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...
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