A Phone Call

The Phone Call:

Just a couple of weeks ago we met this awesome new Investigator, they're super nice and really interested in the gospel. We told them that if they ever needed help with anything to call us which has kind of just become a formality instead of an actual promise to help. We always say, "Do you need help with anything?" And the classic responses are usually, "No, no I'm good." Or "Yes, can you pay my rent for the next few months?" 

After district meeting on Wednesday though, we saw we had 2 missed calls and 3 texts from our investigator and of course the texts were as vague and formal and concerning as possible thanks to Google Translate: "Hello my beloved Elders. Help."

"I need me help"

"Help."

We called him and he asked that we come to his house immediately without telling us why. Based off of the last few times this kind of thing had happened I was anticipating either helping him read legal documents or being asked to watch his child (which as you already know, dear reader, is a big no-no)  

We knocked on his door and he answered with a very stressed out look on his face, his brow was all furled and he anxiously got us inside and seated. He rushed from room to room grabbing random documents and mismatched shoes and what have you, then he grabbed his car keys and without saying a word to us, he left. Leaving us alone with his toddler-aged daughter. 

If you remember Pixar's "Inside Out" you may recall one of the final scenes in the movie where it shows the thoughts of that one boy and all the little emotions are running around freaking out as sirens blare and a robotic voice says, "GIRL. GIRL. GIRL."  That's the clearest way I can explain what went through our minds. 

Elder Shiday whispered, "run." But we couldn't really do that because you just don't leave a toddler alone plus, she was in between us and the door so we were trapped. 

"Call the District Leader," I whispered. Elder Shiday rapidly pulled out the phone. 

"No sudden movements!" I whisper-shouted. He slowed down his pace and gingerly set the phone on the table. Just then, our investigator walked back in the apartment with even more documents and slapped them all down on the table we were sitting at. He explained to us that the post office had spelled his name horribly wrong on his address and and attributed that as to why they weren't receiving any mail. He asked if we could talk to some people on the phone and help him. 

For the next 15 minutes Elder Shiday navigated a maze of, "press 1 for packages. Press 2 for envelopes. Press 3 for stamps. Press 4 for bigger packages. Press 5 for other envelopes. Press 6 for Manila folders. Press 7 for more options" 

We finally made it to where we thought we needed to be and were put on hold "for the next 13-15 minutes." At first we just sat there in silence with crappy hold music playing then an idea popped into my head: "Puissions-nous lire Le Livre De Mormon avec vous?" (May we read the Book of Mormon with you?) 

He agreed and for the next hour we sat on hold reading a couple of chapters from 1 Nephi and talking about it with him. It will probably be the only time anyone ever says waiting on hold was a good thing. He's really getting into it now and is warming up to the idea of a Restored gospel, so cool. 

Then, finally someone spoke to us on the phone and within the first minute they told us that they couldn't help us and that we had go to a post-office in person to take care of the typo. 

Miracles. 

Well, I'm glad to be here in America everyone have an excellent 4th of July and carry the American spirit with you wherever you are in the world.

God bless Texas,

Elder Murdoch