Baseball Baptism Fever

[OrangeUte]

http://www.mormonstories.org/baseballbaptisms.html

My dad and I were talking about this baseball baptism issue over the weekend, and I thought I would post this Quinn article here.

My dad served in the Southern States Mission in the early 1960's, and has a unique perspective on this that I can share with you through boardmail, if you would like. Needless to say, the baptism of unqualified children did occur as Quinn documents. Growing up, our neighbors across the street had been missionaries called to the Southern States in the late 1960's to "clean up" the mess that the baseball baptism created down there. They were always skeptical of my father's missionary service, even though he had told them that he had nothing to do with it.

My dad was appalled by the practice, and he and several other friends who had served in the British missions had a meeting with Gordon B. Hinkley which may have led to the church's clamping down on the issue.

In my own mission (South Africa), my first mission president was obsessed with numbers, and that ruined the work in many many areas because children and illiterate women were baptized and neglected. Swaziland, a tiny island country that is entirely within the borders of South Africa, was hit hard by missionaries and underaged children and many who were clearly not ready to accept the gospel were baptized. While I was still there, a mission couple was sent to Swaziland to address the public reaction to the situation. Missionaries would report to the mission office that they were being called "devils" by some people that they met on the streets. I haven't been back for nearly 15 years, so I don't know what has happened in Swaziland since.

This was an eye opening experience to me to see that the church clearly didn't learn its lesson from the baseball baptisms - at least not in my mission. While it was on a much smaller scale than Quinn describes, I can't help but believe that my mission was not the only one to get caught up in a rapture of numbers and success that was not really building the church in any way other than numbers to report.

I am curious of a few issues:

First, has anyone else or their family had any direct experience with the baseball baptisms from the "60s?

Second, it seems like a numbers mentality still creeps in, probably due to human nature, and I had direct exposure to that mentality and its wake in my own mission. Anyone else - and what was its effect? I am curious about the cause and effect here.

[SeattleUte]

We used to call them weenies or ice cream baptisms.

http://www.cougarboard.com/noframes/...tml?id=1251298

[SeattleUte]

Hartman Rector Jr. in Southern California and most of the missions in Latin America were big offenders in the later seventies and early eighties. My mission president ran our mission like a law firm. It was all about numbers. Very oppressive.

[Indy Coug]

There were a couple of areas in my mission in England that were ravaged by baseball baptisms in the 1970s.

[Jeff Lebowski]

In the early 80's they were baptizing 1000 or so per month in the Tokyo South Mission. Almost all were smoke and mirrors. I dare bet it rivals any of the baseball baptism numbers.

[MikeWaters]

I started to get a healthy attitude about the numbers (hours proselyted, discussions taught, etc.) after a time on my mission.

I followed the custom. The people didn't like us to be out wandering the island at night. They didn't like receiving visitors at night. Doing so would merely be for stats.

So I just didn't keep track of any numbers. When the form came, I guessed. My letter to the mission president consisted of one line--"everything is great."

Loved the people, taught, worked at getting the branch strong, tried to settle disputes, did service. I wasn't going to let the numbers game be a part of my mission.

When I heard missionaries doing numbers games, I just shook my head. Most of them were stories from the previous mission president. But some of them were district or zone-driven. As in number of hours, numbers of discussions, etc. I don't think they led to anymore success and probably often managed to be culturally inconsiderate. One of the proponents I am thinking of was actually one of the most ineffective missionaries, despite being the best in the language.

On the other hand, let's face it, there's a lot of boredom on missions, and sometimes inventing these games whether they come from the top, or whether they come from the bottom, can allieviate boredom.

[il Padrino Ute]

Nobody knew what baseball was in Italy during the 80s. I suppose it would have to be called soccer baptism, eh?

My MP was not a numbers guy. He just asked that we do our best. If our entire mission reached double figures in baptisms in a month, it was considered miraculous.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I started to get a healthy attitude about the numbers (hours proselyted, discussions taught, etc.) after a time on my mission.

I followed the custom. The people didn't like us to be out wandering the island at night. They didn't like receiving visitors at night. Doing so would merely be for stats.

So I just didn't keep track of any numbers. When the form came, I guessed. My letter to the mission president consisted of one line--"everything is great."

Loved the people, taught, worked at getting the branch strong, tried to settle disputes, did service. I wasn't going to let the numbers game be a part of my mission.

When I heard missionaries doing numbers games, I just shook my head. Most of them were stories from the previous mission president. But some of them were district or zone-driven. As in number of hours, numbers of discussions, etc. I don't think they led to anymore success and probably often managed to be culturally inconsiderate. One of the proponents I am thinking of was actually one of the most ineffective missionaries, despite being the best in the language.

On the other hand, let's face it, there's a lot of boredom on missions, and sometimes inventing these games whether they come from the top, or whether they come from the bottom, can allieviate boredom.

We didn't even keep track of tracting, etc. In fact, my MS ridiculed that approach. I think they play whatever numbers game is available.

[creekster]

My mission was rebounding from a time of lax stds for baptisms and missionary behavior. It wasn't exactly like baseball baptism, but it was sort of a free for all that led to huge (relatively) numbers of baptisms and high rates of inactivity afterwards. My MP clamped down, made us file these annoying reports chock full of statistical info and was very strict about who could be baptized. As a result the total numbers of baptisms plummeted horribly. The activity rate was higher, however, but, on balance, the total number of active converts was higher under the loosey goosey guy than my MP, although not by too much.

[SeattleUte]

Personally, I think this whole mass baptism for quid pro quo phenomenon is among the uglier LDS facts. It seems to keep recurring. I don't put any stock in LDS membership or conversion statistics. It's all part of the lie. Honestly, it makes me feel oppressed and angry just to think about it. I can't believe I spent such a large chunk of my life doing such things.

Just one man's experience.