Day 79-Busy Day and a Quote to Add to the Others-06-15-06
Busy, busy day. Lot's to tell.
Elder Chacon is back in our zone this transfer. His reputation precedes him. He was Elder Buttars companion here in this area before I came. I was told of the...well, there really is no other word for it...the "exploits of Elder Chacon."
Every missionary has their favorite Elder C. story. Elder Buttars told me before he went home (from injuries sustained in a bike accident) of the time when he was on exchanges with Elder Chacon. They were on bikes. Elder Buttars was leading the way. Elder Chacon was trying to keep up. Elder Buttars was a very fast biker. Elder Chacon, to put it politely, was not. Elder Buttars went whizzing down a hill as Elder Chacon was making it to the top. At this point, Elder Chacons bike chain broke. Elder Chacon looks down at his broken bike chain and when he looks up he can't see Elder Buttars anymore. He starts coasting down this steep hill. He can't pedal because his chain is broken. He picks up speed and unknowingly, passes the street that Elder Buttars is on. Elder Buttars realizes that there is a problem when Elder Chacon does not show up. He starts pedaling back up the hill to find Elder Chacon. Elder C. keeps trying to find Elder B. They were separated for hours trying to find each other. I've heard many stories about Elder Chacon, but this is a classic.
We went to visit Sister B. tonight. It wasn't planned. We were just kind of brought there. When we arrived, there were lots of cars there. "Are they having a party?", I wondered. We went to a birthday party for Sister B's daughter recently. Her daughter turned 17. All of her friends were nonmembers so that is why we went.
When we went into their home, we knew it wasn't a party. Sister B's mom had died earlier that morning. A bunch of the members from the Herndon ward were there to comfort her. Sister B has never been one to wear her emotions on her sleeve. Every time I've been around her, she has had some kind of funny comment or story. Tonight, though, she was a little vacant. I hadn't seen those eyes since my mother lost her parents two years ago. It's not the crying. It's the look that comes after the tears. After you are all cried out; after the grief sets in. That look-its a tough thing to deal with, but thanks to her knowledge of the restored gospel, she knows that her mother is no longer in pain. She wants to do her mom's temple work in a year. The church is true.
He husband is not a member. He isn't opposed to the church, he just doesn't care for religion right now. We'll keep working with him.
I'm glad that we were able to visit Sister B. today. I know that it meant a lot to her that we stopped in to check on her. She'll bounce back. It'll just take some time.
On the way home, my companion and I talked about Sister B's husband. The member who was our driver that night said, "You know, a lot of men can't understand why you boys do what you do. I don't care what religion you are, you notice when someone really lives what they believe. To find someone your age who has this strong relationship with God is really rare."
I said that it was hard to convert men. Young men or women who are looking for answers, we can talk to. Mothers with their children can become converted, but it's the man that is harder. I said, "He's harder because he's either set in his ways and won't change or just never really saw the importance in having a strong relationship with God. I'm not saying this from experience, 'cause I don't have any." Elder Davis liked that quote, so it'll join the ranks of "dolphin-safe tuna nets and 'amberga's." "I'm not saying this from experience, 'cause I don't have any." 'Night.
Elder Chacon is back in our zone this transfer. His reputation precedes him. He was Elder Buttars companion here in this area before I came. I was told of the...well, there really is no other word for it...the "exploits of Elder Chacon."
Every missionary has their favorite Elder C. story. Elder Buttars told me before he went home (from injuries sustained in a bike accident) of the time when he was on exchanges with Elder Chacon. They were on bikes. Elder Buttars was leading the way. Elder Chacon was trying to keep up. Elder Buttars was a very fast biker. Elder Chacon, to put it politely, was not. Elder Buttars went whizzing down a hill as Elder Chacon was making it to the top. At this point, Elder Chacons bike chain broke. Elder Chacon looks down at his broken bike chain and when he looks up he can't see Elder Buttars anymore. He starts coasting down this steep hill. He can't pedal because his chain is broken. He picks up speed and unknowingly, passes the street that Elder Buttars is on. Elder Buttars realizes that there is a problem when Elder Chacon does not show up. He starts pedaling back up the hill to find Elder Chacon. Elder C. keeps trying to find Elder B. They were separated for hours trying to find each other. I've heard many stories about Elder Chacon, but this is a classic.
We went to visit Sister B. tonight. It wasn't planned. We were just kind of brought there. When we arrived, there were lots of cars there. "Are they having a party?", I wondered. We went to a birthday party for Sister B's daughter recently. Her daughter turned 17. All of her friends were nonmembers so that is why we went.
When we went into their home, we knew it wasn't a party. Sister B's mom had died earlier that morning. A bunch of the members from the Herndon ward were there to comfort her. Sister B has never been one to wear her emotions on her sleeve. Every time I've been around her, she has had some kind of funny comment or story. Tonight, though, she was a little vacant. I hadn't seen those eyes since my mother lost her parents two years ago. It's not the crying. It's the look that comes after the tears. After you are all cried out; after the grief sets in. That look-its a tough thing to deal with, but thanks to her knowledge of the restored gospel, she knows that her mother is no longer in pain. She wants to do her mom's temple work in a year. The church is true.
He husband is not a member. He isn't opposed to the church, he just doesn't care for religion right now. We'll keep working with him.
I'm glad that we were able to visit Sister B. today. I know that it meant a lot to her that we stopped in to check on her. She'll bounce back. It'll just take some time.
On the way home, my companion and I talked about Sister B's husband. The member who was our driver that night said, "You know, a lot of men can't understand why you boys do what you do. I don't care what religion you are, you notice when someone really lives what they believe. To find someone your age who has this strong relationship with God is really rare."
I said that it was hard to convert men. Young men or women who are looking for answers, we can talk to. Mothers with their children can become converted, but it's the man that is harder. I said, "He's harder because he's either set in his ways and won't change or just never really saw the importance in having a strong relationship with God. I'm not saying this from experience, 'cause I don't have any." Elder Davis liked that quote, so it'll join the ranks of "dolphin-safe tuna nets and 'amberga's." "I'm not saying this from experience, 'cause I don't have any." 'Night.
posted by Garden Anywhere Box | 5:30 PM
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