The mission part 2

A few months ago I wrote a compelling story about the first day on my mission- if you don't remember the Oscar winning story- please check the archives-(October 3, 2008) The Errand of Angels- Day one
WAIT NO LONGER! Part two is here!

The setting: Owen Sound, Ontario- if you want to look at a map and see where Owen Sound is, go to Ontario- it is shaped like an elephant..Owen Sound is the um,waste disposing part of the elephant-there, my dear, is Owen Sound!
It really is a beautiful place..in the warm months but,alas, I found myself there in February..not such a hot spot!

So, as a rule, we had to stop ten people on the street and ask them if they had heard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints- otherwise called "asking the golden question" or, for short, GQing

So, here I was, freezing in the frozen North. It was 4:30 pm, way past sunset. I am decked out in my Eddie Bauer ankle length parka that was more like a black sleeping bag with arms. My face is covered with a scarf, my head with a huge "tuke" or ski cap. All that one could see of me were my baby blues (which are actulally very hazel.)
I realize as we are heading home for dinner, that I haven't met my 10 GQ's goal. Panic stricken, I start approaching people on the street. I look left, I look right..everyone has turned in for the night. Suddenly, a man emerges from a door..I decide this is my chance. As I get up my courage and try to think of a way to approach this man,my 2 companions dash ahead and begin talking..Errrr!
As they are thus engaged, two elderly women exit a store ahead. My companions are a block away by now..so it is my golden opportunity. I dash ahead yelling, 'Excuse me can I have a second of your time?" but, due to the over abundance of paraphenelia that I am wearing it comes out as "mmmhurnebtnmmmkj!"
The two ladies turn and see the missing link running towards them, thrashing arms and mumbling! The two ladies grab their purses and dash down the street- yelling for all to hear that they are being mugged!
I throw off my scarf, lift up my coat (and skirt) and trounce down the street yelling "But I am a missionary!"

And, Yes, I did count it!

The next day, being in the hole as far as GQ's were concerned, I decide early in the day that I would get my needed 10 plus the ones I missed the day before. My companions and I walk down the street, looking like the 3 bad guys in the Superman movie--three abreast (did I really write breast??) anyway- walking three across looking for trouble. Suddenly, a man, my age with ebony hair down to the middle of his back steps out of an apartment. He reeks of some kind of smoke that I didn't immediately identify. Thinking, "hey, this guy is stoned- an easy GQ!" I dash ahead and approach the man. Since I am so smart, I decided to remove my headgear and actually speak English so this guy could understand that I didn't want to mug him! As I remove my headgear, and shake out my gorgeous locks,supermodel style, the guy is instantly drawn to me (who wouldn't be??) I begin to ask him the 'golden question' and precede to ask if we could set up an appointment to tell him more. Well of course he agreed! So the three of us, head up his stairs to his apartment to bring him to repentance. I begin the first discussion- I teach about God and his plan- when I look over and the guy is dead asleep on his bed.. I mean DEAD asleep. We get up and check his breathing (oh stink!) and decide he is alive,but in a drug induced coma. We leave.
The next day, we see him again. He asks why we didn't teach him about our church..we tell him he passed out..he agrees to have us come up again.
Long story short..after a horrible stay in a drug rehab center..he recieves all discussions and agrees to be baptized. Deciding that he is clean and will stay clean, we decide to break him out of the rehab center and get him baptized. The hospital threw such a stink! They didn't want him to leave the hospital with three 21 year old girls! Imagine! They thought we would give him his wanted drugs!
So, after a few days, we find a way to sneak him out on a "good behavior" permit. While out, we quickly arranged his baptism and got him wet!



Stay tuned--Part 3 The phone message!