I have now been wearing My Big Yellow Button everywhere I go for several days. And mostly I have just received positive comments from other Mormons simply telling me they "love my button," etc. But a few individuals have taken it a step further and asked me for a Big Yellow Button of their own! Isn't that great?! I only ask that as they have "button experiences" of their own they email me and let me know about them so I can post them here on this blog. Wouldn't it be so amazing to have people all over having everyday missionary experiences and sharing them here?
As for me personally, I have noticed something interesting. Simply by choosing to be brave enough to wear my button, I have already become more brave in sharing the gospel in other ways. For example, Tuesday night my ward had a Relief Society activity. I always try to attend, but this time while wearing my button, I also went to my new next-door neighbor, Lucy, AND my neighbor across the street, Jane, and invited them both to come with me. And guess what...they both accepted! When I invited her, Jane had said, "I would love to come with you, but are you sure it's okay I am not a Mormon?" I know that too often our non-member neighbors feel like "the Mormons" are a special "club" and they are not welcome. And that is definitely an understandable misconception we all should work hard to change. All three of us had a fabulous time at the activity and Lucy and Jane were both able to meet some other ladies from our ward. In addition I know they felt the spirit of love and friendship that abounds among the sisters of my ward, and hopefully the presence of the Holy Ghost as well. It's a great place to start.
Then today I spotted Lucy's boyfriend, Van, and walked over to say hi. He greeted me and then said, "Hey - so Lucy was telling me about the yellow button you were wearing on Tuesday....she really liked it. She is impressed when someone knows what they believe in and aren't afraid to stand up and let it be known." Just then Lucy came out of the house and added, "Yeah, I meant to tell you, I really liked your button." I then got the chance to explain to them that I have observed that many people are afraid to ask questions because they don't want to be impolite or whatever. But that actually, Mormons LOVE IT when non-members have questions! This led into a discussion where I was able to explain to Lucy what the name "Relief Society" meant and the purpose of it. Her response was something like, "That's pretty cool." And by then it had started pouring rain and my 5-year-old had wandered over and was tugging on my hand begging for me to come home because she was scared of the storm. So that effectively ended the conversation.
But what a great conversation! Besides the fact that I was able to share a little bit about the organization of our church, I learned something very important---Not only was my new, non-member neighbor friend not offended or annoyed by My Big Yellow Button, she was actually impressed by it! So much so that she went home and told her boyfriend about it. :) That, my friends, is excellent feedback. That reaction further bolsters my courage to wear My Big Yellow Button everyday. I know it isn't realistic to expect miraculous "button experiences" every day, just as full-time missionaries don't find "golden contacts" everyday; but I do have faith that if I continue wear it, those experiences will come.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Day 1 ... A Success!
Yesterday was the first day I wore My Big Yellow Button. It was also a very chaotic and busy day -- my oldest daughter was involved in a soccer tournament and my middle daughter had dress rehearsal and then her actual ballet recital. So I fully admit - I wasn't really going out of my way to try to have any "button experiences" because I was totally preoccupied just trying to get everyone where they needed to be at the right time with the appropriate outfits, equipment, hair and makeup. However, when I was in the foyer of the dance recital auditorium changing a lens on my camera, three teenage dancers saw me and one of them said, "Hey! We love your button!" "Oh yeah?" I replied, "Are you girls Mormons?" "Yep!" they beamed. "Well that's great," I said before they went past me into the auditorium. Then a few minutes later another dance mom walked past me into the auditorium. As she did, she glanced at me, gave me a thumbs up sign and said, "Cool button...that's awesome!" I know, I know, neither experience was very "missionary-ish" at all, but they DID confirm to me that I nailed the design of my button: I wanted it to be very noticeable and easy to read at a glance, and it is! That made me happy.
