Missionaries Masquerading as Volunteers

[Dusty52]

The missionaries should not be there at all, we are sending them through the back door, the Russians aren't fools they know what the church is up to, they will now make an example of these 2 innocents

[Robin Hood]

It seems to me that Russia would be a good place to send service missionaries... er... volunteers.
No proselyting or teaching requirement whatsoever, just serving within the communities.
What harm could it do?

[True]

There are missionaries that die and are imprisoned all over the world. In China, almost an entire congregation (Early Rain Covenant Church) is in prison because they refused to stop their missionary efforts. Why should we be any different?

[shadow]

The missionaries should not be there at all, we are sending them through the back door, the Russians aren't fools they know what the church is up to, they will now make an example of these 2 innocents

Actually, many Russian officials don't mind the church being there. We freely teach their people English and serve where needed. Our people don't go around damning people to Hell like other christian missionaries have done in the past.
This situation is at a local level and I suspect it will be resolved quickly by the higher-up officials in Russia. I don't foresee missionaries called away from Russia.

[lundbaek]

My wife and I, both in our mid-60s, were called to the Danish mission 2001-2003 and most of our activities could be best described as service, mostly to members of the small branches where we served, and in the callings we were given in those branches. Our services included friendshipping, fellowshipping, small service projects, educating members and non-members about the Church and the Gospel, providing transportation, hosting dinners, visiting lonely members, and other things that hopefully created awareness of and good will for the Church. And we each had callings in the 2 branches.

[True]

Here is a video about a North Korean girl and her family’s efforts to bring the gospel to North Korea. This is true sacrifice and love. I don’t think we should be afraid of making sacrifices to further the gospel of Jesus Christ.

[EmmaLee]

The latest - Russia will be deporting the Mormon "volunteers". Honestly, who does the Church think it's fooling with this? Russia and everybody else knows these are MISSIONARIES who are called, set apart, and sent to be MISSIONARIES, to spread the gospel. It's absurd and disingenuous (and dishonest, IMO) to call them "volunteers". One of my sisters actually was called on a real service mission, that's how it was worded in her call letter - yet she was still referred to as a "missionary" by the Church and everyone else, and she still taught the gospel (not just how to get clean drinking water, etc.). It's just flat-out silly the Church referring to these missionaries as "volunteers". Anyway, they're being deported, and I would not be surprised if the rest of the LDS "volunteers" in Russia are deported at some point, as well.

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900 ... -week.html

Russia to deport 2 Latter-day Saint volunteers detained since last week
By
Dennis Romboy
@dennisromboy
Published: March 7, 2019 4:10 pm

SALT LAKE CITY — Two young Latter-day Saint volunteers who local police have detained in Russia since last week are being deported, according to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"Many people have reached out regarding the status of our two volunteers in Russia. At this time, they remain in custody while their deportation is being processed. The young men are in good spirits, are being treated well, and are in regular contact with their mission president and their families," said church spokesman Eric Hawkins.

"We continue to work with local authorities in Russia and we remain hopeful these volunteers will be allowed to leave the country soon. In the meantime, we are grateful for the many offers of assistance and support expressed on their behalf.”

Local Russian police arrested the two volunteers during a meeting at a church meetinghouse in Novorossiysk last Friday, the church said.

Russia's state-run news agency, Tass, reported Thursday that Novorossiysk’s Primorsky District Court found two U.S. citizens guilty of violating Russia’s entry and exit rules on March 2. Novorossiysk, a port city on the Black Sea, is 930 miles south of Moscow.

The young men are currently being held at a temporary reception center for foreigners in the town of Gulkevichi, waiting to be deported, according to Tass. Gulkevichi is about 196 miles northeast of Novorossiysk.

Tass also reported that a Russian Orthodox Church official told the news agency that Latter-day Saints are carrying out religious activities in Russia working as English teachers.

Yuri Kozhokin, a representative in Russia of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, told Tass that the two men being detained were not teachers. [no, they're MISSIONARIES]

"They just talked with Russian citizens who came to see them on their own accord. They just talked about various topics unrelated to religion , got to know one another, but they talked to each other in English. … I know this from the practices stipulated in the organization’s bylaws," he told reporters on the outcomes of the Krasnodar Regional Court’s session, during which the judge upheld the decision to expel one of the two U.S. citizens from Russia, according to Tass.

Sergei Glizuntsa, an attorney for the two men, told Tass they have no complaints about the conditions of their detention.

"They have no complaints. This is like a dorm of sorts, with 10 people in one room with double beds. They are fed three times a day. There are no significant concerns. We’ve managed to give them their things. The conditions of their detention are satisfactory, the staff’s attitude is normal, we visit them every day," the lawyer said.

The father of one of the volunteers told the Deseret News on Tuesday that the two young men were doing well. He said officials believed that the volunteers were teaching English without a license. The two men said they only were conducting a regularly scheduled game night in English.

