Day 158 The Visitor’s Center- 09-02-06

Well, we just got back from our temple trip (6:45pm). I'm going to grab a bite to eat and then write about the events of the day.

Early this morning Brother C (our ride to the temple), called and asked us if it would be possible to move the temple trip to later in the day. We said that would be fine with us, but we’d have to run it by A and G. We had not been able to get in touch with A for four days. We went by his place today around 10:00 and… he answered the door! G wasn’t home, but A said that he was looking forward to going to the temple. We told him of the time change and he said that was fine.

So, that squared away, we went to do service (like we do every Sat. and Tues.) Fortunately, the severe rains that we’d had yesterday as part of Tropical Storm Ernesto has died down. By this morning, all we had to deal with was a light drizzle.

After we left the senior center, we checked in on some people, and then came home for our lunch break. We also needed to get ready for the temple trip. Put on our suit coats. Looked pretty sharp. Pierce and Pierce.

We met Brother C downstairs. His wife was planning to come also, but their 15month old daughter was just waking up form her nap, so he came to get us and our investigators first and swing back by and get his family.

We drove to A’s apartment. I saw A standing outside his building and at first I thought that he was waiting for us. He was wearing regular street clothes. I thought this odd since he had told us this morning that he was wearing his nice clothes to go to the Visitor’s Center. That’s when I saw it. A was smoking a cigarette. I had never seen A smoking. When Elder Buttars and Elder Chacon first contacted him and began teaching him, Elder Buttars wrote in his area book how A had quit smoking. I’d assumed that he’d given it up. Looking at A smoking from inside Brother C’s van, I said, “We’re still working with him on the Word of Wisdom.” “I can see that,” said Brother C calmly.

The windows of Brother C’s van are tinted enough to where A could not see inside. When Elder Pierce and I stepped outside in our nice suits, A was a bit surprised. “Oh, you guys are here already?!” he said, discreetly putting out his cigarette. “Hang on. I’m ready. Just let me get dressed.” He ran inside to change.

Brother C told us that he was going to go get his family while A got dressed. We thought that was a good idea. We waited for A. G never showed up. (sigh) A came out looking sharp. Brother C picked us up and we were on our way.

I was distressed to find out that A still had a smoking habit. Nothing was said on the way to the Visitor’s Center. Brother C kept the conversation light. He is also a good returned missionary. He asked A on the way, what the missionaries had taught him about the temple. (Ut-oh, a pop quiz!) A was ready, though. He said, “Yeah, ummm, they told me that it’s different from your regular chapels. People get married in the temple forever.” (A+ A! Now if you can just pass the Word of Wisdom exam, you’ll be set). Which brings me to my happy thought…

Happy Thing for Day 158: Going to the Visitor’s Center with A. We went there to see the new Joseph Smith movie. The next screening time was 4:00. We got there at 3:59. Brother C said he would drop us off at the front and go find a parking place. We would find seats and he would meet us inside.

We went in and were greeted by sister missionaries. “Okay, which one of you lost your name tag?” (haha another Elder Pierce and Pierce joke)

We were also greeted by (recently RM) Brother M and his mother. He just got back from his mission to the Philippines. He is still gung-ho about missionary work and wants to know if we can ever use him for exchanges. “I don’t care what you guys are doing,” he said. “I’ll go tracting with you. Anything.”
Sister M was so excited that her youngest son had come home from his mission. She is in charge of passing around the missionary meal calendar in the ward. She is a big help to the missionaries in the Herndon ward.

The movie was starting, so we hurried to find our seats. The Joseph Smith movie was great as always. It just keeps getting better and better with subsequent viewings.

After we came out, we listened to the Christus. It’s always been very inspiring for me. As I was sitting there, my thoughts turned to S. I remembered when we came here with her. That was so much fun. When I last talked with S, she said she would love to come back sometime, but she wanted to wait until the kids were back in school. I’d like for her kids to go as well, but S tries to keep her kids from it out of respect for her husband and his views about the church. Oh, well. We’ve planned to go by and see her one day next week.

Sorry…sidetracked…Where was I? Oh, yeah, A. A said that he really liked the Christus. He liked that Jesus said, “if you love me, keep my commandments.” A said how none of us are perfect and that he was trying to keep God’s commandments but that it was hard when you have things in your past that keep coming back to haunt you.

We saw the other exhibits. The Washington DC Visitor’s Center is a great place. There are so many things there to help you learn about the church and what we believe.

On the way home Brother C offered to give A a ride to church tomorrow. A says he’ll be ready. Elder Pierce and I still plan to go by tomorrow and give him a “wake up call.”

So, yeah, that was the temple trip today. Tomorrow is Fast Sunday. Those are always tough to get through. We plan to go by and teach J at the N’s house and then J#2 afterwards, so we should be pretty busy. Let’s see, any other thoughts tonight. Well, A’s baptismal date will need to be moved back. He still wants to be a member of the church. Today he asked Brother C what kinds of music members of the church listen to. He has the desire. We just need to help him stop smoking first.