Learning English with the Mormons?

[Torsten]

Did you know that you can learn English with the Mormons? I don't what country you live in but the chances are that they are near you too.

The Mormons have missionaries in a lot of countries and these are usually young college graduates who want to explore the world and experience different cultures before they go to university. They often roam the city in pairs dressed in some type of modern uniform wearing white shirts, black backpacks and name tags. I remember watching them approaching people in downtown Leipzig. Since they can easily be identified as American I decided to approach them myself and they turned out be pretty friendly and open-minded. They invited me to attend one of their "free English conversation classes" and I went there several times with my wife and we enjoyed talking those young Americans very much.

Interestingly the Mormons have been in East Germany for decades even when this country used to have a socialist/communist government. The Mormons must have been able to cut some kind of deal with the GDR government because I remember my parents telling me about their temple which they had built in Freiberg, a small city in the south east of Germany. The temple was a very modern and beautiful building which was said to have cost a couple of million dollars be build. The Mormons obviously are a peaceful and rather harmless organization. At least that's what I think based on my experiences.

Any other thoughts?
Thanks,
Torsten
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[Jamie (K)]

Torsten, I think Mormons are actually obligated to do two years of missionary work somewhere, if they are physically capable of it. We used to recognize them because they traveled in twos and wore dark suits and ties. Now they wear black pants, white shirts and bicycle helmets. They've got an intensive language school in Utah that teaches not only the world's major languages, but even some very obscure ones. I met a Mormon who was one of the world's very few non-native speakers of some obscure dialect of Polynesian. So many Mormons in so many parts of the world have done missionary work in so many different places that some companies actually locate their international telephone service centers in Utah.

[Torsten]

Hi Jamie,

I think organizations like the Mormons are good examples of the "American success principle". The vast majority of all internationally operating organizations, communities, churches, agencies and companies originate in one single country: the US. They follow basic success principles like creating value for as many people as possible without worrying about the returns.
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[Jamie (K)]