Moment #538. Chinese. Tue, Mar 14, 2006.

03/14/2006. Tonight I had supper at a new Chinese restaurant on the NW side of town. I found this place on the night of Feb 27, 2006, on a "scouting detour." That night I was out driving around, and I disobeyed a prompting to give a cashier at a gas station a Book of Mormon in English. I continued on my little trip, and on the way back home, I got off the Interestate to head toward that particular gas station again, thinking I might humble myself and still make a presentation. But as I got to the end of the exit ramp, and was about to turn left, I felt a very strong "tug" towards a strip mall or out-lot towards the right and across the street. I looked quickly, and couldn't see any obvious place to go like a gas station. I made the left turn anyway, and then that guilty feeling and slight sense of panic hit me.

Having disobeyed twice that night, and having twice felt that feeling of disaproval of the Spirit, I quickly decided to turn around, and made a U-turn at the next light. There was no "U turn prohibited" sign and hardly any other traffic, so I hope it was okay.

I went to that strip mall and out-lot wondering what I was supposed to find there. There were a couple of fast food joints, a bank, a Starbucks, a bar/grill, a nail salon, and, when I got close enough to make out a sign, a Chinese restaurant! That was it. Although I drive on the Interstate past that exit quite often, I had never seen or known about that restaurant. It was late, and of course it was closed and the sign was off. I couldn't have seen it from the Interstate nor the cross street.

Anyway, it wasn't until March 2 that I finally went back to the English-speaking cashier at the gas station, and he was actually grateful to receive a Bible and Book of Mormon. And tonight, March 14, I went to that Chinese restaurant to which the Spirit seemed to lead me on Feb 27.

It was clean and modern in a relatively new strip mall. The menu and the back-lit pictures above the counter are like hundreds of other Chinese restaurants. It was very small. Only six 2-person tables, so it must have been mostly carry-out. There is a large office-complex nearby, so it probably serves a busy lunch crowd.

I ordered my standard Moo Goo Gai Pan and paid, set my stuff at a table, put out the two kinds of Chinese books and English, went to wash up, and then came back and sat down to read my newspaper.

When the cashier/waiter brought my food out, he noticed the books. His English was pretty good, and his demeanor was humble. He tooked to be in his mid 20's. I asked where he was from and he said China. I asked if he liked to read in Chinese, and he said yes. I offered the Simplified Chinese Book of Mormon, and he eagerly accepted it. He accepted the English version too. I offered more for the other employees, but he said they were all the same family.

He took the books behind the counter and started flipping through them. And then it appeared he took them back into the kitchen.