Ambush

Ambush

Alright so it wasn't until this experience that I more fully realized how vulnerable we are as missionaries.  All our lives we are told "Hey don't talk to strangers. Don't go home with anyone you don't know. Don't give people your information." 

Yeah well now all of a sudden its like "Ok disregard all that we are gonna send you into a country full of people who are desperate and straight just see you as a walking money sign and your job is to talk to all of them and try to get them to let you in their house." 

Anywho so what happened was we just got done teaching at one of our RC's houses and her neighbor is like "Hey come to my house and teach me." and as missionaries we would have to be crazy to pass up that opportunity. We spend hours a day trying to convince people to listen to us and then all of a sudden this dude contacts us so yeah were like "Ok lets go!" Our RC is like "Huwag ayun iglesia ayun" (like yo don't do it he's Iglesia) and were like "It's ok, our job is to preach to everyone!" 

What we didn't understand was he isn't just a member of the Iglesia ni Christo (Church of Christ) his house is the place where all the Iglesia's here meet for church and their meetings and stuff. 

Anywho we don't know this so were following him to his house. I've got like the image of this dude and his whole family dressed in white and me and my comp dunkin em. Until we get to his house and there is a bunch of like signs all over the walls and stuff that says in Tagalog "This is a place where the Church of Christ is taught" 

Anywho I'm like "Hmmm. . .  ok. . . that's ok!  This guy has faith. Looks like we can just add more, that's whats up!" and then we walk into the house and... it's full of people.

"Huh weird, we are kinda hesitating and then the guy is like "Pasok! pasok!" (Go in! Go in!) So yeah, we go in and "Ooh no, this makes alittle more sense." We see a pastor of Iglesia ni Christo standing at the front of the room "Oh boy....here we go." 

So hes like "Sit down we invite all faiths here, where is he from?" (talking to my comp because he assumes I don't speak Tagalog) and I'm like "I'm from America." and he's like (ps this is in Tagalog) "Oh you speak Tagalog good!"

"So you are from America, where in America?" So I'm like "I'm from Utah" and so hes says "Oh so you are familiar with our church?" 

So I'm dumb so I was like "No actually the first time I saw one of your churches was here." 

So yeah he gets angry and says "Oh well we have churches there I know we do. We are a world wide church. Maybe you just didn't notice it there in Utah" again I'm dumb so I say "Oh yeah but I didn't hear about the Iglesia ni Christo until I came here." (ps Iglesia ni Christo means Church of Christ in Tagalog which is weird because they believe that Christ is just a regular dude. So yeah kinda confusing but its Ok there are weird things about our church too.) 

So he says "Yeah well I'm sure its because you were just too focused on your church that you didn't notice our world wide church." So I finally learned my lesson now and I'm just like "Yeah maybe" 

Anyways he says like "Just listen there" and then he starts teaching from the bible and I'm just like what the heck is happening right now! We can't just walk out especially because all the people here are the investigators of Iglesia and I didn't want to make it look like Mormons were disrespectful jerks. So I'm just like sitting there listening to this Preacher dude talk about how it says in the Bible the Church of Christ and then says like 'Look it says our church is the true church right here in the Bible" (his Bible is in Tagalog so it says Iglesia ni Christo)  and then "What's your name again? Oh yeah, Mormons it doesn't say the Mormon church is true in the Bible" so I'm like " Well actually this is our true name (pointing to my nametag) Mormon is just like a nickname but you probably were too focused on your church to read our name tags" 

After I said it I was like "Oh no, I messed up!" 

So he gets kinda mad and a few people laugh and then he starts just asking us questions all of which magically fit the first lesson and then I would bear testimony that I knew what I was saying was true.  And then he kept freaking out because I kept bearing my testimony and then he's like but where is it in the Bible. So yeah I dared to say that there were incorrect translations in the Bible and that it wasn't enough which was why we had a Book of Mormon." 

By now he's just flippin out. As soon as I share he just interrupts me with a new question. Which I then answer.

Anyways he's getting really mad because I keep answering and yeah his investigators are listening hard core and then says like "Well where in the Bible does it say that we need a Book of Mormon?" 

There are plenty of verses I could have quoted but I chose just to end this charade so I say "James 1:5" and have him read it in Tagalog and then I bore testimony that "I knew God loved us and that because we are his Children he wants to help us and answer our questions and then invited them to pray to know truth and know what church was true"

Yeah he's furious at this point he says like "You are so rude interrupting our teaching how dare you this is our church and you just barge in preaching you guys should leave now" Which they sent the guy who owns the house to trick us into coming in so they could debate with and embarrass us. Whatever so anyways I'm like "Ok if you have questions just go ahead and ask us" 

We shook everyone's hands and left. no real investigators but it built my faith a ton and I'm a little ashamed to say it was really fun and also we planted seeds so maybe someone else will be able to get to work on them!

So yeah I know that God fills our mouths when its time to share his word whatever language it is so no matter the circumstances we shouldn't be afraid to open our mouths and share truth.

Love ya :)

Elder Roberts