Week 18: Learning is Success

May 18, 1988

Things are starting to pick up a little around here.  Tomorrow, if all goes well, I will teach my first standard discussion to Leslie.  Woo Hoo!

Last Thursday we went out to check on some old call backs that we hadn't managed to get back to.  The first was not interested, the second was not home, and the third was busy and asked us to come back.

On Friday we stayed in and studied.  There does not seem to be much work to do; we could tract but the fact that it is typically fruitless is not very appealing. We could try to see members, but they are usually not home as both parents typically work.  I can see Elder Golf's point of view, but he taught and baptized here. He had success here. The most success I have had is getting in off a door approach. I also have not had success anywhere else as this is my first area.

We did more studying on Saturday before going out in the afternoon.  When we returned to our flat in the evening, we ran into a group of born-agains in the parking lot of the apartment complex.  They saw us and pounced.  The ring leader asked us how we were "saved."  I answered by talking about accepting Christ as our Savior, repenting of our sins and being baptized into His church.  I was interrupted and the discussion went off on the necessity of baptism.

"Do we need to be raised on a cross to die and be resurrected to follow Christ's example?" asked the ring leader.  My companion answered, and when it appeared that he was getting the upper hand, the born-agains immediately changed the subject.  The ring leader claimed that the Book of Mormon is false and said that “no man could add to the Bible.” He said that he had read parts of it and knew it was not true. He said that Joseph Smith was a thrill seeker.

When they changed the subject from baptism I just stopped talking, as I realized it would do no good.  At one point, however, I was about to respond when Elder Milo stopped me.  The discussion continued for a few more minutes between my companion and the ring leader, who kept changing the subject each time Milo started making a good argument.  Then the born-agains claimed that they had to leave, but in a show of bravado challenged us to attend a revival the following week.  If we had any guts we would be there, the ring leader claimed, but the location is out of our zone.

It rained on Monday, so we stayed in and studied.  That night I followed Elder Able on my bike as he went running.  As we were going along, a thought hit me: “The fact that I have learned so much here makes this a successful area.” Wow, what a true statement! I am not the same person that stepped off the plane in San Jose.  I have learned so much there is just no way that I can list all the lessons. I have learned and I have grown. I have overcome challenges. In four months I have noticed a lot of improvement in my ability to communicate with others. But I am ready to move on to the next battlefield.

On Tuesday, we taught a new member lesson to a member of the Palo Alto First Ward who was baptized last November.  After that, we hopped down to Corina to see Leslie, and that is when we scheduled the appoint for tomorrow.

I am having some mixed feelings.  As I said, I am ready for the next battlefield, yet there is a small part of me that actually wants to stay here in Palo Alto.  I want to see where the discussions go with Leslie, but outside of that I am truly ready to move on.

Hope all is well at home.

Love

Douglas