5 Reasons Mormon Missionaries Learn Languages Fast #Short

⏱ LDS missionaries are known for learning languages really fast. Here's how they do it.

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[Full-Length Video] How Mormon Missionaries Learn Languages Fast

📖 LEARN A LANGUAGE THROUGH THE POWER OF STORY:

If the Missionary Training Center isn't an option for you, don't despair! You can start learning languages right from the comfort of home with my story-based Uncovered courses. Forget the boring textbooks and time-wasting apps and learn a language the natural, effective way with stories.

📜 SOURCES & ATTRIBUTIONS:

Wikipedia contributors. "Mormon missionary." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 29 Jan. 2022. Web.

[nathanielscreativecollecti]

I served in Chile. I felt like I knew nothing when I finished my MTC experience, then I got thrown into the field and it wasn't so much a study mechanism as a survival mechanism that helped me learn. My companion was from Brazil so he didn't know any English which left just me. I studied more than 20 words a day in flash cards, tested myself weekly, and did everything in Spanish. 3 Months later and I was pretty good but from being an American with Brazilian companions, my accent was shot to pieces. I fixed that over the course of the next 9 months.

[garybrown]

I have learning difficulties I was struggling
It was a miracle that I learned French

[sindypetronella]

thank you so much for serving the people out there who want to learn a language, keep it up. listened to your transcript 3 steps to better listening. I want to be fluent in speaking and listening German and I am glad I have found you and you are helping me in so many ways.

THANK YOU OLLY

[grrubs]

Yup, that's how I learned to speak Dutch. I'm trying to learn Spanish now but I don't have the same support system, so it will take a lot longer.

[caron]

Don't forget the gift of tongues!

[zeldafan]

It’s certainly one of the best ways to learn a language

[WhitneythandoluhleMpila-lnzl]

True I been learning French at MTC for 6 weeks then when i get to the field I know same of the basics and it's make it's simple to talk to people after 6 months you speck good

[ergenekonualkslayanliberal]

You changed the way I see languages. Love from Turkey!

[loganbagley]

As someone who learned the Hmong language in the Missionary Training Center in Utah, I can attest to the truth of Olly's five points. Being a missionary in California, we were learning a minority language in a majority English and Spanish-speaking area, but we looked for chances to practice Hmong with native speakers. We also had one hour of dedicated Hmong language study time every day.

[keppscrossing]

Great video. The immersion really helps. In the MTC they call it the “SYL“ or Speak Your Language program. When I was there in 1985, for the most part, we were not allowed to speak English with anybody who was not learning our language. I was learning French, so when I occasionally would run into a friend from home who was going to Italy in the cafeteria I could speak English with him, but for the most part we were in a total immersion environment for nine weeks back then. About 10 years ago that was reduced to the 6 weeks mentioned in the video. Two sister missionaries in my class had both done 4 years of French at university before becoming missionaries. They said that we covered more French subject matter in those nine weeks than they did in four years of university French. Motivation has a lot to do with how quickly one can learn a language. When you HAVE TO find a way to express yourself in another language, and REALLY WANT TO, you will learn faster than you ever could in a high school or college course, or by using a modern electronic course at home. I can’t emphasize how much praying in a foreign language helps one learn! When I pray I speak to God about the things that are most important to me. When I had to do it in French that gave me great motivation to find ways to express my deepest thoughts and feelings. That was HUGE in helping me master French. When I arrived in France my first companion was, surprisingly, a guy I had gone to high school with who was a year older than me and who I had ran the same race with in track since eighth grade. Though we tried to SYL, of course we sometimes talked about the old days in English. But then I was transferred to Luxembourg with a Frenchman who didn’t speak English, and after one month the other two American missionaries in our apartment were transferred out of the country leaving me and the Frenchman alone. He was extremely egotistical which led to us butting heads quite a bit. This forced me to work even harder to learn how to express myself in French. Fortunately, after another month we had worked most things out and were actually good friends by the time he was transferred out of the country. Two months later, seven months after I had arrived in Europe and nine months after I had started to learn French in the MTC, a Luxembourger told me that they were surprised to find out that I was an American, they thought that I was a native French speaking Swiss. Quite a few months later somebody else told me the same thing. It must be because I mastered French in Luxembourg where I picked up a Germanic accent.

[muhammadisaac]

Practical use of target language makes learning language faster

[dutchreagan]

Olly; since they go on missions at a young age the missionaries are often a bit older when they return to go to college. I attended Thunderbird in Phoenix, Az, specialized in International Business. Part of the curriculum included (mandatory!) language and cultural courses. I'm not Mormon but many of my fellow students were. They could 'waive' the language requirement because of their prior training.

[hijodelsoldeoriente]

Missionaries fascinates me. Here in The Philippines during 1565 onwards, the Spanish friars learned our languages (yes more than 100 distinct languages) to spread christianity. What's surprising is they even learned the alphasyllabary of various Filipino languages.

Hence they literally could read and write various Baybayin alphasyllabary script. They're also attributed to why such writing system is preserved today since pre-colonial Filipinos don't use paper back then.

I somehow thank them, cause because of their records, I am able to learn to read and write two of them which are endangered since very few can read and write such today.

[SestraVixen]

Note to self: Find nearby LDS to practice with.

[angryhephilump]

I love your videos Olly! Thanks for your invaluable information! I’m looking forward to buying your mandarin course when it comes out.

Also just so you know they go by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints. Not Mormon

[lykhjoii]

Where did you get this beautiful shirt from? It looks awesome!

[ajenks]

Olly, where did you serve your mission?

[APlusRussian]

So, targeted pre-immersion, then - immersion on steroids? 😉

[charlesmendeley]

Honestly, when I talked to them about theology, they were not that good at all. They probably do well at small talk and grocery shopping, but discussing the Trinity or historical criticism or single predestination is way above their head.

[CallieMasters]

So if you don't want to talk about God, they've got nothing to say? They probably don't even know how to order a beer.