After arriving in Michigan, I spent my first months in the beautiful city of Ann Arbor. The city is distinguished by numerous trees and home of the University of Michigan, and the infamous Big House. It is also home to some oddballs including a man who suits up in a woman's bra and squirts people with his water gun while riding his bicycle, and to the woman referenced in the following story.
I had been in Ann Arbor for a week and a half when my trainer and I spent an afternoon street contacting downtown. Our encounter with an average looking woman found at a newspaper dispenser is preserved, as the dialog between us was recorded that day.
"... we were passing by her and said, "Hello. How are you doing?" She turned and looked at our name tags, then it started. "I'm Roman Catholic." "Okay, ma'am. Well ...." "Bye!" She interrupted. She turned us around and as we told her to have a good day, she began reading the newspaper aloud in a state of ignorance. We walked away and began speaking with someone else. During this conversation, she passed by saying, "I know who you are. We talked before. I remember, two tall guys." She continued onward and crossed the street. Our conversation ended and we began walking again. There was that crazy loon, now staring at us from across the street! As our proximity to her shortened she started shouting, "You guys are weird! You are weird!" We passed her by, but she followed and continued her shouting. "This is the second time you've done this to me. You better never interrupt me when I'm reading the newspaper!" She continued after us for a few minutes still shouting. As we were able to distance ourselves further, her words became more interesting. "Are you a weird cult? Oh ho, you are, you're a weird cult!"
Okay lady who's been following and shouting at me for some time, you're right, I'm weird."
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
The Fortune Cookie
Serving in the Warren area, I became associated with a member by the name of Won-Tai Kim. Won-Tai was originally from Korea, but had been in Michigan for a number of years on a work visa. His red corduroy jacket and bright-orange framed glasses typify this man's personality. He was full of energy and always laughing, and also a great help to us as missionaries. He was always willing to teach with us, and would be our member-present at least twice every week. He became a good friend over the short time I was around him. It is from him, that I learned the saying, "What in the Sam Fong?".
During an October General Conference, Elder Russell M. Nelson gave a talk about the gathering of scattered Isreal. Throughout the scriptures and especially in the Old Testament, we read that the time will come that all the tribes of Isreal will be gathered together again. Elder Nelson, talked about the early days of the church and how at that time, this gathering was being realized physically. As the church grew, more missionaries would preach the gospel, more people would be baptized and in most cases make the trek from the Eastern states or Europe or wherever to where the body of the church was; ultimately in the Salt Lake Valley. Elder Nelson then talked about missionary work, and that today the gathering of Isreal happens a bit differently. It has become a spiritual gathering rather than a physical one. He mentioned that the gathering place for the saints now, is in the place they already live.
We were sitting a few rows behind Won-Tai during this talk, and I caught some humor when Elder Nelson said, "The gathering place for Korean saints is in Korea." I looked at Brother Kim after the words were said and noticed him chuckling a little. For the next two weeks, this became a standing joke. Whenever we'd see him, we'd remind him that his gathering place was in Korea, and ask him what he was still doing in Michigan.
On preparation day, two weeks after conference, Won-Tai said he wanted to take us out to lunch. We went to the Bankok Cuisine in East Pointe (as a side note, this was my first experience with Thai food and it was fantastic). The meal started normally, and we talked about some of our investigators and other normal things. Then he told us he had news for us. Learjet, the company he worked for, had been going through lay-offs for awhile and he had just been layed off. What made the news bigger is that his work visa had expired, which meant if his current employment status changed he would in actuality have to move (gather) back to Korea. It was crazy to think that something we'd been joking about for two weeks ended up happening to him. He had about three weeks from then to get everything in order and leave the country. We thanked him for his help and told him how much we'd miss him.
To this point, this story of course has no relation to the title (The Fortune Cookie), right? Well at the end of the meal, our server brought us each a fortune cookie. Won-Tai's fortune cookie was perfect, so I wrote it in my journal:
"Pack your bags. You are bound for an exciting destination to the far east."
Won-Tai is back in Korea, and is now happily married and expecting a newborn baby in March.
