We might not want to shut the door any more on Mormon missionaries, thinks Alan Stokes, writing for The Australian Financial Review (15th June, 2011) "...just in case they happen to be Broadway talent scouts, presidential candidates, 100 kilogram footballers or accountants who can minimise tax."
Stokes singles out Australian John Bailey as an example. "'Hello, I'm John Bailey and I'm a Mormon,' was never going to get him through the door," says Stokes. However, "'I'm John Bailey, I own ITP the Income Tax Professionals, and...can save you 600 quid' sure will. "
The writer feels John should "jazz up" his door approach because "everyone who wants to succeed nowadays seems to admire Joseph Smith as much as Adam Smith."
According to Stokes, prominent Australian Mormons such as Bailey are using YouTube to proudly declare their faith. "And Mormon missions are, according to Businessweek magazine, 'God's MBAs'".
Stokes notes that Australia has about 128,000 Mormons. He says, "They have always done well on the sporting field through the likes of Winter Olympian Torah Bright and rugby league first-graders Ben Hannant, Lagi Setu—who is on his mission to Birmingham, UK—and Israel Folau, the youngest player to represent Australia in the code."
He calls attention to 19-year old William Hopoate, the Mormon who helped NSW to victory over Queensland in State of Origin Game II, "having knocked back $350,000 –a-year contract offers" and who will leave rugby league at the end of this season to complete a two-year mission for the Church.
"Will will soon be known as Elder Hoppa the Younger, to distinguish himself from his heavyweight boxer father, and will...help spread the word that, yes, Mormons rock!"
For Stokes, Mitt Romney might exemplify rocking Mormons, as he "appeared on the cover of Newsweek...dancing around like a Tony-award-winning Broadway star."
"In Australia," reminds Stokes, "electors in Queensland have their own Liberal National Party Mormon MP in the form of David Gibson. But opinion polls suggest conservative American voters may baulk at Romney's religion." The Republican hopeful made a fortune as head of Bain Capital and served a mission in Paris.
"He probably didn't spend too much time watching the girls at the Lido, given the church's strict views...and the rule that missionaries work six 10-hour days every week," comments the writer.
He notes that ITP's John Bailey served a mission in New York and would not have gone to Broadway offerings such as The Book of Mormon, which won Best Musical along with eight additional Tony Awards.
"The Church has been remarkable good-humoured about the satire from Team America World Police stirrers Trey Parker and Matt Stone," he says. "The musical is giving Mormons the publicity, but not the profits."
"But," notes the journalist, "plenty of US businessmen do very well on that count already. Mormons have held top jobs at Marriott International, American Express, American Motors, Dell Computers, Lufthansa, Fisher-Price, Life Re, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, and Stanley Black & Decker."
Stokes quotes this passage from The Book of Mormon: "And thus they did prosper and become far more wealthy than those who did not belong to their church." "It has worked for John Bailey," says Stokes.
"He started with nothing, did God's MBA, began ITP at age 27, did Macquarie Uni's MBA and now owns a company turning over $40 million-plus. Yet Mormons play down the money side."
According to the article, John Bailey's focus is on "rendering service wherever I can, to whomever I can" and seeking "a balanced life between business, family, community and church, with the aim to live a life that merits living with my family eternally."
According to writer Stokes, "That means avoiding indulgence 'in sorceries, and in idolatry or idleness, and in babblings, and in envyings and strife; wearing costly apparel; being lifted up in the pride of their own eyes'." (Taken from The Book of Mormon, Alma 1:32)
"You don't need to buy the Church's ...version of history or claims to eternal life to be open to the idea that service to the community and family is worthy," says Stokes. "A bit more humility and self-control never hurt anyone. Such is life..."
(John Bailey serves as the Sydney Australia Temple President)