Well as many know when Norman and I married that N was raised Mormon, aka Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) and that is what he put down at the office when we got out marriage certificate. I’ve had people since we got married ask me when am I going to convert, or similar meanings with the end result of me saying “SO NOT HAPPENING” or close enough in more polite terms at least.
As some might remember back in December of 2013 N and I went back down to visit with his mom and her hubby (they got married several months after we did back in 2009), so while we where down there they entertained two missionaries from the LDS in their home – nothing overly new I’d talked with other’s who came to her home when I was living with N for that 6 months back in 2009 down in the states so didn’t think much about them being there save that they where close to our ages then the older people I’d talked with (and felt way more comfortable with to degrees). At any rate the two missionaries that where in Ns mom’s home back in 2013, one of theme was from here in Toronto, though not from the ward/stack/area that we are located in. It was interesting to talk with someone from back home while there who was in the Springs doing what he was doing (not my deal but will interesting nun the less).
Well fast forwards something like 10 months or so (don’t know when they first arrived on our doorstep to talk with N) and out of the blue two LDS Missionaries show up on our door step looking to speak with N, no big deal I wasn’t around at the time so really didn’t think much about it as it seems like a one off thing. That wasn’t the case as it turned out. They turned up again while I was home and ya I ignored the fact that they where there talking with N, I just let them talk. Then they turn up about the same time this month and instead of just letting them free in the cold I invite them into the living room (I just didn’t have it in me to keep them out with how blasted cold it was outside – had it been warmer would I have invited them in? I don’t know its likely that I would’t have dun so just yet. But invite them in I did.)
Well it was semi interesting having them in the house, offered them Hot Cocoa and my Gluten Free n Vegan Tea Cake and they both wolfed the stuff down, like they’d not been feed in ages or had anything to drink for a while – made me wonder when the last time was that they actually had anything to eat and drink – which in turn sent me to their web site to look up more info on them in general, never found the answer I was looking for but did come across some interesting stories from their perspectives in regards to having doors shut in their faces, called names and other things dun during the course of their missionary work (talking about LDS missionaries in general not them specifically).
At any rate, they asked if they could come back the following week and preach their word, N looked at me and I was like “alright, sure not a problem” or something to that effect so a date and time was set for them to return. When they did return one was the same and his other companion had been replaced with another new companion (who’d just arrived from Hong Kong a day or so before – like dang they hit the ground running it seems), introductions where made and they where settled in the living room, this time I offered caffeine free Pepsi, Hot Coco, Herbal Tea or Water and at first I wasn’t sure I’d heard the new arrival right but he said a coke would be great ::shakes head:: last I understood LDS do not drink anything that contains caffeine (which is why I’d offered caffeine free pop over the regular stuff and no coffee). So just got the same as last time, Hot Coco (caffeine free because its the only type N can drink – hence why its on offer) with my home made Gluten Free and Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies this time (was out of the cake. It wasn’t until they left that N asked if he’d heard what I thought I’d heard and ya we’d both heard it, neither of us had misheard it would appear.)
Anyhow when they where here they where preaching their word and as some know I actually enjoy watching people and their body language and what it says about them in general when they are taking about various things. Well one of the missionaries spent half his time on his cell phone which was really off putting and as my dad said had he seen it he’s have had a few choice words, I held my tongue but ya I was annoyed to say the least with him on his phone while in the house and supposedly being here to share their word and pretty much letting the other fella do the talking – and its got noting to do with language barrier since he speak perfect english that I can tell, might have been a contacting home thing because of the time difference, but still that doesn’t excuse it like he was doing, if it had been that then saying excuse me and just getting up and into the hall or something would have been the correct/right thing to do not sit there on the phone.
So well that fellow was doing what ever on his phone the other person was going though his script using the visual aid of a mini booklet that has passages from I assume the Bible and from the Book of Mormon (truth be told for all we where given a copy of the pamphlet I’ve not read it just glanced though it – as publications go its been dun well and colourful with eye catching sections that if you are interested would draw the eye to read further, thus on that level its well produced), he asked N to read a few things from it and then to reflect on what was he’d read. He did actually get me to read something what I can’t tell you off the top of my head but it was some saying thing that when i read it rolled off the tip of my tongue and was not very rememberable (if it was I’d remember what it was about and since I don’t the passage meant little to me), I can’t even remember what I said about it but knowing me likely my standard reply of “There are many path’s, we all walk the path that is right for us and only at the end do we come to know more” which to me is true.
One thing that came out of that though was getting him saying “this is right, this is the only true law” or something to that effect. I say this because when ever an alternative option was posed or something that wasn’t part of his script he’d say something to that effect. I found it interesting to hear him talk yet not saw anything what so ever that actually caught my attention as being intelligent or insightful, which is sad on various levels to me because if you believe something so much then you should be able to convey that without seeming to be unable to grasp that what is being said to you might well be the same thing in another form or that the other persons view is just as valid as your view point.
Talked about this with N and my dad after they’d left and I quoted something that I read or heard oh so many years ago… “A Wise Man Says Yes, the poor man will always argue he’s right” and that sums up a lot of things that took place when talking with the fellow and his companion. I understand that they are preaching their word from their faith, and for that I have 0 issue with them doing so. But I also know that your truth differs from mine yet mine is just as valid as yours regardless. No view is more valid then the other when all is said and dun, at least to me this is how it is and I know bloody well that other do not agree with this view point to which I say “Talk to the paw”.
When they where getting ready to leave they asked if we where going to be attending church that coming Sunday, N said he’d tried and I said if the weather was good and nothing else happened we’d attend. I had told N years ago that I would go to the church with him and that I’d attend at minimum first service, second or third would be pushing it though not 100% out of the question just unlikely to happen (third one, second it depends on a lot of various things). I just can’t figure out being in church for three plus hours, that is outside of what I am use to that right now I can’t even see being there longer, but like all things times change.
Before getting ready to leave they asked if we’d be interested in having a “coles notes” version of the Book of Mormon (its from what I’ve seen a pint size version that is shorter then the larger version – though I could be wrong I’ve never looked though the version Ns mom and her hubby had). I agreed to having a copy, why not its something to look at in a physical form and N seemed happy enough that I was willing to have a copy of it – it hurts no one to accept it in my view point. Then he sprung it on us, asking if we’d be willing to read a certain passage from the book we’d been given and then on their next visit to talk about that passage. Oi oi oi oh well should have seen that one coming a mile away but I didn’t. But I agreed that we’d review the passage and give our views of it upon our next meeting and yes I do intend of reading it, understanding it is another matter.
With that they left and dad and we ended up talking about them being here observations about what was going on while they where here and some other things that both N and I had noticed plus dads views on the matter (most of which has been posted here this blog). Well post more as time happens and yes I’ll keep this side of things updated as things things happen or don’t.