coffee grounds

Walk up evangelism

The Jehovah's Witness are getting creative it seems.

Reminds me of a favorite time the Mormons knocked on my door. Because New Zealand and Utah both speak English [after a fashion], the young Mormons flocked down there on their missions. I always felt a little sorry for them. What the Lord giveth them in a familiar language she more than took away in a secular culture not really receptive to evangelistic religion. But still they came.

The area I lived in was rather hilly--our flat was up 104 steps--and it was summer. The young Mormons, of course, persisted in trying to ride their bikes up the hills and still maintain their dignity in their black suits with the little name badges on them. One pair of Mormons was particularly funny -- one of them was about 5'6'' and rotund; his partner was 6' and whippet thin.

One morning I heard a knock at the door. Lo and behold the persistent Mormons had come all the way up the steps. The 5'6'' rotund one, however, was mopping his brow with his white handkerchief (nice touch that, with the black suit!) and the tall one started off "Hello, are you interested ... [in the Church of blah, blah, blah]"

But the rotund one cut him off between pants as he caught his breath, and blurted, "Could I have a glass of water?"

It rather took the edge off my previous impressions of Mormon missionaries as calm evangelists of their faith with a patina of smoothness from their American accents.

"No, I'm not really interested," I said politely, and closed the door on them. As they walked back down the 104--count 'em--steps the rotund one was still mopping his brow from the exertion of the climb up. And I thought they had mountains in Utah ... he should have been used to a bit of climbing.

UPDATE: Originally it read "whippet fun" up there. I meant "whippet thin."

Posted by robe0419 at February 25, 2005 03:06 PM | TrackBack