In July 2016, Russia implemented an anti-terrorism law that included a provision banning public missionary work. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints immediately complied, redesignating its young missionaries as volunteers and directing them to follow the law's provision that all proselytizing take place in houses of worship. [You can call a rose a daisy, but it's still a rose]

The U.S. State Department said Wednesday it was aware of the reports that two U.S. citizens were detained in Novorossiysk, Russia.

"We have no higher priority than the protection of U.S. citizens abroad. Due to privacy considerations, we do not have any additional information at this time," according to a State Department statement.

Utah Sens. Mitt Romney and Mike Lee and Rep. John Curtis also offered their assistance.

[Dusty52]

I would be interested in looking at the mission call letters for those 2 missionaries, to look at the wording, I wonder if it said you have been called as a missionary or a volunteer!
I guess it said missionary
Also I guess the missionaries aren't led by a mission president but a volunteer president

[EmmaLee]

I would be interested in looking at the mission call letters for those 2 missionaries, to look at the wording, I wonder if it said you have been called as a missionary or a volunteer!
I guess it said missionary
Also I guess the missionaries aren't led by a mission president but a volunteer president

Yes, who lives in the Volunteer Home. And every 5 years, they will have Volunteer Reunions, where all the previous volunteers will get together and reminisce about their time in the volunteer field.

[EmmaLee]

Interesting...

Russian Gov’t Denies Knowledge of Detained Latter-day Saint Volunteers By Meridian Magazine · March 6, 2019

Today, Russian government officials denied any knowledge of detaining two Americans who were serving as volunteers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, the Church has confirmed the two men were arrested Friday during a church meeting in Novorossiysk, approximately 1,000 miles south of Moscow.

In 2016 Russia officially banned religious missionaries under a counterterrorism law. This new law has led to a troubling crackdown on Jehovah Witnesses and other groups that tract and preach their religious views. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said it is in compliance with the new law. The church officially registers local workers as “volunteers,” rather than missionaries.

The father of one of the boys, Kyle Brodowski stated that his son Kole was “one of the two Latter-day Saint volunteers detained by Russian security.” Church spokesman Eric Hawkins said in a statement released on Tuesday, that the two volunteers had been arrested on Friday.

“Please pray for our Son and his companion,” Kyle Brodowski, of Garden Grove, California, said in a Facebook post.

The second detained church member has not yet been identified.

But on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow, “I don’t have this information,” when asked about the purported arrests. . .

https://ldsmag.com/russian-govt-denies- ... olunteers/

[Dusty52]

I recently watched a YouTube video of the 2 missionaries in Russia, they looked very frightened, scared and bewildered with no one championing their cause, where is someone from the church who called them to serve, legal representatives from SLC HQ?
I don't understand how the church can let these boys down so badly?
Why hasn't the church released a statement?

[Elizabeth]

[Dusty52]

I hope the church stops sending missionaries to MTC heading to Russia! Until all this is sorted out
If it was my son or daughter I would be very worried about the situation and I wouldn't encourage them to go

[True]

Here is what’s going on. This news is now four days old:

https://csbnnews.com/two-american-mormo ... lism-laws/

[Shaffer89]

I hope the church stops sending missionaries to MTC heading to Russia! Until all this is sorted out
If it was my son or daughter I would be very worried about the situation and I wouldn't encourage them to go

since we are in the mode of assuming things, I assume this is some sort of trial, to help them learn to rely on the Lord and make them stronger for His kingdom. If the church always intervened in every situation there would be no opportunity for growth.
We could also assume that the missionaries broke the rules of a service mission and shared their religious beliefs outside of the permissible time/place that the Russian government allows it to be shared. While I would be proud that they were courageous enough in their testimonies to share it in a hostile place, it would be against the rules that they were given and they should be prepared for the punishment affixed.
The situation makes me think of Alma and Amulek in Alma 14, Where they were suffered to be in prison and abused in order for the Lord to show His power in freeing them and destroying the prison.
I think when situations like this arise we tend to think temporally, or let our sorrow for their suffering blind us to the bigger picture that the Gospel has made visible to us. If it is G-d's will he could use them to demonstrate many wonderful and powerful things, not only to those they are in contact with but to the world, though for our lack of faith we would most likely esteem it as naught and only accept it as a miracle if they are freed unharmed because that is what we want.

Ok I think I'm done with my rant, thank you for bearing with me.. lol

[LadyT]

From what I read we had lawyer there asap. Their mission president was there every day. They were doing all they could to help them.

[David13]

We have no idea what is going on ''behind the scenes'. There are diplomatic channels and political connections.

There are private citizens who also have connections and private jets. It would not be unusual for some wealthy American airplane owner to be prepared to send a plane to pick them up and bring them home as soon as they are released, or in lieu of whatever charges etc might be brought against them.

But first it must be seen if they are to be held or charged with anything. And also what the facts of the charges are.

