Bethesda

Well, rich snobs and door slamming is what I'm surrounded by now. It's a BIG change from down south with "country folk" where people are nice and everyone waves at you whether they know you or not. I'm still in the habit of waving but instead of seeing it in return all I get is a sour face and squinted eyes. Quite the contrast. Doesn't get me down however, the first half of my mission was the exact same thing. Gotta love the innocent passersby =].In this area we tract a LOT! there's not many other people to check on and since the ward is not into missionary work we must do all the finding. People are snobby and mean, but I get a kick outta their attempts to reject. Some do it very rudely and some don't want to but end up being rude anyway. I can't help but laugh. They just haven't learned yet that they can say no and still be kind. We were let into a home of this man from India...I was a little skeptical when I walked in (after asking if his wife was home and him laughing at the question thinking he's not dangerous, but really it's just a rule and I am obedient), and very soon that skepticism was well granted when in the living room what do we find? a group of about 5 Indians (all Christian mind you, not Hindu which surprised me a bit) having a religious meeting. Bibles in the lap and all. The man who answered the door first began with the scripture in Revelations which says "thou shalt not add to or take away from these revelations..." blah blah blah. Of course I had to explain about the Bible and basically everything Elder Holland said 2 conferences ago. Then he brought out a bunch of religious books written by "inspired" men. He said if the Book of Mormon was like these books then he would read it, but because we claim it's scripture he refused. My poor companion is really shy and has a hard time with English as it is, and more especially so with their heavy Indian accent (I've got the African accent down like it was American, but the Indian one is gonna take a bit), so while she was just trying to figure out what they were saying I took the initiative most of the time, and her sometimes. He would not allow me to read any scriptures from the Book of Mormon, so I bore as powerful a testimony as I could about the book, and how God has called a prophet on the earth today, and he said I'm in a cult! Because I claim that God is among men...or something like that. It was really funny because everything I said he understood wrong and tried to contradict with "well you're saying that...." then of course I had to correct "no that is not what I said. I said....which means....". He never got anything, but about 10 minutes later after something else I said, he said "oh, well you're not in a cult.""Don't contradict yourself" I said, "I can't be in a cult 10 minutes ago and now not. Decide which it is you believe because I'm not confused, but it seems you are." He never figured that one out either.Towards the end I basically said (although not in these same words) see you at the judgement day. He said the same and we parted ways. Interesting how people can be so hard hearted and think they have the only truth when they don't even have a leader (they belong to no church but meet together sometimes to discuss the Bible). Anyways, we are teaching a part member family. The parents are not members but their son is. He's on a mission right now and will be back next month. Pray for them! Anne (the mom) knows the book of Mormon is true, but Chuck (the dad) is a staunch Methodist. It's a good thing our ward mission leader used to be a Methodist ordained minister =]. It's been kinda weird being back at the Visitors' Center. So much more stress. I like being full pros so much more, but you do what you gotta do I guess. I hope you are all doing well! I love and miss you.
~Sister Witbeck~ lml/

--Don't be lazy, be CRAZY!!!--

----Moroni 8:3----