But the best experience came later. After all the craziness of soccer games and dance recitals were over, my lovely husband took our girls for the evening so I could go out to dinner with my sister and a friend. As we were seated at our table at Olive Garden, I purposely sat against the wall so My Big Yellow Button and I would be facing the aisle where all the waiters and other staff walk. Pretty soon our waiter, Josh, came to greet us. He took one look at us, then my button and asked, "Oh? Primary Presidency meeting?" That made us laugh. I then (assuming he was an active member, which he was) briefly told him about my button and why I made it. He said he thought that was really cool and then he took our drink orders. Again, nothing spectacular, but it still made me happy that he so quickly noticed my button. But a couple of hours later, (yes - I said HOURS. Whenever we actually get to have a "girls night out" we make the most of it. And Olive Garden is fabulous to let us linger around the table talking and laughing for hours. We arrived at 7:30 and didn't leave until 11:00. Like they say, "When you're here - you're family!" And yes - we do leave a very generous tip. :) ) So a couple of hours later another waiter (whose name I didn't catch so I will just call him Paul) passed by our table, stopped, turned and came back. He looked at me and said, "Okay, so I just have to ask...what ward are you in?" I smiled and replied, "Eagle 7th. And my sister is in Star 2nd and my friend here is in Bristol Heights....how about you?" To which he replied, "Well - I used to go to a student ward when I was attending Idaho State University. But I haven't done that for a long time." I grinned and said, "Well - if you want to come tomorrow with a familiar face, my ward starts at 1:00!" He smiled and said, "I have to work tomorrow..." But just then, to my utter delight, Josh appeared, put his arm around Paul and said, "I will take him."
And just like that...my first success! I have no idea if Josh previously knew that Paul wasn't attending church and that he maybe wanted to, but he does now! And Paul now knows that he has a co-worker who cares about him and whom he can attend church with. I didn't know that Josh saw Paul stop and talk to us and that he heard the conversation, but I am so glad he did!
And that, my friends, is the true potential power of My Big Yellow Button....there were many waiters and staff milling around and we couldn't possibly try to stop each one and talk to them. But Paul noticed my button, had some time to process whatever thoughts he was having, and then he was compelled to come talk to us! And now he has been invited to church. I think I will go back to Olive Garden in a few weeks and try to follow up with him...
But the best experience came later. After all the craziness of soccer games and dance recitals were over, my lovely husband took our girls for the evening so I could go out to dinner with my sister and a friend. As we were seated at our table at Olive Garden, I purposely sat against the wall so My Big Yellow Button and I would be facing the aisle where all the waiters and other staff walk. Pretty soon our waiter, Josh, came to greet us. He took one look at us, then my button and asked, "Oh? Primary Presidency meeting?" That made us laugh. I then (assuming he was an active member, which he was) briefly told him about my button and why I made it. He said he thought that was really cool and then he took our drink orders. Again, nothing spectacular, but it still made me happy that he so quickly noticed my button. But a couple of hours later, (yes - I said HOURS. Whenever we actually get to have a "girls night out" we make the most of it. And Olive Garden is fabulous to let us linger around the table talking and laughing for hours. We arrived at 7:30 and didn't leave until 11:00. Like they say, "When you're here - you're family!" And yes - we do leave a very generous tip. :) ) So a couple of hours later another waiter (whose name I didn't catch so I will just call him Paul) passed by our table, stopped, turned and came back. He looked at me and said, "Okay, so I just have to ask...what ward are you in?" I smiled and replied, "Eagle 7th. And my sister is in Star 2nd and my friend here is in Bristol Heights....how about you?" To which he replied, "Well - I used to go to a student ward when I was attending Idaho State University. But I haven't done that for a long time." I grinned and said, "Well - if you want to come tomorrow with a familiar face, my ward starts at 1:00!" He smiled and said, "I have to work tomorrow..." But just then, to my utter delight, Josh appeared, put his arm around Paul and said, "I will take him."
And just like that...my first success! I have no idea if Josh previously knew that Paul wasn't attending church and that he maybe wanted to, but he does now! And Paul now knows that he has a co-worker who cares about him and whom he can attend church with. I didn't know that Josh saw Paul stop and talk to us and that he heard the conversation, but I am so glad he did!
