Missionary Slim is saying goodbye to Lebanon (Week 18 in Pennsylvania, Week 18 in Lebanon, PA)

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK* ................. *KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK* ............... "He isn't here."

That's the worst thing to say to a member who is coming out to help us teach lessons. That's what we're encouraged to do - we should have a member at every lesson possible. But it's time consuming for them, and they're nervous about meeting new people and teaching and everything else that comes with missionary work that the fact that they even come out with us is a miracle. But when the appointment you have planned doesn't actually happen, that's when things get frustrating.

"Well, Brother Gesullo... is there anybody you need to visit?"

"As a matter of fact..." He goes on to tell us that he is assigned to home teach the Galloway family, but hasn't even met them since they moved three months ago. Also, Elder Blake and I haven't even been over to their house and had a lesson with them since he got here, so it's been a long time since we met with them too. We've been really worried about them, and have tried to contact them and visit them - nothing has worked out. We decided though that we would try one more time.

It was raining - it always is raining in PA. We walk up to Maria and Darren's door. I ring it. We wait. I ring it again. We wait. I knock. We wait. We were in front of that door for a good four minutes before it finally opens and we're talking with Maria. She seems to be doing better than the last time we saw her. She doesn't look so depressed or upset, and all the kids were there. Darren was at work, but we had an excellent lesson and they were finally able to be introduced to Bro. Gesullo. Needless to say, the Lord was planning for this to happen.

We decided to try a new neighborhood to tract in - a rich one. Not just upper-class - Million dollar homes. Seriously, even in this housing market, these homes were amazing. I was skeptical that we would have any success, but still faithful that something good would come out of it.

As we walk up to the first door, we see the door open a crack and then close suddenly. We go up to it, ring the doorbell, knock, and then decide they're pretending to not be home - not worth our time. As we walk past the window, though - *KAKAKAKAKAKA PSHEW PSHEW BOOM BOOM BOOM* Some teenage kids had toy machine guns and were 'shooting' us as we walked past! We try to figure out what in the world is going on as they keep coming from all angles. Eventually, I get the joke, pull up my 'hand' gun (get it? A gun made out of a hand. Ha ha!), recall my 'combat training' (you Space Center-ites understand this), and shout out "BANG BANG BANG!" They booked it back in the house. They knew I meant business. We had a good laugh about that.

We were out on the street talking to people the next day. We start explaining the Book of Mormon to two guys downtown when a guy whistles after us. We turn around to see James Earl Jones hobbling over to us. Seriously, this guy looked, sounded, and acted exactly like James Earl Jones. We finally make it to him, and the first thing he says is "I know who you are! Gimmie a Book of Mormon!" Stunned, I pass it over to him. He takes it, and explains that his name is Sunny and he enjoys comparative religeon - learning about all faiths and beliefs. He's been dying to read the Book of Mormon, and anything else about our church too. He wasn't interested in us teaching him, unfortunately, but he did almost empty out my backpack. The only thing he didn't get was my Quad and Preach My Gospel. But I did give him:

-1 Book of Mormon
-1 Restoration pamphlet
-1 Plan of Salvation pamphlet
-1 Family Proclamation pamphlet
-1 Mormon.org card, and finally
-1 For the Strength of Youth pamphlet

Hopefully he gives us a call sometime to get baptized! ;)

Speaking of Comparative Religeon, I found another guy of an... interesting faith. We tracted into him and started talking about our beliefs. It turns out this guy is a Master Free Mason, 32nd class. That was super cool! We talked about all kinds of stuff, from temples, to missions, to Christ, to priesthood. We got him to take a Book of Mormon as well.

Things weren't all good though. This week was going to be my worst week yet as far as numbers go - very few lessons. Elder Blake and I stopped on Friday night and talked about it. We realized that, since transfers were coming up, we very well could have a change coming - either a Spanish speaking elder would come to the area and we would be a threesome, or one of us would be leaving. But if a new elder is coming, we wanted to have the area is tip-top shape for him. We decided that we needed to turn everything around in three days - Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

One more crazy person we taught - Zarah. We knocked on her door too, and she wanted a lesson right then and there. Both her and her mom, who called halfway through the lesson, told us that she was 'unbreakable', and 'wouldn't believe what you teach.' She took a lot of apologetic religion courses in high school, and thought she knew what we believed. As we taught our first lesson about the restoration, though, she softened. She took the Book of Mormon and promised to read our assigned chapter.
The next lesson was the very next day. We promised her that if she listened to our message, she would be able to tell us what she believed during the next lesson. So we came by again. Instead of going into us full throttle, she asked us questions - "What do you believe about life after death? Why are you on missions? What does your church believe about the Gift of Tongues?" Every question we answered made her realize - what we believe and what she believes are very similar. We just have the fullness. Hopefully something good comes from this.

Unfortunately, I won't get to find out.

The call came right after that lesson. Our district leader called and said that transfers were coming up, and there was going to be a change. "Elder Anderson, you are leaving Lebanon." "NO!" said Elder Blake. He took it much harder than I did. To me, it seemed right. I was sad - I love this area, and the people. But, I've been called to go elsewhere.

Of course, whenever a missionary gets transfered, the first thing they have to do is say goodbye. We went around everywhere, to all the people I would miss. The most heartwrenching goodbye was to Madeline, Wilfredo's wife and Maria's mom. I go up to her house - she was sitting on the porch.

"Hola, Hermana! Como estas"

"Hola. Bien."

"Tengo bien noticia y mal noticia"

"Bueno noticia" she corrected.

"Gracias. Bueno noticia: una nueve missionaro es ... uh .... coming ... a Lebanon quiene habla espaniol."

"Oh, bien!" she said.

"Y mal noticia: I'm leaving."

"You.... you leaving?"

"Si."

She stopped, thinking for a moment. Tears began. Once she found words, she started to talk to me again. "I'm goin to miss you. Elder, I love you."

"I love you too Madeline."
It was tender and touching, and taught me something wonderful. Even though I hardly ever spoke to her in her language - I don't know Spanish - and she doesn't know English well. But we still could communicate through the language of the Spirit. The Spirit and the Lord speaks to us in a way we can always understand, in a way we will always be able to learn from. It transcends all barriers, except hard hearts, and touches all who let it speak to them.

As of right now, I only know I am leaving. I'm going west, probably close to Pittsburgh. Just so you all know, remember a few months ago when I talked about something special the Mission President has for me to do? Well, this brings me one step closer to doing it. But it's still a little too soon to share with everyone.

One more thing to share before I finish this very long blog post - Those of you who know me well know that I am an actor. I was in a few plays in high school, one of them being Children of Eden. I love the very last song from that show:

"We cannot know what will occur. Just make the journey worth the taking - and pray we're better than we were in the beginning."

I can definitely say that I am a better person than I was before I came to Lebanon. I'm sad to leave it, but I'm excited for the future!

I hope everyone can say that they are better people than they were 18 weeks ago. I hope and pray that all of you have success in all that you do!

Love,
Elder Anderson

One more thing: If you are planning on sending me anything, be sure to send it to the mission office address over on the sidebar.