During an October General Conference, Elder Russell M. Nelson gave a talk about the gathering of scattered Isreal. Throughout the scriptures and especially in the Old Testament, we read that the time will come that all the tribes of Isreal will be gathered together again. Elder Nelson, talked about the early days of the church and how at that time, this gathering was being realized physically. As the church grew, more missionaries would preach the gospel, more people would be baptized and in most cases make the trek from the Eastern states or Europe or wherever to where the body of the church was; ultimately in the Salt Lake Valley. Elder Nelson then talked about missionary work, and that today the gathering of Isreal happens a bit differently. It has become a spiritual gathering rather than a physical one. He mentioned that the gathering place for the saints now, is in the place they already live.
We were sitting a few rows behind Won-Tai during this talk, and I caught some humor when Elder Nelson said, "The gathering place for Korean saints is in Korea." I looked at Brother Kim after the words were said and noticed him chuckling a little. For the next two weeks, this became a standing joke. Whenever we'd see him, we'd remind him that his gathering place was in Korea, and ask him what he was still doing in Michigan.
On preparation day, two weeks after conference, Won-Tai said he wanted to take us out to lunch. We went to the Bankok Cuisine in East Pointe (as a side note, this was my first experience with Thai food and it was fantastic). The meal started normally, and we talked about some of our investigators and other normal things. Then he told us he had news for us. Learjet, the company he worked for, had been going through lay-offs for awhile and he had just been layed off. What made the news bigger is that his work visa had expired, which meant if his current employment status changed he would in actuality have to move (gather) back to Korea. It was crazy to think that something we'd been joking about for two weeks ended up happening to him. He had about three weeks from then to get everything in order and leave the country. We thanked him for his help and told him how much we'd miss him.
To this point, this story of course has no relation to the title (The Fortune Cookie), right? Well at the end of the meal, our server brought us each a fortune cookie. Won-Tai's fortune cookie was perfect, so I wrote it in my journal:
"Pack your bags. You are bound for an exciting destination to the far east."
Won-Tai is back in Korea, and is now happily married and expecting a newborn baby in March.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Fallen Angel
Okay, so this is one of the craziest things I was involved in, in Port Huron, and the a bit of background is essential. We were teaching two unmarried couples that happened to be friends with each other. One couple, which I will call the Zimmer team, had been evicted from their apartment and the other couple, Rob Hornyak & Carlene Nicols, had allowed them and their cat (Angel) to temporarily live with them. Together we called this group the "Zimyak Team." The Zimmer team had stayed longer than expected and somehow a lot of tension was building amongst the four adults now living in the same bedroom. My journal entry reads as follows:
"... the big news of the day is the Zimyak team! We went over for a lesson before the soup kitchen and taught Rob and Carlene (Hornyak team). While we were there, the Zimmer Team was out apparently looking for a real job. We finished up the lesson and went to serve at the soup kitchen at 11:30. Rob was leaving for work and Carlene said she had school in a bit.
When we got in for the night, Carlene had left a message for us to call her. We were in the apartment for just a couple minutes when she called again. She told us that she had been arrested and released after the Zimmer Team accused her of killing Angel, their cat. Carlene said, she had found the cat dead and wet in the sink when she got home from school. Also, she found a window to be broken. She wasn't sure who had broken in to drown the cat.
Some time passed. Elder Whitchurch and I discussed what may have happened. They had recently kicked out a roommate... maybe he came in the house and did the deed. He knew the Zimyak Team much more than we likely do. He knew that framing this horrific scene would tear them apart.
We then got a call from Bro. Zimmer. He told us that he had bad news. That Carlene had killed Angel and they've packed their bags and left. We inquired and he told us some details. The cop said the cat died around 12:30 (One hour from when we left! We were playing with that cat today, dangit!). Carlene had a bandaged up hand with teeth and scratch marks when the Zimmer Team got there. We asked Fred (Zimmer) if he knew what time Carlene's classes were. He told us 12:30, but that she didn't go today!
When we were at the house today, she was reluctant to get ready when Rob asked her why she wasn't. She was very quiet, perhaps more so than usual. She knew when to expect the Zimmer Team home, and once Rob went to work she would have the house, and Angel, to herself.
I can vividly picture what her slow-moving person looked like as she handled the innocent cat into the water. The horrid thought that she'd killed a cat with water, something it's naturally afraid of, plagues my mind. Our baptismal candidate is a cat-killer!"
