Book reviews for: Becoming a Great Missionary Dear Kevan, My husband is currently serving as mission president in the New York New York South mission. I just finished your book and I enjoyed it very much. I have been reading parts of it out loud to my husband when we are in the car together. I need to study the book more closely - there are so many great suggestions. The one we have particularly grabbed onto is the idea of business contacting. There are so many small store owners here in New York City - and they are the employed husbands and fathers (and potential Priesthood holders!) who our missionaries don't normally get to meet during the day! I just mentioned it to the assistants, and they are very fired up to try it. And that's just one of the great suggestions! My mother grew up in Salt Lake, and my parents have been very good friends with the Pinnocks over the years. The Pinnocks are incredible people. You are very blessed to have had him as your mission president and friend. It is somewhat comforting to read your book and know that we are doing many, many things that President Pinnock (and you) recommend. And it's always great to get new ideas and perspectives on our calling. I'm looking forward to reading your other two books. I'll keep you posted on the successes that ensue using the ideas we have gleaned from your excellent book. I can't even imagine how much work writing this book was. Thanks for writing it for those of us currently in the trenches who can benefit from your experiences. Sincerely, Sister Flora Spackman New York, New York South Mission  _______________________________________________________________________________ Kevan, I received my 5 books ordered and the two you gave me as gifts.  Thank you for your generosity.  I am the Ward Mission Leader  here in the Niceville, Florida Ward and I am giving the books away to my missionaries.  I sent a copy to the Mission President, President Bradshaw, and he has authorized my giving them out.  I will order them in no less than 5 at a time as I'm able to afford them.  Thank you for writing the book. Respectfully, Mark Strickland ________________________________________________________________________________   Hi, Kevan. I received the book and think it is wonderful. Best. Karen Mizell, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Department of Philosophy and Humanities Utah Valley State College  __________________________________________________________________________________   Kevan: As a priest quorum advisor, and after reading this book, I realized that our priests need to read this book now, before they go on their missions, to be wonderfully prepared, confident missionaries. I truly think every priest should have this book. Robert Williams ____________________________________________________________________________________   Brother Clawson: I only have 10 more pages to read in your book, and I can’t tell you how important this book is to me. I wish that I had read this book before my mission! Years ago, I was transferred to a new area where the sisters played basketball with investigator sisters every week. I know that when I was transferred into the area, their only wish was that I played basketball. Well, I didn’t! I talked to my companion about why we continued to take the time to play basketball each week with these sisters who didn’t want to join the church and her reply was, “Because the sisters before me did it.” I considered what she had said and then told her that we had to stop playing basketball and go out and find people who truly wanted to learn about the gospel, which we did. I have spent all these years feeling guilty, in my private moments, about perhaps having thwarted a teaching moment. But after reading your book, I am finally at peace with my decision. I know that these investigators were simply “professional investigators” who enjoyed our company but would never have been baptized. Thank you for writing clearly and plainly about the things that should matter to missionaries and how they should conduct themselves. My children (primary age) will learn to be effective, confident missionaries as we teach them in family home evening directly from your book. Sincerely, Stacie Neilson ______________________________________________________________________________________     *Not a very good book December 27, 2007 Rover Mars The author repeatedly refers to himself as one of the most "successful" missionaries in the Harrisburgh, Pennsylvania mission, the quintessential missionary that Elder Pinnock referred to for 20+ years thereafter. Indeed, the forward refers to him as "a legend" in the mission. Most people would shy away from such self-agrandizement. Generally, the book is an anecdotal review of the author's own missionary experiences, re-cast as a how-to book for "success" on a mission. The author is very laudatory of himself in many ways, for example, getting up at 5:00 a.m. each morning, memorizing discussions within a very short period of time, and "smashing all records" in a particular district. If new missionaries emulate this, they will not get 8 hours of sleep each night, and may define failure as failing short of the author's own self-promoted examples. In another passage regarding "bad thoughts", the author suggests that it is OK to take "one look" at a woman, but not a second look. Maybe a better rule is to avoid even the first look if it is a "bad thought". In another passage, he critizes other mission presidents for having rules that he feels as too strict. I'm concerned that members and