Japanese declined (lunch #1). Fri, May 16, 2008.

05/16/2008. 1022. I was out of town for a training seminar, and stopped for lunch at a national chain sandwich shop. I thought this may have been an inspired stop, but I wasn't sure. This chain's franchises are sometimes owned by immigrants, so I was hoping to find out that was the case here. I didn't take any material in with me, not knowing what foreign language I might encounter.

The people behind the counter were English-speaking non-immigrant folks, but there was a table of Asian men. I got my meal and sat across the aisle from them. After a while I concluded they were Japanese, and went out to my car to get my Asian book-bag that I normally take to Chinese restaurants. I keep most of the common Asian language (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Cambodian, Indonesian, and Spanish) copies of the Book of Mormon in that bag.

(In order to make it obvious that you're coming back to finish your meal, and so the staff doesn't clear your table, you need to leave something there, and as I wasn't wearing a coat or jacket, I took off my glasses and left them on the table, and that's a good sign to the staff that you're coming back. Otherwise, they'll clean off your table, figuring you left.)

I put my book bag on the unused seat at my table, and took out a Japanese and an English Book of Mormon. When the other table had a lull in their conversation I asked if they were from Japan. One said yes, so I held up the Japanese Book of Mormon and offered it to him. He politely but firmly declined, indicating he already knew what it was.

French, missed op, Japanese declined. Mon, Sep 18, 2006.

09/18/2006. 725. I stopped at a dollar store (didn't they used to be "dime" stores?) for some office supply stuff, and ended up giving French and English copies of the New Testament, French and English copies of the Book of Mormon, and a multi-lingual "Finding Faith in Christ" DVD to the clerk who was from western Africa.

09/18/2006. Missed opportunity. I had supper at a Chinese restaurant. I had given out material here before, and was hoping to do a follow-up. Two female seasoned-citizens were eating at the booth next to mine. They were kind of cool, wise-cracking, and spoke with a slight Jewish accent. I struck up a conversation about the restaurant. It occurred to me to invite them to our singles Family Home Evening at church, because we have several widowed ladies in their age range, but I chickened out. I forgot to approach the employees.

09/18/2006. 726. I stopped at another discount store on the way home. I met a Japanese lady in the parking lot. She had parked near me and was getting out of her car just as I was getting out of mine. I started the conversation with "Hi. Where are you from?" and "Do you like to read in Japanese?" She said she didn't have time, and turned down the offer of a Japanese Book of Mormon.