Finding Activities

Eight art students we found while street contacting

I have talked before of our "finding activities". The first Friday the missionaries are here we take the train into Manchester and do street contacting. The last Friday they are here we go "door to door".

Well------yesterday we did street contacting. We had the usual amount of nervousness. Sometimes it becomes pure terror!!! I have such empathy with the missionaries in our own families who have and are doing and will do this in a 2nd language. It's hard enough when you can speak the language of the people!!!

This was our 3rd time to go and I must admit that although it is getting easier, it is still not easy. It's almost like going to the street markets and bargaining. I remember the first time I ever did that. We were in Hong Kong and were told that you never pay the quoted price, you always bargain. In the beginning it was very uncomfortable, but it soon became almost a game. It was fun just jostling back and forth, and finally arriving at a price you were willing to pay. I got so it was very comfortable for me.

I am hoping that street contacting will soon become very comfortable as well. It is already beginning to feel like a game. You stand in the square, look around for someone who is sitting or does not seem to be in a hurry and then you make a bee line for them. That opening sentence is the killer. Usually goes something like this, "Hi, are you from around here?" "We have just moved here" (how long do you think we can say that?) etc. Very soon they are asking why you are here and then you go for it!

Each time we have gone we have had a completely different experience. I wrote up our first experience. Our second experience turned out to be very fun. We met a group of 8 young art students (pictured above) who are studying at a near by college. They were sitting on a ledge and as we began to talk with them they moved in closer. It ended up that I took one end and Richard took the other end. They were fascinated with Richard's name badge which says, "President Richard Walker" and asked if he was like the President of the United States. I told them "no ---that he was much more important, to me at least!" They had never known a president and they were quite impressed (and we just let them be). We asked them if they believed in God. We went right down the line and they answered "yes" "no", "kinda". They loved our accent (imagine it!) and just wanted us to keep talking! Before we finished, we were joking, laughing, (I told them by the time we were finished with them they would all believe!!!!) and we laughed some more. But 5 of them took copies of the B oM and promised to read it. They all took pass a long cards and said they would go to Mormon.org. I passed a little notebook and pen and they gave me their email addresses. When we said good-bye they all gave us hugs and as they walked away they turned around and called, "Good-bye President!"

Since that time we have kept in contact via email. We are trying to set up a time to meet with them again, but so far, no luck.

That brings us to yesterday. Richard had a long discussion with a man on the train -- he is a lawyer (a barrister) so they had much to talk about. However, he is a proclaimed atheist and is not much interested in a pre or post life. Just lives for the present. But he was happy to listen to our beliefs. He had been to Southern Utah to the canyons and had talked with many Mormons but no one ever really explained to him what we believe and he seemed to appreciate knowing.

When we arrived in Manchester we again hit the streets. For a while we were not having much luck. People turn you away in numerous ways. Some look at your badge and tell you quickly they are not interested. However, I found 2 women sitting on a park bench. I sat down and gave my usual approach "Hi, are you from around here....." Soon they were telling me they were mudders. I told them I didn't know what a mudder was and they said it's one who watches children so I asked if they were like nannies. "No No No" they said, "we are mudders!" And then it dawned on me......they are mothers! Their accents can be so heavy you strain to understand them. But mothers is something I relate to so it was the beginning of a great conversation -- one that led to the church, our views on family, etc. I explained the eternal nature of families and why we are sealed in the temple. One of them raised their hands in despair and explained, "Mercy me! What if you don't want these children forever! Goodness knows there's one of them I could do without!" So how do you respond to that, I ask!

We ended up friends. I told them when I would next be in Manchester and we planned to meet. In the meantime Richard connnected up with a man named Colin Lucas -- related to George Lucas. He has authored several books. They had a great discussion that ended with a BoM and a promise to read it and to email Richard with questions.

Sometimes these promises do not materialize, but we just figure our job is to do the best we can and then it is up to them.

All in all it was a great day. The group gave out 34 copies of the BoM and had 18 referals. And we had fun.