Teaching the Gospel over a Few Beers

Now, before we get too concerned about the title of this week's post, let me assure you that I was having the lemonade. Meile got very concerned for my eternal welfare when I talked about this the other day!

I had a chance this past week to attend a 5-day training course in North Platte. Also attending this course were all sorts of new emergency management representatives from all over Nebraska and it is their basic academy that all emergency managers must complete. Our instructors were from the State's Emergency Management Agency, one of whom had lived in Boise for many years. From his experiences in Idaho, he has some familiarity with the Church and had become somewhat of the "mormon expert" in his office. He is a great guy, and had most of his facts pretty accurate, though it did give me a chance to either confirm or more fully explain some of the things that he had introduced to coworkers.

Every day, after class, the hotel would sponsor a "reception", which is basically free beer on tap for a couple of hours, along with chips, cheese, and veggies. After I finished my 30 minute workout, I would shower and come down to the lobby and chat with some of the reception attendees from the class before heading with a few of them to dinner.

Last Wednesday, after returning to the lobby for some vegetables and lemonade, I got some funny comments about wearing a Notre Dame sweatshirt that I purchased while visiting Melanie and Darren last winter. Some jokingly asked if I had converted. Soon, I found myself in a discussion with a few colleagues regarding the church. The topics moved along from missions to doctrinal consistency among wards/stakes, baptism, church leadership, temple work, eternal marriage, tithing, church history, and many other topics. I found out that one of our classmate's brother was baptized several years ago, and another was acquainted with church members in the Lincoln area from her childhood. One of our instructors, a history and geography major in college, was especially interested in church history and I was able to explain the importance of Winter Quarters, near Omaha, and gave him some directions and instructions on getting a tour there.

Something that I appreciated most about this discussion was that I was able to take a lot of questions, which led to even more. While it is unlikely that this solitary discussion would be sufficient to lead someone to seek out the missionaries, it did allow me to correct some misunderstandings of the church, and explain who we really are. It was a discussion that was very natural and freeflowing. I was also glad that I was there, that I did not avoid the lobby simply because of the reception. Through this chat, I was able to establish myself as the "go to guy" for questions about the church and I think that they will feel very open to coming to me with other questions later.

You will never read the title "Sharing the Gospel over a Few Beers" in the Ensign, but I think that this was a great example of being ready to "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in." It helped me reach one of my missionary goals, which are:

1. Be a good example of a Latter-Day Saint, all the time (that one is hardest of all).
2. Find chances to explain the Gospel and correct misconceptions.
3. Establish credibility with others so that they will come to me for the answers about the Church.
4. Find someone for the missionaries to teach.

At conference this weekend, we were admonished that the full-time missionaries are the full-time teachers, but that we, as members, should be the full-time "finders." That is best accomplished when we build trust and credibility with our friends and neighbors. Good luck!


Cell Phone Update:
My cell phone has been replaced and the number is the same as before, (308-390-7336). I no longer have the numbers saved there, so please email or call me so I can get your numbers back in there, and on paper so I don't loose it again (since self sufficiency is preparedness!).