BEING PROSELYTIZED

A couple of weeks ago, we had our neighbors over for Sunday dinner.  While talking to them about our being missionaries and the gospel of Jesus Christ did not seem appropriate at that first meeting, I (Russell) have been trying to think of ways to follow-up and perhaps take our discussion in that direction.  The only thing that came to me was maybe I could get them a watermelon.  It seemed kind of a random thought.  The next time we went to the store, Eileen wanted a watermelon, so I got two.  While bringing our groceries in from the car, I dropped one off at our neighbors.  Theotus was both surprised and appreciative, but nothing more has come from that simple act.

In the Mansion Apartments, mail is not delivered to each apartment.  You and over 400 of your neighbors each have a mailbox in a single central location.  We never have anything sent to it, so we rarely ever open it.  When we do, it is stuffed full of ads and other junk mail. Yesterday Eileen decided to check the box for some reason.  This was perhaps the third time we have done so since moving here.  In amongst the many things that quickly found their way to the garbage was an envelope with “From the residents of 2503 to the residents of 2504,” handwritten on the outside.  Inside was a tract from the Jehovah Witnesses.  As it was not near the top of the stack of mail in the box, and it did not address us by name, I believe it must have been from Theotus and Lola, from a time before they knew our names.  We the missionaries were being proselytized!  They probably looked at us and thought we were a nice young couple (relatively speaking), and they could do their part to spread God’s Word. I can now understand better why Lola looked so nervous when she first came over.  She was probably concerned that the discussion would go towards religion because of what they sent us.  And here she was eating dinner at a table over which hung a four-foot framed quote of Joshua 24:15, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  It is nice to live in a community where there are many good people trying to live their religion and sharing it with others.

This beautiful sunset photo taken at our apartment complex was taken by Elder Parker.  We have beautiful sunrises and sunsets here in Missouri.

Although the missionary department encourages all missionaries to get a flu shot, many were unwilling.  Instead of holding a flu shot clinic at Zone Conference, we are going to reward the missionaries with a Crumbl cookie if they take the initiative to get vaccinated.  Sister Beach and Sister Dow were the first to respond.

There were at least 2 dozen geese wandering around behind the mission office. 

This plaque is over our kitchen table. 

I took Sister Dean and Sister Williams out for lunch and was asked to wear light blue.  It was kind of like a family photo. Sister Williams is returning home tomorrow due to some health issues. She has been an amazing missionary. 

We celebrated Russell's birthday and Sister Creer's half anniversary by going out for Italian.  Russell and I ordered something with a wallop of garlic in it.  I was tasting garlic all night long.