Sunday, September 27, 2009

A Few Happenings...

OUTREACH!!!!!
So, we learned reason #3 for outreach was that it was a “sure-fire cure for boredom”. I can’t say that I am bored very often, but outreach definitely keeps me from being bored long before I ever go! You may be thinking, “How does that work?” Well, let me tell you! There’s nothing like going to a door and wondering who is on the other side, and what they are going to say to you…. There’s all kinds of responses you may get, and you don’t know which one, is going to be at which door…. Talk about suspense!!!!! Here’s a quick story to put your mind in the right perspective….One of my classmates Logan goes to a door and the person answers rudely saying they don’t want to take the survey;

Logan kindly asks “Well, that’s ok, can I pray with you?”
“Sure, you can do whatever you WANT!”

Then slams the door in Logan’s face!
You may laugh…I did, but it’s true, people actually can be and are that rude.

Of course, there are the good stories too! Sometimes, they seem too far and wide between, but when you meet the people that are genuinely interested, it’s like finding treasure!!!!! There’s nothing more exciting when you’re going door-to-door after being rejected house after house, than finding someone who is searching for God. It’s just brings chills!
After walking around house - to – house it’s easy to wonder, “Is anyone interested? I can understand, people are busy…bla, bla, bla” You start rationalizing in your minds, well it’s a nice day outside, I wouldn’t be home either…etc. By the way, this is NOT the right attitude to have! We as Adventists have to remember that we have an important message, and those people’s eternal destinies may depend on what we tell them! We are to proclaim the Third Angel’s Messages, and remember if the people don’t listen, it’s their fault that they will be lost and you can have a clear conscience knowing that you tried.
An exciting experience for me one night was when my partner Tom and I had been walking around for what seemed like forever when we went this street of the “bible worker’s dreams”…people were home, interested, and signing up for Bible Studies! Within two blocks, we signed up 7 people! The most exciting of all was Danisha. As I knocked on this house, I thought well, who knows who we’ll meet here, but at least there are people home. A young black woman came to the door and I started my survey… “Do you believe in God?”
“Yes.”
“Ok, awesome, Why do you believe in God?”
“Umm…because that’s how I was raised?”
“Do you have a Bible in your home?”
“Yes, several actually…”
“Great! About how often do you read it?”
“Well actually I was reading in Revelation just a couple days ago, and I was SO confused! I called my mother-in-law and asked her to help me understand it!”

*My mouth about drops open, I am SO EXCITED, it’s all I can do to contain myself!*

“Really? Where in Revelation?”

*I pull out my bible and let her show me Revelation 2 talking about Jesus with the seven stars in His right hand*
Long story short, Danisha is searching for truth and I told her that our bible studies would cover her questions and since they were straight from the Bible, it was not just something that we were saying, but what God was saying! She eagerly signed up for Bible studies and seems excited to have us come back! PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!! :)