I thought the earlier post on Mormon folklore went well, so I went and dug up the only Sunstone issue I own, which happens to contain William A. Wilson's article "On Being Human: The Folklore of Mormon Missionaries." Somehow I managed to avoid reading the article until now. The main theme is that folklore stories aren't really about the ostensible objects of the stories, such as the Three Nephites; they're really about the people relating and re-telling the stories. Yes, that's irony alright, although I didn't note that choice term in Wilson's essay.
That, I suspect, is the sense in which Wilson intended this comment (which Clark didn't like) which I quoted in the first post: All the stories are true — it depends on the truth you're looking for. So these stories are reflexive rather than objective. Personally, I find flesh-and-blood missionaries a lot more interesting than the Three Nephites, so I'm quite happy with that approach. Consider the explanation offered by Wilson for a story told and retold (with variations, of course) about two missionaries stranded with car trouble in a Canadian blizzard who were then rescued by a passing motorist, who later unexplainably disappeared. This is a One Nephite story (sometimes they work alone). Here's Wilson's commentary on this and another story:
The first two stories deal with the very real dangers missionaries face on the highways and at the hands of the frequently hostile people they must try to convert. The telling of these stories provides some relief from the fear engendered by these circumstances. For example, the teller of the missionaries-in-the-storm narrative related it to prove: "the ability of the Lord to protect those who place their faith in him and lead good lives."
There are scriptures that could be quoted to show the Lord protects those who serve him. For example: "And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up" (D&C 84:88). Well, you can see why the snowstorm story gets more airplay. Young missionaries on the evangelistic firing line don't really want to hear elliptical references to hair or sparrows, they want to hear that if their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, a Nephite will drive by to render assistance. Even in Canada.
My Samoan companion was big into Folklore, always bringing up stories of past missionaries in Samoa who either died or escaped death due to disobedience or obedience, etc.
Otherwise, our "folklore" was all still pretty new stuff, first hand and second hand accounts of the missionaries, their trainers, or of a past mission president.
One interesting bit of folklore in the mission was that a fellow missionary (actually my second companions trainer) served his last area in the same place as his first area and by the time he returned to that area, the ward had turned a biking accident that had been caused by him being hit by a car when he was there 20 months previously into his having passed away. Thus it was very surprising to the local members to see him alive and well.
Posted by: Matt W. | Jan 11, 2007 at 09:58 AM
That is a classic Sunstone article.
Exchanging folklore stories with my fellow missionary companions and apartment mates, often well into the late night or early morning hours, are some of my most vivid memories from my mission. At the time I probably believed or at least took seriously at least 75% of the stories. Now I recognize them for what they were: folklore.
However, even if most of those stories were 99% false, they still had merit (as is brought out in the article) as a means of releasing tension/pressure, shaping behavior, and helping me keep the faith.
As folklore shared amongst peers I find such stories innocuous; however, if preached from the pulpit by people in positions of authority, I find it irresponsible and manipulative.
Posted by: Matt Thurston | Jan 11, 2007 at 05:56 PM