Moments #624-625. Chinese/Spanish at buffet. Sat, Jun 24, 2006.

06/24/2006. I felt a strong prompting to eat supper at the same Chinese buffet I ate at on Thursday. I chatted with the hostess/cashier on my way in. I think she watched the DVD from Thursday and was passing it around with the other employees. I asked if she had read the Chinese Book of Mormon as I had forgotten who I had given it to when I ate there with a member of the church who was friends with the owners. Apparently it was to someone else, so I gave her the Simplified Chinese version and an English edition Book of Mormon, which she gratefully accepted.

At my table, I read my Spanish Liahona magazine while eating. Because some of the employees are Spanish-speaking, I put out a Spanish Bible, Spanish Book of Mormon, and a Together Forever multilingual DVD. Just as I was done eating, an Hispanic lady came around doing her round of clearing plates from tables in the dining room. It was perfect timing, as I didn't have food in my mouth, and she noticed the Spanish books on my table. I figure I'm "renting" that table while eating. So I think it's okay to put whatever I want, within reason, on the table while I'm eating. If little kids can put their toys and coloring books on the table, I can put my books out, right?

I offered her the Spanish Bible first. She said she didn't have any money, but when I said it was free, she started to beam. That little gift made her day. I then offered the Book of Mormon, and then the Together Forever DVD. She was very enthusiastic and grateful.

Have you ever seen an employee someplace who seemed to suffer from the drudgery of their job, but then they brightened up when someone did a small act of kindness, or acknowledged their existence, or did them a little favor? That's how that encounter was.