The thing about being rejected...it's generally hilarious.

I have loved being able to be an active part of missionary work again since moving to New Mexico.  I love the times I get to spend with people who are investigating our church and sharing with them why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is so important to me.

With these recent experiences I have been reminded of how hilarious it is to be rejected.  Let me explain.

There was a time, in Lancaster, New York, that my missionary companion and I were out "knocking doors" (which just means knocking on people's doors trying to get them to let us share a little bit about the gospel with them...not terribly productive, might I add.)  We were in a beautiful neighborhood.  I think the street we were on was even called "Enchanted Forest Lane" or something magical like that.  Anyhow, we stood on a doorstep and knocked.  Now, this house had a door like this:

In only a few seconds a head appeared in the window and then quickly disappeared.  No one answered the door.  We knocked again to which we received the response 

"There's no one home!"  

I'm sorry, what?

I yelled back "Yes there is.  We just saw you!"

He yelled back "No there's not!"

I remember just staring at the door not quite knowing what to do.  My anger was replaced by the laughter of my companion and we went on our merry way.  If nothing else, it makes for a great story.

SO THEN...

Just two days ago, a friend of mine went with me to visit some people from our church.  We knocked on the door and one of the people we were hoping to visit with answered the door.  We chatted for approximately 2 seconds before she disappeared...supposedly going to get the others we were hoping to see during that little visit.  A minute later the baby sister (probably 7 years old) shows up at the door and says

"They're all asleep."

"They're all asleep?" I asked.  "But _______ (third child) was just here at the door.  Did she fall asleep very fast?"

"Well actually only _________ (oldest child) is asleep."

My friend asked, "Well, where is __________ (second child)?"

To which the little sister replied "Oh, well, she's on the couch.  She's just pretending to be asleep because she doesn't want to talk to you."

We nearly burst out laughing right then and there.

Welcome back to the world of rejection, Sister Boothe.  

And I've laughed non-stop for 2 days.

What's My Attitude?

I was sitting in a Sunday school class back in February and the lovely teacher asked the most wonderful question accompanied by the four answers we can give.

WHAT'S MY ATTITUDE?

I WILL DO IT.

I'LL TRY.

I'LL THINK ABOUT IT.

I DON'T WANT TO DO IT.

She applied these questions to our commitments to attend church meetings, study the Bible and Book of Mormon, listen to and follow the prophet, serve, among many other things.

Tonight, as I came across the notes from that class, I got to thinking about how I tend to use these answers in every day life.

When I'm called by the missionaries to go out on visits with them what's my answer?

When I see someone looking hungry and homeless on the street corner how do I answer their pleas for help?

When I see someone who may simply need a smile, how do I respond?  I'll TRY to smile at you?  That's silly.

How about when you're standing in the check-out line at the grocery store and you notice that the checker is looking very tired and irritated.  Maybe I should comment on how cute her painted nails are or what a beautiful color her hair is.  I'll THINK about it.  Again, silly.

Maybe I've been thinking about someone all day.  I keep thinking I should text them and let them know they are on my mind.  What do I do instead?  Just THINK about it?

So, today when Gage asked me for more milk, what did I really say by sitting on my rear-end for a couple minutes before granting his wish?  Why did I wait so long?  What was I saying to him by waiting?  His desires weren't important to me?  Why in the world didn't I jump right up?  

Or how about when I got a call needing to do something for church.  Was my "I will do my best" simply saying to the person at the other end of the phone that "I'll try" rather than "you can absolutely count on me"?

So, tomorrow, when an opportunity presents itself I'm going to think about what I'm really saying (verbally or just in my mind) as I give my answers.  I would hate to even subliminally give the answers that have only to do with trying, thinking, and not wanting to.

The girls I love.

If you didn't see the button in the sidebar you possibly don't know that I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (in other words...I'm a Mormon).  In our church there are several different organizations just so that everyone gets what they need (meaning Sunday instruction, weekday activities, etc.)  The adult women are in an organization called the Relief Society.  The girls ages 12-18 are apart of the Young Women organization and girls 3-11 are apart of an organization called Primary.  Each organization teaches us what we need for the specific places we are in our lives.  (The men are split up similarly as well.  For more information you can visit www.lds.org)

Since getting married nearly 18 months ago, I have received the calling (or the responsibility) to work with the lovely ladies in the Young Women's organization.  Before moving to NM, I worked with some darlings in a Spanish ward in Provo, UT.  You may remember them from here.  Or maybe you remember their dance performance here.  Oh, how I love those ladies.

Upon moving to New Mexico I was immediately called as a counselor in the Young Women's presidency again and I was so excited.  I have come to love these girls as quickly as I came to love the last crew.  We have had so many fun experiences and opportunities and I look forward to many, many more.

Visiting the news station.

An evening at the Opera.  The girls got all dressed up and I proceeded to bawl through most of the opera "Suor Angelica".  It was so beautiful.  What sophisticated ladies...going to the Opera and all :)

I'm so proud of these girls.  Oooooh how I love them!

Well, the adventure of working in a Spanish ward all but blew up in my face yesterday when I received a calling that scares me right to death.  I will now be serving as the president of the Young Women's organization.  It is very possible that I have never felt more incapable of anything in my whole life.  I mean, this is a job for grown ups.  This is a job for the kind of people with lots of experience and it is certainly the job for someone who speaks Spanish since we go to a Spanish ward!  I spent some time this afternoon writing an email message to my Mission President (the man that presided over my missionary work in New York) because only then, as a new missionary, unsure of what in the world was I doing, does that even remotely compare to how I feel now.

It has made me think of how every person in the history of the world has felt who has been asked to do something that was COMPLETELY outside of their comfort zone.  I mean, really, I'm not the first person to be afraid of something or scared of coming up short or not being qualified for the job I've been asked to do.  So, this is my pep-talk to myself.   It made me remember this lovely quote I found on pinterest long ago

 

Um..ok.  I'll believe you.  So, here I am, jumping off the cliff that ended my comfort zone and I'm ready to fly and I'm ready to fall.  I will undoubtedly do some of the first and lots of the latter.