Elders - a Novel
by Ryan McIlvain C 2013
Publisher Hogarth London- New York
ANCESTRY WORSHIP - GENEALOGY - BOOK REVIEW
I read this book wanting to know more about those young, white-shirted, LDS missionaries, mostly young men, you see all over - especially in libraries, where they e-mail home. These days some young women are also going on missions to other countries but you won't find them in this book. This book is about the conflict between two Elders (young missionaries in their early twenties) who have been teamed to go door to door, hoping to convert some people to the LDS Faith in Sao Paulo, Brazil. One of them is a native Brazilian who has converted, the other an American from Salt Lake, Utah who has some doubts about his personal faith.
The native Brazilian character begins to imagine himself immigrating to the United States, going to BTU, graduating, marrying, maybe even staying in the US and bringing his family over. Does he still want this religion if those things never happen for him?
The American character feels he has sacrificed life as is usually spent at his age - in school, having Friends, and having sex.
While I did learn a little bit about the organization of missionaries - predictable corporate, I found this book a strain to read. I knew the author had resigned his own LDS membership, and I wonder how much of it was autobiographical. The back of the book features some excellent reviews, but while I congratulate anyone who completes a book, this one left me with a dark feeling.
The missionaries not only have competitiveness and inter-personal problems that become physical and combative, but the American is dowsed with Anti-American feeling. The ending is a walk out.
EXCERPT:
page 237 (After a woman who wanted to be baptized into the faith despite her husband's disinterest is turned down for immediate baptism, and American character Elder McLeod questions this, because if it had been a man they would have gone ahead without his wife's cooperation.)
"My fellow missionaries, let me be as clear as I can. Our inspired leaders have told us to focus on teaching and baptizing families, self-sustain celestial units. This is an effort that matters, and matters everlastingly, and the Everlasting Enemy know this. We will therefore have to work harder than ever to call on God to help us. We will have to exert ourselves more than ever to be obedient and worthy of the Lord's helping hand. The noise of the world, indeed, can be deafening. We need shelter and protection from the world. W e need a place where we can hear ourselves think, a place to present the Gospel in the bright light of simple truth, And where can we find this shelter? Where do we find it? In the rules and regulations of our inspired leaders."
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How does this jive with what I assumed or know about LDS missionaries? From my perspective these missions are is a rte of passage, one that gives youth a chance to see the world outside their home state, to see the world. It isn't just about converting others, it is about experiencing the challenges of being in a minority in the world and butting up against other religions and cultures. It is a test. Teaching anything you know reinforces that learning.
I know that many LDS members marry young - soon after their missions. Some of them have young women waiting for them at home, some (as happens in this book) loose their girlfriends while on a mission. I have heard from an LDS member that if a man does not marry young he may never marry, unless he marries a woman who is not of that religion. According to him, most women do eventually join the church.
It is also considered unusual for all of couple's children to stay in the religion. The world pulls on people.
