Every Member a Missionary
Well, I just returned from a short trip back East to attend my very first session in a holy Temple.What a beautiful, peaceful, educational and just wonderful experience.
Immediately after leaving the Temple, my escort, sweet Sister Mathusek drove me to Newark airport where I was able to bask in the glow of one of the best days of my life thus far while I waited for my flight back to Chicago.
Little did I know my day was only going to get better.
My flight got in over an hour late-late enough that I decided instead of trudging through public transit, which was managable, less than $5 and would take at least 3 hours to splurge and call a taxi. As I realized we had a little drive ahead of us and that the cab driver was very friendly I decided a few minutes into the ride, "I am going to teach this man about the church."
So, I started a conversation with him that I knew would lead to the fact that I'm going to be doing missionary work.
He was very interested to hear about my mission and how it works. I explained who goes and when and for how long and how we just send in our papers and the Church takes it from there. He was blown away when he learned that I wouldn't be paid in money for my service, and that in fact I would be paying to support myself through it.
Then, it occurred to him that when I said, "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints" that I meant "Mormon" and he became very interested because he didn't know much about it.
I smiled that big goregous smile of mine and said simply, "Well, you've got a captive audience here so just feel free to ask me any questions you want and I'll do my best to answer them."
This comment spurred an awesome discussion. I started by talking about the formation of the church, and explaining the need for a restoration. I was able to talk very briefly about the priesthood and the need for baptism-I could sense that he had a very deep love for the Savior, so I held onto that, and I clung to the Spirit with all my heart so that the words that came out of my mouth would be familiar to him and make sense. He talked about his own beliefs and told me that he didn't need to be baptized by immersion because the Spirit can baptize us and make us clean. I was able to explain a little about what I know about the need for Baptism and also the Sacrament and use his understanding of the Grace of God to expound on the Atonement.
Now, as you picture this conversation, let me set up the scene for you: there was me, in my long black skirt, a button-up blouse tucked in, this little bitty twenty-something white girl that he probably thought to himself that he should have realized I was Mormon before I told him. He was a few inches taller than me, but HUGE. This really big black man who shaves his head, probably in his late thirties/early forties and easily weighing in at close to 275 lbs. I got the impression that this was a man who was used to people listening to him and was used to exerting influence-and here was this little bitty white girl in the back seat of his cab speaking and testifying to him of what she knows in a manner that left him speechless more than once. He was clearly taken aback that for once, he wasn't in a position of influence and that instead, he himself was being influenced.
He was feeling the Spirit, and many times he would have to pause and rub his chin and try to figure out how to respond.
Toward the end of the ride home, he said to me, "I'm going to something I have never done before. I'm going to get me one of your books that I see all the time and I'm going to open it up and read it." I told him a little bit about that book and I told him just enough to hopefully spark an even keener interest in its contents.
When we got to the house, and I paid him for the ride, gave him directions back to the highway and a card with a number he could call to recieve a copy of the Book of Mormon. He turned around and asked me, "Miss Pollock? Can I ask you what you think of me?"
I smiled and looked him in the eye and without hesitation said, "As we have been talking tonight, I can see that you are a righteous man with righteous desires. I can see very plainly that you have a deep love for our Heavenly Father and for his son, Jesus Christ, and I know you have been blessed for that Love. I know that you will have amazing opportunities to draw closer unto to Him and that as you take those opportunities you will contiue to be blessed in ways you never thought possible."
He looked like he might cry. Instead he asked me humbly, "Can I please shake your hand?"
I smiled and very graciously complied. I exited the cab and told him to have a very wonderful evening and wished him well.
That man might never call the number I gave him, and he might never do as he said he was going to and read the Book of Mormon...but there is no denying that he felt the Spirit and he had a whole lot to think about for the rest of the evening. I'm curious to imagine what he might have said to his wife when he got home. At the very least, I left a good impression by tipping him well. It's a schlep from Midway to Winnetka.
Me? I was as high as a kite-THAT is what it's all about. Going through the Temple left me with an amazing confidence in myself and my abilities...I LOVE that I get to spend 18 months of my life doing this. And what I Love most of all, is that even though I can't wait to engage in full-time missionary service I don't have to wait to enter the MTC to begin.
Just thirty-six more days and counting...
posted by Ashley @ 8:26 AM
