Just another encounter with Mormon missionaries...
Just got back from a bike ride to my apt and I saw a couple people in white-collared shirts and black pants with side bags standing in front of an adjacent neighboring unit. I suspected they were Mormons so I wanted to quickly and quietly go back in my place. I had a suspicion I'd be flagged down. Right as I got out my keys to the door I heard:
Elder H: “Excuse me sir, do you have a moment?” [I knew it!]
Me: “Sure what's going on?”
Elder H: “Hi I'm ___” [Bad with names esp. when flustered. We shook hands.]
Elder H: “Do you know much about the Church of Latter Day Saints?”
Me: “Mormons right?”
Elder H: “Yes”
Elder H: “Are you spiritual at all?”
Me: “Yes kind of. Sort of. I don't have a specific religion, but have read bits and pieces of religious books”
Elder H: “Which ones?”
Me: “Um bits and pieces of the Bible. That Hindu book.. the Gita or.. the Bav...gad.. Gita.. or something?” [It's Bhaghavad Gita, but I'll probably mispronounce it next time too..]
Elder H: “Interesting I did a missionary in Cambodia and there were a lot of Buddhists”
Me: “Yeah there's a lot of overlap with spiritual ideas in various religions .. Buddhism.. Taoism.”
Elder H: “So do you have any questions?”
Me: “So I heard stories about the Mormon Church...”
Elder H: “What stories?”
Me: “Unusual stories?” [I glanced at Elder J and back at Elder H inquisitively.]
Elder H: “Like what?”
Me: “Extra-terrestrials?” [It was the most subtle word I could find... ]
Elder H: “Oh... in the book of James #: # Joseph Smith talks about a light coming down from the sky.. and God and his Son revealing themselves to him... .. there are 12 apostles and 70 angels.. We believe etc.... we believe etc etc... we believe there is a living prophet..” [Oh really living? Interesting.]
Me: “Who?
Elder H: “Thomas Monson”
Me: “In Utah?”
Elder H: “Yes.”
Me: “Ok the way you explain it sounds more reasonable. When I meant extra-terrestrials I meant I heard about aliens. UFOs.” [Not that having living prophets is all that normal either.]
Elder H: “Really where did you hear this?”
Me: “It's on the Internet.. Google it.. on the Internet .. you know.. I just glanced at some of the writings of people that were former Mormons..” [That crazy Internet you know.]
So anyways we wrapped up. He offered the Book of Mormons to me, but I declined and told him I can look for it online. He also told me I could go to mormon.org and some guy would be online to chat and answer questions. Good to hear they are tech savy. Elder H. and Elder J. were very nice guys.
So I learned today that:
- Mormons believe Thomas Monson is a living prophet.
- Not all Mormons know about the alien theories, or at least don't discuss it publicly.
I'm still curious to know about the alien theories because there's a lot of that out there on the Internet. [Google it. Seriously.] But I'm not against any of these ideas. It just fascinates me. Oh.... next time I should tell them about Steemit.. and they can create an #LDS tag and preach on. About aliens and all.
Anyways do you have any interesting encounters with Mormons in the past? With aliens? Just curious.