Missionaries Are People Too!

July 15, 2013

commence to start (commence to start!) 

If you have never seen Father of the Bride Part 2 then you... 

1. will not recognize the ___ quote and 

2. must must must MUST watch it. blankets optional. Kettle Corn not optional. 

Gather 'round lovelies. Today for circle time we have TWO stories. 

1. This happened early on in the week. It might have even been last Monday, but let's be honest that's neither very important nor that interesting. So, it was a bright and sunny day (as opposed to  "a dark and stormy night") when we were walking down the street to go to an appointment. Our new mission president has told us "No more tracting" (I will wait while you collect yourself.)           

yes. That's how I felt too. What is missionary work if not tracting? --His reasoning is that the members should find our investigators for us so we can spend our time actually teaching. We're tentatively waiting to see the outcome of this new plan. ANYWAY, we saw a man in his yard, and decided to talk to him (this is not "tracking" this is "OYM-ing" and very, very allowed.) 

Us: Hey! How are you?

Him: I really don't have time right now 

Us: Oh that's O.K! Would it be O.K. if we came back sometime next week to leave a blessing on your home?

Him: Um I really don't have time to talk right now, and I'm Mormon.

*pointing to our nametags*  Us: Oh that's great! We are too!

awkward silence 

*sheepishly* Him: oh, uh, I thought you guys were Jehovah's Witnesses. I'm not actually Mormon, I was just saying that so you would go away.  

BA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! 

*jokingly* Me: Well, is it O.K. if we come back next week then, since you're already Mormon?

Him: um yeah, that sounds fine.... 

Aaaaaaaaaand Scene.

Yeah. It was pretty hilarious. I hope he joins the church because that would be the best story EVER! 

While we're at it, can I just say that a LOT of people think that we're Jehovah's Witnesses, and when they find out that we're not, they want to know the difference. 

Short answer: Um. pretty much everything.  

If you want the whole long explanation, write me a letter. If you don't want the whole long explanation, write me a letter anyway. 

Story number 2: 

We were driving to a less active-member's house (la dee da dee da) and I was in the back seat (We're in a trio, so I'm usually in the back because as a trainee I'm not allowed to drive for the first 6 weeks) and, like any sane person driving around in 100 degree weather, I nonchalantly stuck my arm out the window to cool off. Thirty seconds later I feel something weird and look at my arm. My first thought was "someone threw milk at me!"...............It wasn't milk. I got pooped on by a bird! What?? That must be the sharp-shootingest-robin-hood-of-birds because we were going like 40 MPH, and my arm is NOT that big of a target. 

Yes, you have my permission to laugh. I had to laugh too because it was so randomly weird. My companions didn't stop smiling for the rest of the day (should I be worried?) And NO ONE would answer their door when we tried to find some place to wash it off! I wanted to yell into the houses "I swear I won't say a word, just let me use your sink!" --------yeah, that experience was for the birds. (if you're under the age of 75, you probably have never heard it but yes, that is a real expression.....Goodness, I'm an old lady! ) 

I suppose that has to happen to everyone once in their life, so *whew!* got mine over with. 

Also, and just as a side note, my health has OFFICIALLY gone down the drain. Or, More specifically, into the frying pan with a side of toasty tortillas. Yum! 

Update on Sonya and Francisco: Sonya came to a pioneer day activity with two of her kids, Kevin and Jennifer. It was so amazing! I just adore that family. The only hard thing is that the kids don't speak Spanish, so it was difficult to make them feel welcome, as most of the adults ONLY speak Spanish! This language barrier isn't hard only for me, but between the members themselves, as they are all on different levels of English and Spanish. Thank Heavens you can feel the Holy Ghost regardless of whether or not you understand everything being said!  

My WIWTK for this week (What I wish they knew): Is just that missionaries are normal people. We get hurt feelings like everyone else. We don't like having people yell obscene things at us just like you don't like people yelling obscene things at you; and when you verbally abuse us, you are not endearing yourself to society. It isn't acceptable to treat missionaries poorly just because you don't agree with their religion. Would you ever flip off random people in the street because you knew that they attended a different church? (I'm assuming the answer is no. If the answer is yes...find a pre-school near you to learn proper etiquette) Nothing changes when you see a missionary. And MOST importantly… sometimes all we want to do is wash bird poop off our arm, so answer the door dang it!  

Love You Like Always. 

Hermana Thomas