Moment #594. Tagalog at Post Office. Sat, Jun 10, 2006

06/10/2006. I picked up some packages from the SLC Distribution Center at the Post Office. I took them out to the outer lobby and put them on a counter there to open and inspect them. I did this intentionally, instead of taking them directly to my car, to increase my chances of meeting someone.

I kept an eye out, and eventually noticed an Asian-Pacific man in the inner lobby. After a minute he came out to the outer lobby to apply stamps to his envelope. I approached him and asked him what languages he spoke other than English. He said Tagalog. I offered him free church material in Tagalog, and he said okay.

I took two of my three boxes out to the car, and then retrieved Tagalog and English copies of the Book of Mormon, a Tagalog Liahona, and a "Together Forever" DVD with a Tagalog audio track. There were some African immigrants in the car next to mine, and we nodded a greeting. I wondered if I should talk to them, but decided to go back in so as not to lose the other man.

I went back in and waited a few seconds until he was done, and handed him the Tagalog Book of Mormon. He immediately started flipping through it. He recognized it as Tagalog, but he probably needed better glasses.

While we chatted, the manager of the branch came out to restock things on the counters, and she must have overheard us talking. She's seen and heard me making approaches in the Post Office at least once before. I'm sure she heard me say "from my church", but those were the only "religous" words or proselyting phrase I used, so I think it was kosher.

By the time I got out to my car, the people in the car next to mine were getting ready to leave. I started a conversation, and said I had a Sunday school manual in their language, Yoruba, but they said they had an appointment, so I just gave them my card, and asked them to call me.