I Am Not Good At Fellowshipping

I

An investigator that joined us at church

am not good at fellowshipping:

The stake was showing conference at the stake center for anyone, member or investigator, and was showing it in 4 languages: English, French, Tongan, and Spanish. I was sitting in the French room about 20 minutes before the Saturday afternoon session began drinking a frosted sunrise from Chik-fil-a. This man who looked like a couple people I'd met in Mexia walked in and nervously said, "Hi."

I kind of just sat there not registering that he was probably someone's investigator and I just made eye contact with him and slurped down my drink. After a few seconds my brain finally started working properly and I introduced myself and explained that thus was the French room and that we could escort him to the English room. 

He was acting kind of funky which I assumed was just nerves, he said his name was Dominic, even though he was wearing a mechanic's shirt that said "David" he said, "How do you know I speak English? I dont tell anyone what language I speak I could speak ASL for all you know," in perfect English. Ignoring that comment we asked who invited him to come and he said that 2 women in a Malibu had driven past him and invited him to come. We stood in the entrance to the chapel while we scanned the room for some sisters. I pointed at the Tongan sisters who were already making their way towards us and asked, "them?" He said they were the ones and we left it in the hands of the sisters from there. 

Just before priesthood session I was informed that since he was in Hurst 1st's area he counted as their investigator. Stellar missionary work from the Tongan sisters, just fantastic. 

I wish the story ended there but it didn't.

The next day, about an hour before the afternoon session the Tongan sisters amd the Hurst elders asked everyone if they could fellowship this Dominic guy if he showed up again and they took off.

1 minute before conference started Dominic walks in again only this time, he's got a young girl, maybe 12 years old with him. We had to go grab something from another room so we kind of assumed that someone else would be sitting by him when we came back. 

We came back just before the opening hymn and to my surprise, no one had decided to sit by him. I asked Elder Veirs if he would do it because he's spectacular at fellowshipping people (he met someone else's investigator one time, and the next time they saw each other the investigator literally ran to hug him) but he hesitated and so I walked over to Dominic, sitting on the right back side a few rows ahead of the door, and plopped down next to him. 

His face was red as a tomato and his hands were shaking I shook both their hands and they both gave me the 'dead fish handshake' which has nothing to do with the story I just wanted to take a moment to discourage all of you from doing 'the dead fish handshake' 

I exchanged the usual pleasantries with him and the following is an abridged dialogue that took place during the opening hymn:

"How are you?" I said

"I am Dominic." He replied which was not the answer I expected, maybe he misheard me.

"Yeah, we met yesterday remember?"

"Yes. I am Dominic. How is your Easter?"

"Pretty go--"

"Mine has been uncomfortable." 

"Oh... I'm sorry, why?"

"I was supposed to meet a woman here." He said his voice sounded slightly agitated.

"A woman? Like the sister missionaries?"

"No. A woman. Misty Carruthers. I think this is the wrong place."

I turned to Elder Alleman and asked if he knew this Misty Carruthers, asuming she was a member. He didn't recognize the name.

"Hmm, we don't know who that is but we can help you find her. Did you meet her here yesterday?"

"No. I am very uncomfortable."

"Ok... where and when did you meet her?"

He looked really freaked out "I met her about a year and a half ago in.. a... bad situation. You know what? I don't have to tell you anything." 

He kept repeating himself and I kept trying to calm him down and figure out what in oblivion was happening. 

The song was ending  and just before the prayer he said, "I'm in the wrong spot." And then I accidentally said one of the creepiest things you could say in that situation. "No brother, you're in exactly the right spot." I bowed my head for the prayer but he kept talking. 

That was probably the first time in my life someone had spoken during a prayer. I turned him out until he raised his schizophrenic voice, "I am very uncomfortable." 

I wanted to say, "You're not the only one, pal."

"I am uncomfortable in here can we speak outside?" 

I followed him to the foyer but instead of stopping to talk he made a beeline for the exit.

"OK, I SEE WHAT'S GOING ON HERE," he yelled

"wat?"

"I JUST SAVED A LIFE TODAY!" And he stormed out of the door holding the 12 year old girl close to him.

I turned and shrugged to a Tongan kid who was watching and texted Hurst 1st about the incident who then in turn called me so I missed all of Elder Gong's talk (side note: I guessed he would be the next apostle) and most of Elder Soares talk. I had barely got settled in my seat when the Watauga sisters showed up and asked if we could give a blessing to an investigator. 

After the blessing The Hurst 1st Elders were sitting in the foyer waiting for us. 

They told me they had found Dominic and apparently Elder Tafua confronted interrogated him. According to Dominic he thought we were a church that kidnapped 12 year olds and married them off and that's why he bolted. He never explained who Misty Carruthers was nor why he brought a 12 year old girl to a church he thought would kidnap her. And that's all the explanation I got

Je vous aime, 

-- Elder Murdoch

My pictures are being wack so all I've got this week is one of the investigators who came to church with us