"... the big news of the day is the Zimyak team! We went over for a lesson before the soup kitchen and taught Rob and Carlene (Hornyak team). While we were there, the Zimmer Team was out apparently looking for a real job. We finished up the lesson and went to serve at the soup kitchen at 11:30. Rob was leaving for work and Carlene said she had school in a bit.
When we got in for the night, Carlene had left a message for us to call her. We were in the apartment for just a couple minutes when she called again. She told us that she had been arrested and released after the Zimmer Team accused her of killing Angel, their cat. Carlene said, she had found the cat dead and wet in the sink when she got home from school. Also, she found a window to be broken. She wasn't sure who had broken in to drown the cat.
Some time passed. Elder Whitchurch and I discussed what may have happened. They had recently kicked out a roommate... maybe he came in the house and did the deed. He knew the Zimyak Team much more than we likely do. He knew that framing this horrific scene would tear them apart.
We then got a call from Bro. Zimmer. He told us that he had bad news. That Carlene had killed Angel and they've packed their bags and left. We inquired and he told us some details. The cop said the cat died around 12:30 (One hour from when we left! We were playing with that cat today, dangit!). Carlene had a bandaged up hand with teeth and scratch marks when the Zimmer Team got there. We asked Fred (Zimmer) if he knew what time Carlene's classes were. He told us 12:30, but that she didn't go today!
When we were at the house today, she was reluctant to get ready when Rob asked her why she wasn't. She was very quiet, perhaps more so than usual. She knew when to expect the Zimmer Team home, and once Rob went to work she would have the house, and Angel, to herself.
I can vividly picture what her slow-moving person looked like as she handled the innocent cat into the water. The horrid thought that she'd killed a cat with water, something it's naturally afraid of, plagues my mind. Our baptismal candidate is a cat-killer!"
Friday, January 7, 2011
The Apple
The question was raised as to the minimum number of bites it would take to consume an entire apple. My MTC district set out to determine the answer by scientific experimentation. Experimentation was done, and I was able to eat the apple (including everything except the stem) in THREE bites. Later non-believers of the Zone were silenced as the 3-bite feat was performed again during dinner time.
As the rest of my short time at the MTC drifted away, new friendships were established with new missionaries than I. My time became far spent and word had gotten around at the wonders my mouth could do. I felt I owed it to my new found friends to eat an apple in three bites for them. The following is taken directly from my journal, and describes the event:
"... it was announced that I'd be doing it for my last time, so all eyes were on me. "Three bites, no way, you can't do that!" I grabbed hold of that apple and I bit it. Eyes were widened. I had just eaten nearly half of the apple with my first bite! "Oh my gosh! He's actually gonna do it!" I looked at the remainder of the apple and knew what had to be done. My thoughts were echoed by my dear friend Elder Clarke, "Oh dude, Beaver, two bites, you're gonna do it." Attention was magnified and many were speechless. This is when I got cheers and chants of, "Beaver! Beaver!" I looked that apple in the core and brought it to my teeth. Further and Further into my mouth it went until it was all the way back. All I had to do was close my mouth and I'd be set ... Applause was given, and an ovation from the crowd. It took awhile to maneuver it and chew it fully, but I got the job done."
Apples can be eaten in TWO bites.
As the rest of my short time at the MTC drifted away, new friendships were established with new missionaries than I. My time became far spent and word had gotten around at the wonders my mouth could do. I felt I owed it to my new found friends to eat an apple in three bites for them. The following is taken directly from my journal, and describes the event:
"... it was announced that I'd be doing it for my last time, so all eyes were on me. "Three bites, no way, you can't do that!" I grabbed hold of that apple and I bit it. Eyes were widened. I had just eaten nearly half of the apple with my first bite! "Oh my gosh! He's actually gonna do it!" I looked at the remainder of the apple and knew what had to be done. My thoughts were echoed by my dear friend Elder Clarke, "Oh dude, Beaver, two bites, you're gonna do it." Attention was magnified and many were speechless. This is when I got cheers and chants of, "Beaver! Beaver!" I looked that apple in the core and brought it to my teeth. Further and Further into my mouth it went until it was all the way back. All I had to do was close my mouth and I'd be set ... Applause was given, and an ovation from the crowd. It took awhile to maneuver it and chew it fully, but I got the job done."
Apples can be eaten in TWO bites.
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