A Regular Missionary Experience Again!

Last Sunday I "just happened" to leave a Church Meeting later than I had planned, and "just happened" to walk home a different way than normal, and "just happened" to chat with an acquaintance on the way for the exact amount of time that enabled me to "just happen" to be walking through the parking lot of our apartment building the moment a car with three men pulled up and asked me "if the temple was open."

The men were probably all in their seventies, and got out of the car and asked really good questions, and I felt like I was really blessed to have answers come comfortably and easily. They asked about certain other temples and I wanted to be able to show them pictures, but I knew the WiFi didn't work in the parking lot, since I had tried before and was unable to access it on the sidewalk, but tried my iPad, just in case.  It "just happened" to work, and we had a wonderful 45-minute conversation.  One had quite a bit of "information;" one, a lot of questions; and the last, who I was told when introduced was very devout in his religion, had a scowl.  At first.  The more we talked, the more devout-in-his-religion fellow looked up, then made eye contact, then asked questions, then made some nice comments, and eventually smiled and thanked me!

We do love working in the temple, but we have really missed having traditional missionary opportunities.  We TRY to engage people at restaurants and on trains, etc. but have had few really nice discussions with non-members.  I felt so blessed to be able to bear my testimony, and share things that are so important to me.  I felt like skipping as I walked away, but figured that would lessen any credibility I may have had.  But once home I did offer a prayer of gratitude and prayed that they would follow through on what they said they would.  I even "just happened" to have the right purse with pass along cards (with the SLC Temple!) to give them.  (Not something I normally need or have on the Temple/MTC premises!!!)  On Sundays our living area is a ghost town, since a lot of the workers and most of the patrons have gone home, and the MTC-dwellers are busy in meetings.  In fact, not one person came out of any of the buildings or passed by us during our 45-minute chat!  

Ah, the Church is true, and it's so nice to be able to share that good news with others!

The temple grounds are exquisite - This "Pano" shot does not adequately show the intensity of the flowers or colors.  

This is the dark left corner shown in the picture above (and a handsome missionary!)

These bushes just go on and on!

PS - The Manchester Arena, location of Monday's bomb, is 23 miles from us.  Many of our Temple Friends have been affected - one was evacuated from her home Wednesday evening for several hours while a bomb squad investigated the home of a neighbor, who was associated with the bomber.  Scary times!!!