If they clearly and intentionally violated some rules, people will be less willing and able to do much for them.
dc

[Arganoil]

Don't forget these missionaries are just kids. I am increasingly surprised by the immaturity of the missionaries out here (Europe) being so scared, young and lacking any kind of coping strategies for real life situations. Maybe the age should be increased with say: 5 years. First get some life experience. Get a real testimony. Experience life outside the walls of your parents house, outside the country. Travel, work, study....then serve a mission if you still feel called to do so.
In this day and age it might be a mistake to send these children to these areas and think everything will be OK. That is delusional. It truly is.

[mes5464]

Don't forget these missionaries are just kids. I am increasingly surprised by the immaturity of the missionaries out here (Europe) being so scared, young and lacking any kind of coping strategies for real life situations. Maybe the age should be increased with say: 5 years. First get some life experience. Get a real testimony. Experience life outside the walls of your parents house, outside the country. Travel, work, study....then serve a mission if you still feel called to do so.
In this day and age it might be a mistake to send these children to these areas and think everything will be OK. That is delusional. It truly is.

I have noticed that this is the new normal for a high percentage of youth today. I don't know if it's environmental, medical, parenting, technological or societal, but there is definitely something different about many of today's youth that makes them unprepared for life.

[Chip]

I've read that these days people are having life experiences at 22 that they used to have at 14, forty years ago. When I was a kid, we'd ride our bikes in a several mile radius of our homes. We would come back after dark. Every kid in the neighborhood would be out on his bike, all over the place. Now, nobody is out on the streets. All the kids are in buildings, probably looking at screens.

And I've noticed, too, that the missionaries are like little kids. They are notably less mature today than they were even 10 years ago.

[SouEu]

Dusty52, come on! Every one of your posts, you are trying to tear down the church. Don't you have something better to do?

[Durzan]

I recently watched a YouTube video of the 2 missionaries in Russia, they looked very frightened, scared and bewildered with no one championing their cause, where is someone from the church who called them to serve, legal representatives from SLC HQ?
I don't understand how the church can let these boys down so badly?
Why hasn't the church released a statement?

Dusty, I must say that your endless posts of being implicitly or directly critical of the church is really starting to get tiresome.

Puts on Mod Hat

Merging this thread with a slightly older thread on the same subject.

[Dusty52]

I recently watched a YouTube video of the 2 missionaries in Russia, they looked very frightened, scared and bewildered with no one championing their cause, where is someone from the church who called them to serve, legal representatives from SLC HQ?
I don't understand how the church can let these boys down so badly?
Why hasn't the church released a statement?

Dusty, I must say that your endless posts of being implicitly or directly critical of the church is really starting to get tiresome.

Easy answer to that one
Stop reading them!!!
It's not rocket science is it!

[Dusty52]

Dusty52, come on! Every one of your posts, you are trying to tear down the church. Don't you have something better to do?

Who rattled your cage?
You've only posted 4 times this year
I'm glad my posts have got you active again on this forum!
Don't you have something better to say?
Why don't you start contributing how you feel?

[Durzan]

I recently watched a YouTube video of the 2 missionaries in Russia, they looked very frightened, scared and bewildered with no one championing their cause, where is someone from the church who called them to serve, legal representatives from SLC HQ?
I don't understand how the church can let these boys down so badly?
Why hasn't the church released a statement?

Dusty, I must say that your endless posts of being implicitly or directly critical of the church is really starting to get tiresome.

Easy answer to that one
Stop reading them!!!
It's not rocket science is it!

Dusty, its not just me. There are plenty of others who are getting tired of it as well. Literally every post you have made in the past few weeks has been a dig at the church, and its starting to pile up. Stop beating a dead horse and take a break from the critical angle you've been taking. Remember our little discussion on balancing your perspective between "glass half-full" and "glass half-empty"? Well, it sure seems like you are focusing too much on the "glass half-empty" side of the issue. You are not in a balanced state of mind.

Please Dusty, if you got beef with the church, just let it go. There is legitimate criticism and worry, and then there's nitpicking, which criticism can easily stray into. Nitpicking at every single little thing does you no good. Trust me, I've been there.

If you got a problem or are struggling with something, quit dancing around the core issue by posting little jabs and slights and just outright tell us in good faith. We can talk with you. We may not be able to solve your problems, but we can relate, empathize, and give advice. We can help you.

Tell us plainly, clearly, and truthfully what you are trying to do and what you want from us. Tell it like it is, so that we are all on the same page. Why have you been acting the way you've been acting these past few weeks and months? Are you trying to gain a greater understanding from us? Are you crying out for help? Are you just asking questions to see who responds and why? What is the ultimate point you are trying to make? What are you trying to accomplish with all these posts? What is your story?

To put it another way, I will just quote something that someone said in another of your threads:

Does he care about those in real need or does he care about my keys??
Why will he help me find my keys but not help someone find a scrap of bread? or a mouthful of water?
With prayer there is one rule for us and another rule for all others!

You seem to be one tormented soul, my friend. Is there anything we can do to help?

Emphasis added.