Day 140 –Phone Messages-August 15, 2006
Turn back with me if you will 170 pages in my journal, back to page 95 and {Day 57}. I’m going to expound on the events surrounding Elder Bailey’s departure. First, I must introduce W.
W has been part of the Reston Elders’ service schedule for as long as I’ve been in Virginia, at least. They just go in to check up on him every other week or so. W is clinically insane. D.O., M.W. and R.F. are all Mensa members when compared to W. (W. is not a member of the church) (“He was like a board without a nail.” – The Fool and the Flying Ship) One thing W would always do is call up the Reston Elders and leave messages on their phone. They were crazy messages about things having to do with W’s toenails, messages about W trying to sue the Giant Grocery Store, messages in which W offered to buy the Reston Elders 200 cheeseburgers. And that is only the tip of the insanity iceberg. There were many other messages left by W on their answering machine. Whenever I go on exchanges to Reston, there’s always a new message from W. It drives Elder Oram nuts. But then again, out of all of the Elders that have been here since I’ve been here, Elder Oram is the one who has had to deal with W the longest.
{Day 57} Elder Buttars and Elder Oram went to go play basketball. I stayed with Elder Bailey. We waited for President Bretzing to call back. He said he’d call around noon with his final decision as to whether Elder Bailey would go home or not. The tension was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. Finally, noon came. The phone rang. Elder Bailey answered it. “Hello, this is Elder Bailey…” (pause) “No W! This isn’t a good time!” and then hangs up the phone. Ten minutes later, the phone rings again. Elder Bailey answers it again. “Hello, this is Elder Bailey…” (pause) “Will, I can’t talk to you right now! I might be going home…” (pause) “That’s right W, you might not see me again…” (pause) “W, don’t drop the F-bomb…” (pause) “No, you can’t go home with me…” Elder Bailey talked to W for a few minutes, saying his goodbyes. He then hung up the phone. About two minutes later, the phone rang. Elder Bailey said, “Elder Pierce, you answer it. I’m not talking to W again.” So I answered the phone. “Hello, this is Elder Pierce.” “Elder Pierce, this is President Bretzing. What are you doing over at Elder Bailey’s apartment and why haven’t I been able to get through on this line? Your phone has been busy for twenty minutes.” “Uh, … w-well, well … President Bretzing, … I’m over here with Elder Bailey so Elder Oram can go play basketball with my companion, … as for the phone…I’ll let Elder Bailey talk to you about that.” That’s when I handed the phone to Elder Bailey and he found out that he was going home.
I bring all of this up because today, for the first time, W called us. Elder Phelps had apparently given him our number. When my companion, Elder Pierce, called him up to complain, Elder Phelps said that since he gave out other missionaries’ phone numbers, W hasn’t been calling them as much. It doesn’t bother me too much. I think it’s kind of funny.
We taught C.Z. today. It was the first time I’d been able to teach her since we watched Finding Faith in Christ at her house on {Day 50}. “We have a lot more work to do then,” I first thought. It became apparent that C did not have an understanding of who Jesus Christ really is or why he is important. She’s more or less in the same boat as J.F.W. (See Day {Day 46} and {Day 52}). So we talked a little bit about the Plan of Salvation and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We didn’t go into anything too in-depth. You want to talk about building a spiritual house on a firm foundation? With C., we’re trying to work our way of the basement so we can start building. We did get a return appointment scheduled with C. for next Thursday. We plan to go over the Gospel of Jesus Christ, maybe just a lesson on Christianity in general. We’ll talk with Brother B; see if he’ll be able to go with us. It will be a long process, but if C. is willing to listen, then we’re willing to teach.
Today was a good day. Tomorrow is zone activity and you know what that means…
BOWLING!!! I can’t wait! It’ll be so much fun! Until then, good night.
W has been part of the Reston Elders’ service schedule for as long as I’ve been in Virginia, at least. They just go in to check up on him every other week or so. W is clinically insane. D.O., M.W. and R.F. are all Mensa members when compared to W. (W. is not a member of the church) (“He was like a board without a nail.” – The Fool and the Flying Ship) One thing W would always do is call up the Reston Elders and leave messages on their phone. They were crazy messages about things having to do with W’s toenails, messages about W trying to sue the Giant Grocery Store, messages in which W offered to buy the Reston Elders 200 cheeseburgers. And that is only the tip of the insanity iceberg. There were many other messages left by W on their answering machine. Whenever I go on exchanges to Reston, there’s always a new message from W. It drives Elder Oram nuts. But then again, out of all of the Elders that have been here since I’ve been here, Elder Oram is the one who has had to deal with W the longest.
{Day 57} Elder Buttars and Elder Oram went to go play basketball. I stayed with Elder Bailey. We waited for President Bretzing to call back. He said he’d call around noon with his final decision as to whether Elder Bailey would go home or not. The tension was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. Finally, noon came. The phone rang. Elder Bailey answered it. “Hello, this is Elder Bailey…” (pause) “No W! This isn’t a good time!” and then hangs up the phone. Ten minutes later, the phone rings again. Elder Bailey answers it again. “Hello, this is Elder Bailey…” (pause) “Will, I can’t talk to you right now! I might be going home…” (pause) “That’s right W, you might not see me again…” (pause) “W, don’t drop the F-bomb…” (pause) “No, you can’t go home with me…” Elder Bailey talked to W for a few minutes, saying his goodbyes. He then hung up the phone. About two minutes later, the phone rang. Elder Bailey said, “Elder Pierce, you answer it. I’m not talking to W again.” So I answered the phone. “Hello, this is Elder Pierce.” “Elder Pierce, this is President Bretzing. What are you doing over at Elder Bailey’s apartment and why haven’t I been able to get through on this line? Your phone has been busy for twenty minutes.” “Uh, … w-well, well … President Bretzing, … I’m over here with Elder Bailey so Elder Oram can go play basketball with my companion, … as for the phone…I’ll let Elder Bailey talk to you about that.” That’s when I handed the phone to Elder Bailey and he found out that he was going home.
I bring all of this up because today, for the first time, W called us. Elder Phelps had apparently given him our number. When my companion, Elder Pierce, called him up to complain, Elder Phelps said that since he gave out other missionaries’ phone numbers, W hasn’t been calling them as much. It doesn’t bother me too much. I think it’s kind of funny.
We taught C.Z. today. It was the first time I’d been able to teach her since we watched Finding Faith in Christ at her house on {Day 50}. “We have a lot more work to do then,” I first thought. It became apparent that C did not have an understanding of who Jesus Christ really is or why he is important. She’s more or less in the same boat as J.F.W. (See Day {Day 46} and {Day 52}). So we talked a little bit about the Plan of Salvation and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We didn’t go into anything too in-depth. You want to talk about building a spiritual house on a firm foundation? With C., we’re trying to work our way of the basement so we can start building. We did get a return appointment scheduled with C. for next Thursday. We plan to go over the Gospel of Jesus Christ, maybe just a lesson on Christianity in general. We’ll talk with Brother B; see if he’ll be able to go with us. It will be a long process, but if C. is willing to listen, then we’re willing to teach.
Today was a good day. Tomorrow is zone activity and you know what that means…
BOWLING!!! I can’t wait! It’ll be so much fun! Until then, good night.
posted by Garden Anywhere Box | 5:54 AM
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