missionaries who read this will see fit to criticize their mission presidents for rules they find offensive. Another passage is shocking in its implication: the author states that missionaries should plan their tracting route in advance so that God and angels will know where to go beforehand to prepare the minds and hearts of potential converts. I simply do not believe that God's forknowledge is so limited. The book attempts to cast the Harrisburgh mission in the mid-1970s under Elder Hugh Pinnock as the ideal for missions worldwide, and the author's activities as those of the ideal missionary. While there are some good things about the book, such as tolerance for others, the importance of scripture study and keeping mission rules, the book is far too much a personalized endorsement of the author's own mission. I got the feeling that the author was angling to have the book adopted in whole or in part as a standard missionary manual worldwide. And I would guess the he started his own self-publishing business in part because conventional LDS publishers were not interested in his book. No doubt the author means well, but this is not a good book and I don't recommend it to any. I'm disappointed the author makes money from members who buy the book because the title seems so appealing, without taking a critical look at what's in it.    ________________________________________________________________________________________   Dear Kevan,   The missionary book is really really really good! I could hear President Pinnock as I read, it brought back great memories.  Thanks! You were very lucky to have him for your whole mission.  You cannot even imagine the difference of before he arrived and after.  My mission would have been very different had I had him the whole time.  As an example, when I arrived in PA I did no missionary work for almost two weeks as opposed to later, under Elder Pinnock, when we would pick up new Elders at the airport and take then out tracting before we got back to the mission home.  It is a definite read for anyone considering a mission, going on a mission and to take with you on your mission. Every Bishop should have a copy. Every Ward Mission and Stake Mission leader should have one. it is the primer for all missionary work and all positions related to missionary work. Thanks, David W Reese   ____________________________________________________________________________________________   Dear Brother Clawson, When I started reading your book last night i was very impressed with the pragmatic/idealistic precepts and ideas in your book! This morning early, as I started to share with my wife, who had spent the night at Primary Hospital with our 6 month old grandson, I received a somewhat surprising witness that I did not yet know the worth of this book to Father, to myself, and to every member and missionary if we are to harves the "that I know is still ripe ready to harvest." Your book, in the few pages I have read in the chapter on tracting mostly, has helped me to understand that the miracles all of us could have part in are limitless! As President Kimball and all prophets and other visionaries have said we must become messengers worthy of our message and better in every way in finding and teaching. Since we must, we can. Your book will help anyone, anywhere, to do so. Thanks for your sacrifice to share God-given insights and experience with me. Thanks! Glen Sudbury ____________________________________________________________________________________________    I have recently purchased "Becoming a Great Missionary" and am somwhat disappointed in it, especially since the local LDS bookstore where I go has ordered several books for their shelves. After a brief review, I find that the book contains outdated and incorrect information, i.e., it refers to the Stake Mini-mission program as an inspired and effective program and recommends that the program be extended to the Ward. We had the Mini-mission program for a couple of years in the San Antonio area and subsequently receive a letter from Church Headquarters directing us to cease and desist since the mini-mission was not authorized and supported by the Church and was thought to be counter-productive with a detrimental affect on youth of the church. While I found the opposite to be the results, we still follow the brethren and complied with their directive.   The author also refers to a Member-Missionary Course given on a quarterly basis with manuals provided by the Church.  Such is no longer the case.  This course hasn't been available for quite some time.  As best I can remember it is not listed in the LDS Distribution Catalog any longer. If you find otherwise, I'd be interested in knowing.   Respectfully,   Benjamin W. Card, Jr.   ___________________________________________________________________________     ***** The Missionary Experience, April 28, 2008 By F. Watt "WM" (England) This is a great book for missionaries, prospective missionaries, ward mission leaders and ward missionaries, not to mention all members. I found the insights both instructive and honest and a good representation of missionary work and what can be expected. Reading this book can help prepare the individual for missionary service and I liked the examples given, warts and all, which rather than dampen my enthusiasm to serve, actually help prepare me for the pitfalls when they may arise. Experience is a great teacher but foreknowledge gives the edge. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________   To order: Becoming a Great Missionary   <<< back    next >>>