My B-side

The Unofficial Greeter

He greeted me this morning with a half smile as I scurried into sacrament meeting. Shaking his right hand, he slid the day’s program into my left. “Welcome. Elementary education?” All in broken English. I smiled, it was funny that he remembered me by my major. I replied, “That’s right! English as a second language?” With this I got a whole smile and his little Taiwanese head bobbed a happy yes, what satisfaction. I took my seat and thought of how well he was serving in his calling, he made me smile 3 times in 15 seconds, what a greeter! For such a simple calling, he takes it quite serious. Then it occurred to me...he’s a Buddhist. Thoughts went crazy: “Are they even allowed to give him a calling?” “Must be unofficial.” “It’s really cool he comes to our church and participates. (I mean I couldn’t even get my Methodist boyfriend to take his coat off in a Mormon church.)” “Will he get in trouble with the Buddhist people when they find out he engages in LDS sacrament meetings?” “What would his parent’s think?” “Woah, he’s brave. He’d make a great missionary.” “Well, he needs to get baptized! Someone should talk to this kid! Someone who can speak a little Taiwan might be bes…” Then I watch as two on-campus missionaries take a spot in the front next to…Sheng! “Hmm, well glad to see someone’s trying.” So, we sing our opening hymn. And my thoughts turn to other things…I have a short attention span. “Crap, I forgot to paint my toes.” “Note to self: buy more toe socks.” “ I bet the Eskimos invented toe socks.” “How would you decorate an igloo?” Right as I was entertaining the idea of covering an entire igloo with a 54,204 lickable postage stamps something jumps in my ear and grabs my attention. “Sheng’s baptism will be after the break, I hope everyone will be able to make it for this momentous occasion.” I turn to my friend, “Sheng’s getting baptized!?!?!” “Looks like it.” “Oh my gosh!! That’s so awesome!!!” I couldn’t see, tears were welling up. “Sheng’s getting baptized!!” My friends probably thought I was nuts (even more than usual guys), but it mattered not. I was so touched. Sheng took a simple step. He decided to come to church and pass out the programs. And as a result I’ll have my English-as-a-second-language-four foot eleven buddy to hang out with in the celestial kingdom…I’m so glad he took off his coat and decided to stay awhile. Song of the day: I Dare You To Move by Switchfoot.

posted by Melissa at 04:38