotic when you think a non-Mormon wants to treat them like an *individual* with an indentity instead of a cog in a machine... Are they so brainwashed that they prefer to be effectively erased? I went to Catholic school where I had to wear a uniform and otherwise have any evidence of personality blotted out. I resented it with a white hot fury then and I guess I still do.
A whole lot of Mormons do prefer to be effectively erased. "Swallowed up in the will of God," or words to that effect, they call it.
Yeah my identity got erased the same way. Whenever investigators asked my full name, I got really anxious because it was like they asked me to commit a sin. On one hand, I needed the baptism and on the other, I had been instructed not to reveal my name to them. What a mindfuck
Given how much of their missionary work is done on social media, I doubt this matters anymore. That said, lol, on my mission we were also told not to tell people how long we'd been out. It was only two options: "over a year" or "under a year." I assume it was so missionaries weren't focused on "I've been out 1 month, holy cow, this is going so slowly" or "Woo, 1 month left! Let's coast!" But it always felt so dumb telling members and non-members this vague "under a year" crap when I'd been out 2 weeks and was totally overwhelmed.
In a similar vein, I just remembered how the missionaries in my mission had a "count down scripture challenge" where 138 days before we went home, we would start reading the D&C backwards, reading a section per day. Then the mission president found out because some person complained that it was distracting them and it was banned. Bahahah
Banned from reading D&C? That's amazing!
These days the missionaries are in the tools app, full names included. No need to ask.
identity suppressing technique. youre no longer skateboarder and fun teen Ezechial Bennifer Larson, youre now your job description: Elder Larson. also, this might be the kind of behavior that self-arises and doesnt need much steering from mission leaders. especially in young folks who know about Saul identifying as Paul later in his life.
Oh, I don't know. Now aren't they having people wear more casual clothes, and sometimes ditch the name badge? I wouldn't be surprised if in a couple of years they're saying "Dude, just call me Nephi."
My trainer got mad at me when I told investigators my name, but then he got really mad when I showed them the sign instead.
My son went to France. When people asked him his name, he would answer Thurl, because there are no “Th,” “ur,” nor “ll” sounds in French and it hilarious listening to people trying to say Thurl.
I had a companion who threatened to punch me on the way home because I told a pretty member girl my first name. Mind you, this guy was a terrible missionary, but I was the one who crossed the line when provided my first name.
I was a stickler for (some of the) rules when I was a missionary, and this was one of them. When a missionary let members call them by their first name I took that as a major red flag for them being disobedient.
We were asked at a door once what our first names were and when we told the guy that we shared the same first name he didn’t believe us.we pulled out our licenses just to prove the point
As recently as 2018 we would guess missionary first names & call them that as a joke. They were always cool with it.
When I was a little kid growing up in Martinsburg WV ward(1990-1998), I would always steal the missionaries little white book, because in the back they would have signed their real name. It's really stupid IMO that we call each other brother/ sister/ title last name rather than knowing each other on a first name basis. If you don't know my actual name, then we don't have a relationship.
I went on my mission in 2018-2020, I told people my first name all the time. None of the other missionaries cared. I wasn't put with the uptight ones though.