Culture Shock and the Call: Finding the Spirit in the Unexpected

If you’ve ever felt that stomach-dropping moment—the one where everything you thought you knew about a place, a people, or even yourself, just evaporates—you know the feeling. It’s the kind of shock that makes you question everything, but in the best possible way.

I was recently watching a video of a returned missionary recounting his first day in the Philippines. And honestly, it hit me right in the chest. He was so excited, counting down the days at MTC, ready for the mission field. But the reality? It was a sensory overload. Loud, foreign, and completely different from the structured environment we train in.

He talks about the language barrier, the overwhelming sounds of the city, and the sheer *volume* of life happening all at once. It’s a powerful reminder that while we study doctrine, we are also being prepared for the messy, beautiful, unpredictable reality of the field. We train for the *ideas*, but the Spirit prepares us for the *moments*.

The Beautiful Overwhelm of the Field

What struck me most wasn't the noise or the language difficulty, but the resilience and the immediate, open welcome he received. Despite his nervousness, despite the culture shock, he was immediately immersed. He was soaking wet in the rain while trying to find the right meetinghouse—that’s missionary life, isn't it? We don't get to unpack first; we get dropped in, and we have to start working.

Think about that baptism later that night. He was shaking, standing before ten people, giving a talk with phrases he’d learned in MTC. And what happened? The people didn't just nod politely. They were supportive. They were encouraging. They were *there*.

A Little Nugget for Our Discipleship

This is the heart of it, friends. The Lord doesn't always give us a gentle ramp-up. Sometimes He throws us into the deep end—a new area, a challenging culture, a difficult conversation—and we have to find our voice, our testimony, right there in the soaking rain. We have to be willing to be corrected, to listen when someone gently points out a pronunciation error, because that correction is the pathway to better discipleship.

It makes me think about how often we, as disciples, get comfortable in our routines. We get comfortable in our familiar study groups or our predictable mission discussions. But the Spirit whispers that the greatest growth happens when we lean into the unfamiliar. It’s when we realize that being an internet missionary isn't just about posting; it's about showing up, even when we feel completely out of our element.

If you’re feeling that little flutter of nerves right now—maybe before a talk, maybe before a tough conversation with an investigator, or maybe just before logging into your next study session—remember this feeling of being overwhelmed. It means you are about to be moved. It means you are about to be blessed.

We are all in this together. We are the Rogue Disciples, and we learn to be Christlike not in the quiet moments, but in the downpours, the loud streets, and the unexpected calls to speak.

If you’re looking for ways to practice leaning into the unexpected, I highly recommend checking out the Book Club feature in HolyPlaces. It’s a wonderful, low-stakes way to practice sharing insights with others. For those of you who are preparing for the field, let’s use Davee this week. If you have a tricky question you anticipate an investigator might ask, throw it at him in the AI Investigator role. Let’s sharpen those answers together!

Keep striving to be disciples everywhere, all the time.