Do you believe in God?
No.
When you look at all the suffering in the
world, you think: if there were a God, surely
He would do something about it.
The rules say you may call home on Christmas
and one other time during the year.
Isn’t that really tough on you?
We thank you for bringing Noah to us.
It’s nearly 7 in the morning, not exactly
my favorite time of day.
I’m meeting two young women, whose day ALWAYS
starts at 6:30am – and ends at 10:30pm.
They’ve come to Germany from the US.
They’re missionaries for The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, better known
as the Mormon Church.
They’re spending 18 months here trying to
convert people.
And they follow what I think are some pretty
strict rules.
They’re not allowed visitors – and definitely
not male visitors.
So there’ll be chaperones at our meeting.
Should I take my shoes off?
We also needed to get official approval from
the church to make our report.
On the left is Sister Baker, on the right
Sister Case.
The two in the middle are the chaperones.
This is Olli the cameraman.
Hi!
Hallo!
I’ll just leave this here.
Breakfast?
Sure.
Good idea – everyone seems a bit nervous.
I am too, to be honest!
Oh, and by the way, the missionaries only
had 6 weeks of German language classes before
they came here.
Sister Baker and Sister Case are 19 and 20.
They‘ve been in Germany a few months now.
While they’re here, they’re only allowed
to use their missionary names.
We always pray before we eat.
So if that’s ok with you, we’ll pray now.
Sure, sure.
What do I need to do?
We close our eyes.
We thank you lord for what we are about to
receive and we ask You to bless our food.
We thank You for bringing Noah to us.
We thank You for a new day.
In the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Amen
You pray before every meal?
Mhm.
Ok.
I can’t remember when I last tried to talk
to God.
I’m an atheist, I‘ve never been religious.
So, this all feels a bit strange.
Sister Case and Sister Baker spend several
hours a day preparing for their mission, which
mainly consists of proselytizing.
They didn’t choose to come to Germany - that
was decided by the church headquarters in
Utah.
This guy next to me is Joseph Smith, the founder
of the church.
It must be hard work.
Every day, the Mormon missionaries spend about
3 hours studying the Book of Mormon.
Then they do language practice, and then they
read aloud the missionary rules.
Every single day!
But they don’t seem stressed-out.
At least not in front of the camera.
We thank You for everything you have given
us.
Father, we thank You for the opportunities
You have given us.
It seems like they’re praying all the time!
And to my surprise I let them rope me into
a second try later on.
We love You so much.
Help us become more like Jesus Christ every
day.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
There are roughly 16 million Mormons worldwide,
though most of them are in the US.
About 40,000 are in Germany.
Mormons believe that after the resurrection,
Jesus taught on the American continent.
This is the Book of Mormon?
Mmhmm
Ok.
For Mormons, the Book of Mormon is as important
as the Bible.
The Church was founded about 200 years ago
in New York.
The rules say you may call home on Christmas
and one other time during the year.
For further calls with friends or family you
need permission from the mission president.
Only calling your family twice a year - isn’t
that really tough on you, being allowed so
little contact with your families?
It’s very hard at the beginning.
But it gets easier.
We’re very focused on what we’re doing.
So we really don’t have much time to think
about our families.
We know we’ll always have our families.
And to me that means so, so much.
Now that we’re here on mission, we have
a chance to share that message with other
people.
So that they also know that family is there
for all eternity; that family is important.
And that makes us less sad about not being
with our own families.
Because we’re helping others.
Who are we meeting now?
Her name is Rieke.
Ok.
She’s a member of our church.
Pastoral care is an important aspect of missionary
work.
We’re meeting a single mother.
The two young missionaries often pay home
visits.
In general, they definitely keep themselves
busy!
Mormon missionaries attend Missionary Training
Centers before their time abroad.
The two young women are good listeners.
And they always seem to know what to say.
I did something really awful.
I realized my mistake…and that was really
hard.
I cried like a waterfall, all the time.
But it’s interesting that since I’ve been
able to talk about it, I don’t cry any more.
But when you have sinned and confessed and
repented, truly repented, then God says: Okay,
I believe you.
And you can move on.
Because we are baptized, thanks to our saviour’s
atonement, we can be forgiven.
Not just our sins.
It can help when we’re sad or lonely too.
Jesus comforts.
That’s right.
Do you like to sing?
Yes.
I won’t sing along, but I’ll follow the
words.
I’m amazed how open they are in front of
me.
It’s not what I expected.
I’ve been listening to them a while now
and in all honesty, they seem very happy doing
what they do.
But I still don’t fully understand why anyone
so young is willing to give themselves up
so completely to religion.
You can’t drink alcohol, can’t smoke,
take illegal drugs, have sex before marriage.
Don’t you sometimes feel like you’re missing
out?
No.
Why not?
Well, the rules….it’s our decision to
follow them.
We don’t HAVE to follow them – we made
the decision to.
For me they help me know how I can feel closer
to God.
All these things you can’t do – I can
do them.
How do you feel about that?
You’re a child of God.
But I mean, do you see me as a sinner?
How does it work?
Everyone ….everyone sins.
So you don’t judge me?
Ok!
You’re not the first person we’ve met
who’s done…stuff.
How important is your faith to you?
It’s everything!
In a way I wish I believed in God, or at least
was religious.
Because I can see that people who are religious
– and I can see it in you – have a strength.
It gives you direction.
So I actually envy you that.
But when I say to you: I don’t believe in
God, what would you say to me, how would you
start a conversation with me?
We’d start by asking if you believe in God,
and if you said no, we’d probably ask you
something else…....
Well, let’s try that.
Just a minute.
Ok.
So – do you believe in God?
No.
Ok.
Why not?
How did you come to this decision?
Just look at all the suffering in the world.
Everything that’s happening, everything
that could happen.
All this crap ‘s going on, and will continue
when I’m dead.
When you look at all that suffering in the
world, you think if there is a God, and if
he is almighty, then He would do something
about it.
We know that God is our Father and that He
truly loves us.
He loves everyone on Earth.
He is our Father.
But like our parents, he can’t do everything
for us.
He can’t always help.
So when there’s a war, or a hurricane, we
can’t just say: Hey God, why are you doing
this?
We can only say: Ok, things are difficult.
But I believe in God.
So what can I learn?
How can I be better?
How can I grow?
How do I deal with these difficulties as someone
who believes?
Ok, let me put it this way: I’m glad for
you that you have your faith.
I really am.
That faith helps you in your life.
And I think if you use it properly, and don‘t
judge others who have a different way of life,
but use your faith to help people, then it’s
a good thing.
Would you consider prayer?
Like, would you pray to speak with God and
ask whether you’re his child?
You want me to pray – to ask this question?
Ok!
Let’s do it.
Let’s go.
Once a week, the missionaries have what’s
called a preparation day, and they can also
go shopping.
So while they’re looking at shoes, I go
about keeping my promise.
So I didn’t get an answer from God.
So I didn’t get to ask whether I’m a child
of God.
I think if you really want to believe in God,
which I don‘t, but if you really, really
want to believe, and you think someone is
actually there listening, then for you they
are.
At least I tried.
