Someone said they didn't want to accept missionary lessons anymore and how can they turn down the well meaning lady mishies?

"Well meaning" is a nice phrase. Many pests and bothersome intruders mean well. Used car salesman are just trying to make a living and telephone solicitors don't have important job skills, so do we need to support them to our own detriment?

I don't think so. Doing that only emboldens them to take advantage of us and others.

I think it's healthy to put out own interests ahead of strangers who hope to take advantage of our compassion, time, or dollars. There's usually no need to be rude, but neither is there a requirement to play along with their schemes.

It's fine to say, "It's been nice talking to you, but I've decided on another plan of action. Please respect my choice."

Or, "I've given this a lot of thought and I won't be having any more missionary lessons. Please put you time and effort elsewhere."

Or, "I'm not interested in being a mormon. So please don't expect to visit here again. If I ever decide to change my mind, I know where to go. But that seems extremely unlikely."

After a few of these polite responses, someone could say, "I've told you I'm not interested. Leave and don't come back. Goodbye."

Being open and honest is the best course as I see it. Sales people can't make deals if we lie and waffle forever and don't let them use their time on those who are interested.

as well meaning. I'm 60. I've paid a huge price (as most of us have) to be where I am. I found it very offensive when my neighbors, who I really do like, invited me to the ward Christmas party. I was caught off guard. I thought we were beyond this by now. I just told them I had to work, which I did.

I'm very tempted to just write the mother a note and tell her how I feel. Her kids are extremely well behaved and they do a great job of mowing lawn, etc., for me. They aren't extreme mormons.

But I would like them to UNDERSTAND that I don't believe and never will again. I just didn't fall into sin and that is why I don't go anymore.

Why can't people just give me the respect of being smart enough to know for myself what I want. Maybe I'll send a note to the bishop to ask him to tell everyone to LEAVE ME ALONE. Or I'll tell my daughter to tell them. She actually will. She has before.

So, some neighbor whose oldest child is 13 thinks they know better. I know the 13-year-old is behind some of this.

Myself, I hate to say I actually did send the missionaries to 2 people years and years ago. One is my current boyfriend, who I sent the missionaries to after we broke it off and he moved away. I only had his parents' address and his dad invited the missionaries in and offered them a beer!!!! He got a big kick out of meeting me all these years later and found out I was the one who "converted." Actually, his father was the decendent of a Danite. Their last name is Taylor.

And I sent the missionaries to a Catholic couple who I was really close friends with. They humored me.

I just worried I'd never see these people again and they meant the world to me, all of them. The reality is I never believed they'd buy it. I was never a "missionary" for the church. I never bore my testimony. I kept those things very much to myself. I also never prayed in public.

They think the person doesn't mean it unless they say it with an edge. None of us want to do that, but it's the only way to make the point. I guess we have to put up with some harassment or be a little offensive, all because mormons can't accept that we just don't want to go to their church and never will.

I haven't been feeling overly neighborly since that happened.

Hitler was well meaning too.

I agree with Cheryl--except she uses the word "please" too much. Maybe this is OK in the first encounters with Mormon manipulators, but when you get to the thirtieth encounter, you DO have to use an "edge".

I have been nice, for years, in the face of Mormon abuse, harassment, gossip, and, finally, shunning. I resigned without a word--explaining would have made no difference to them.

--Do not make eye contact.
--Do not engage.
--Close the door.
--Walk away.

If there's no door and no escape, interrupt the Mormon, with the word, "NO", repeated at least 15 times. Don't water it down with, "Please" or "thank-you." Do not follow up with any other words.

Mormons are not any more "well-meaning" than their cult is. They are aggressive liars who want your money and your time, and they want to enslave your children for life. What could possibly be "well meaning" about that?