And that, my friends, is the true potential power of My Big Yellow Button....there were many waiters and staff milling around and we couldn't possibly try to stop each one and talk to them. But Paul noticed my button, had some time to process whatever thoughts he was having, and then he was compelled to come talk to us! And now he has been invited to church. I think I will go back to Olive Garden in a few weeks and try to follow up with him...
Friday, May 16, 2014
It all started in Argentina...
From May 2012 to November 2013, my parents were serving a mission in Buenos Aires, Argentina. And one day my dad was walking alone along a river close to where they lived when a woman named Adriana spotted him and said (in Spanish), "Hey - you're a Mormon missionary, right? Only - where is your companion and how come you are so old?" This naturally gave my dad the chance to stop and talk to her and explain the concept of senior couple missionaries. As it turns out Adriana had been praying for someone to help her get back to church and to teach her fiance about the gospel. And subsequently my dad was instrumental in both of these things. But there had been many people fishing by the river that day, and she was the only one my dad discussed the gospel with...why? Because Adriana saw his missionary badge and knew what it meant and she approached him. Of course my dad was always ready to share the gospel with anyone, anywhere, but he didn't know she was searching until he was approached by her. Hearing about this experience really made me wish I had a missionary badge of my own to wear! But even though I am currently serving as a ward missionary, the Church won't issue you a missionary badge unless you are a full-time missionary. (I knew that, but I still had to ask!) So I had to let go of the idea of having an actual missionary badge of my own to wear.
Then a few weeks ago my husband, Rich, and I were able to travel to the Barranquilla, Colombia mission where he had served as a full-time missionary fourteen years ago. With the exception of some MTC missionaries in the Bogota Temple, we did not see any other North Americans the entire trip. So needless to say, a white couple wandering through the streets of Colombia drew quite a bit of attention. Add to that the fact that my husband was speaking very good Spanish with their local accent, and people were quite curious about us. So every time someone asked us what we were doing in Colombia we responded by saying that fourteen years ago Rich had lived and served in those areas as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This line of conversation pretty much meant that we were having many mini gospel-oriented conversations daily, which was awesome! But the best conversation took place in a jewelry store in the old, walled city in Cartagena. We walked in and my husband started talking to the people behind the counter. True to his nature he was singing songs that were popular fourteen years ago and cracking jokes about being a "native" Colombian. The salespeople were greatly entertained and naturally the "who are you and why do you speak Spanish like us?" questions followed. As Rich explained that he had lived there as a Mormon missionary, etc., a woman named Indira became very interested. "Hold on," she said, (but in Spanish) "You are a Mormon? I thought all Mormons were boring!" To which Rich replied, "Well - I guess not all of us!" She then continued, "Can I ask you a question...is that okay?" She then asked us if Mormons believed in Christ. She also wanted to know if we believed in the Bible and she asked what The Book of Mormon was then if it wasn't our "Bible." In short we had an incredible conversation with Indira which helped her to realize that her own beliefs were already closely aligned with ours, but that she simply hadn't had a clue about who "Mormons" really were or what we believed. It was as though she had these questions just burning in her mind but she didn't know who to ask, and she was also unsure if a "Mormon" would even want to answer them. Of course we were delighted to discuss gospel principles and our beliefs with her and we now want to follow up by sending her a Book of Mormon and our written testimonies. But again, this whole amazing conversation with Indira wouldn't have taken place at all if we hadn't had a reason to announce that we were Mormons.
