Excuse Me

Dear Family and Friends,

Another week has flown by and we just received our schedule for October and November.  It seems like yesterday that we picked up our schedule for July, August and September and now September is half over.

We have had another wonderful week teaching, however, I had my first encounter with someone who really doesn't like Mormon's.  They were an older couple from Tennessee who wanted a tour of the Tabernacle.  I introduced myself and before I started the tour, I looked over at the woman and could see real animosity in her eyes(the death look).   Immediately I thought of Elder Holland's talk about the sweet sister missionary who encountered an angry man in the park who spit at her and threw mashed potatoes in her hair.  I began to wonder if this man and woman would spit at me or take a swing.  I started the tour and then the questions began (or accusations).   She and her husband questioned me about the Sacrament, missionaries who are barred from their families for two years, tithing etc.  By the time I had finished I was exhausted and wanted to do exactly what the sister missionary wanted to do to her attacker.  Grab them by the neck and say "Excuse Me" you come into our place of worship and belittle, mock and generally hate us.  But I didn't.  I offered them all the literature, maps and even a Book of Mormon.  You would have thought I had offered them poison.  She even refused the Family Search handout, which everyone takes.  I politely smiled and wished them a good afternoon and thanked them for coming.  No response:(  They were with another couple who sort of distanced themselves from us a little and at the end they did take the Family Search handout and very quietly in my ear, thanked me for the tour.  I'm not sure if they were embarrassed by their friends behavior or not, but I think they felt sorry for me. 

But, we had a fantastic day on Wednesday.  Bruce is always in rare form.  His mad sales skills are used to the fullest extent.  He can get almost anyone to take the literature and Book of Mormon.  He also has the ability to teach.  His tours usually last longer than most, but its because he is teaching the Apostasy, The plan of Salvation, or the Restoration.  I had the most lovely couple from St. Louis Missouri.  He was a dentist and she was a chef and both were Jewish.  I gave them a tour of Brigham's house and they asked questions about the martyr of Joseph Smith, the persecution of the Saints and lots about Brigham Young.  At the end they took a Book of Mormon, The Family Proclamation, and the Living Witness of Christ.  He asked me if they could could go on a mission and I told them sure, we would just have to baptize them first.  They laughed and gave me a hug and thanked me over and over again for a wonderful tour and more importantly for answering their questions.  I don't think they will convert, however, I pray they have better feelings about Mormon's and understand us a little better.

The other wonderful part of our week is our visitors from home.  We got to see & visit (and I got a hug) from Bryon Madsen.  Bruce gave him a tour of Brigham's and I was so busy with other tours that I didn't get to talk much.  We hope to visit with him more as he comes to work here a few days each month. (Bryon, so sorry I didn't get a picture of us!)  We love those who stop by and wonder how we are doing, or what are we doing, or are we doing anything!!  

Our other visitors were a complete surprise for me.  We watch for visitors from a Gazebo apart from Brigham's house.  On Wednesday afternoon two women walked up and sat on the porch of the house.  It was Bruce's turn to give a tour so he walked out to greet them.  He escorted them into the house and then came back to the Gazebo to tell me they wanted a tour from a woman.  I went "OH NO" this is going to be difficult.  I walked into the house and there were two sweet friends from high school.  Kathleen Thomas Murdock and Susan Christensen Fagen had just retired and decided it was time to take a girl trip. They were in St. George to see the productions at Tuacahn.  We visited and laughed for over an hour.  It was so fun to catch up, hear about their children and what is happening in good ole' AF.  It was like 1970 all over again (yes that's the year I graduated from HS, don't laugh, you'll be old someday).  

Last but not least, Bruce's sister Bev stopped by on her way back to Mesa.  We had dinner and a wonderful "catching up session".  We are glad she made it home safely after the huge rain & flooding trouble that AZ had.

Its time to get ready for Jacob's so better stop before I don't have enough time to make myself presentable (its getting harder every day and taking more putty and plaster).  We think of you often and pray all is well in your world.  "Keep on Truckin" & keep in touch.

Love to All,

Bruce and Dawna (Elder and Sister)