So now I am back home in Eagle, Idaho. I don't stand out, and as I go about my day no one comes up to me and asks me who I am or what I am doing here. And I certainly don't have an easy or obvious reason to announce to a complete stranger that I am a Mormon, so I don't. And as a result, the opportunity for mini gospel-oriented conversations is lost. And that makes me sad! I found myself really missing those daily opportunities to be an "everyday missionary" to the random people I come in contact with during the course of a normal day. And I couldn't stop thinking about it. Then I realized....the Church can't issue me an official missionary badge, but there is no reason I can't make my own "everyday missionary badge!" I wanted something that would get noticed, something that would clearly let others know I was a Mormon, something that would let people know I welcomed questions, something I could wear everyday. And so -- My Big Yellow Button was born.
The idea is this: I will wear this button everywhere I go during the course of my normal life. It is big and bright and bound to be noticed. I may not be recognized as a "missionary," but people will be able to know that I am a Mormon and that if they have a question I welcome it! And it would be so amazing to have someone actually ask me a question just like Indira did in Cartagena!
Then a few weeks ago my husband, Rich, and I were able to travel to the Barranquilla, Colombia mission where he had served as a full-time missionary fourteen years ago. With the exception of some MTC missionaries in the Bogota Temple, we did not see any other North Americans the entire trip. So needless to say, a white couple wandering through the streets of Colombia drew quite a bit of attention. Add to that the fact that my husband was speaking very good Spanish with their local accent, and people were quite curious about us. So every time someone asked us what we were doing in Colombia we responded by saying that fourteen years ago Rich had lived and served in those areas as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This line of conversation pretty much meant that we were having many mini gospel-oriented conversations daily, which was awesome! But the best conversation took place in a jewelry store in the old, walled city in Cartagena. We walked in and my husband started talking to the people behind the counter. True to his nature he was singing songs that were popular fourteen years ago and cracking jokes about being a "native" Colombian. The salespeople were greatly entertained and naturally the "who are you and why do you speak Spanish like us?" questions followed. As Rich explained that he had lived there as a Mormon missionary, etc., a woman named Indira became very interested. "Hold on," she said, (but in Spanish) "You are a Mormon? I thought all Mormons were boring!" To which Rich replied, "Well - I guess not all of us!" She then continued, "Can I ask you a question...is that okay?" She then asked us if Mormons believed in Christ. She also wanted to know if we believed in the Bible and she asked what The Book of Mormon was then if it wasn't our "Bible." In short we had an incredible conversation with Indira which helped her to realize that her own beliefs were already closely aligned with ours, but that she simply hadn't had a clue about who "Mormons" really were or what we believed. It was as though she had these questions just burning in her mind but she didn't know who to ask, and she was also unsure if a "Mormon" would even want to answer them. Of course we were delighted to discuss gospel principles and our beliefs with her and we now want to follow up by sending her a Book of Mormon and our written testimonies. But again, this whole amazing conversation with Indira wouldn't have taken place at all if we hadn't had a reason to announce that we were Mormons.
So now I am back home in Eagle, Idaho. I don't stand out, and as I go about my day no one comes up to me and asks me who I am or what I am doing here. And I certainly don't have an easy or obvious reason to announce to a complete stranger that I am a Mormon, so I don't. And as a result, the opportunity for mini gospel-oriented conversations is lost. And that makes me sad! I found myself really missing those daily opportunities to be an "everyday missionary" to the random people I come in contact with during the course of a normal day. And I couldn't stop thinking about it. Then I realized....the Church can't issue me an official missionary badge, but there is no reason I can't make my own "everyday missionary badge!" I wanted something that would get noticed, something that would clearly let others know I was a Mormon, something that would let people know I welcomed questions, something I could wear everyday. And so -- My Big Yellow Button was born.
And even if the person doesn't initiate a conversation, if I notice someone reading my "badge" it gives me something to start a conversation with. Not quite the same as being the only white woman in a Colombian city, but it's a start!
And then as I wear My Big Yellow Button I will come to this blog and write about my experiences as an "everyday missionary." At this point I am just really wondering -- Will I have anything to write about? Will people notice? Will anyone ask me a question? Will my experiences be positive? Will my "badge" be effective? Am I actually brave enough to wear it? There's only one way to find out.....so Geronimo!!
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