Yoruba at grocery. Tue, Sep 13, 2011.

09/13/2011. 1293. I was on dinner break from volunteering at the local storehouse, and after eating I had stopped at a nearby grocery store to stock up on some things. After returning my cart to the store, there was an African couple standing near the door waiting for another person in their party. I asked them where they were from and they said Nigeria. I then asked if they were Igbo or Yoruba, and they said Yoruba. I said there were a lot of Nigerians in Indianapolis, and that my church has a free book in Yoruba, that it was Christian material, and then I asked them if they would like a free copy. The man deferred to the woman, and she eagerly said yes. I said I'd get it from my car and bring it back.

I went back to my car and dug out a Yoruba copy of the Book of Mormon from my trunk and went back. They had already entered, so I went in. They were just a little bit down the first aisle, and the woman saw me and met me half way. She eagerly and very thankfully accepted the book. I suggested she could call one of the numbers to get an English copy of the book. She asked where the church was, and I pointed out the chapel that I attend, on the list of local chapels that I had put inside the front cover. She said they were from a nearby city, so I said the people at that number could also tell her where the church was in that city too.

It was a very pleasant encounter.

(THANK-YOU, Emily Jensen, for the link.)

Chichewa at grocery store. Sat, May 7, 2011.

05/07/2011. 1282. The grocery store was selling grilled hot dogs out front. I stopped to buy and eat one. There were several other grocery store employees out front on break. One spoke with an accent, so I asked him where he was from. He said Malawi. I asked what languages were spoken in Malawi, and he said about 15, but the main one was Chichewa.

As far as I know, the church doesn't have anything in Chichewa.

But I did have a Chichewa New Testament. (I forget where I got it from.)

I offered it to him, and he was interested, so I went back to my car and retrieved it, and presented it to him. He was able to read it, too, so that was cool.

I pointed out the list of local chapels inside, and indicated the one I go to. I didn't specifically invite him to church, I hope that was implied. But looking back, I should have made a specific invitation. Also included in the New Testament were a couple of pass-along cards, and my personal calling card.

He seemed of YSA age, so I'll look for him in the future, and invite him to the YSA branch.

Missed opportunity at grocery. Fri, Nov 20, 2010.

10/20/2010. Journal entry. As I walked into the grocery store, I ended up right behind two guys who looked like they were from India, who were speaking a foreign language. I blew it. I chickened out of speaking to them. A few minutes later, after I got what I came for, and was heading toward the check-out, I was again walking behind them for a few seconds before they turned to go down one of the aisles. I missed that opportunity too.

I think one really does have to stay in practice in order to react quickly within the window of opportunity. Those opportunities were only a few seconds each. Perhaps I should have back-tracked and gone down the same aisle as they, but it may have looked contrived. The best way would have been to just open my mouth when we were already within polite speaking distance due to just happening to be going through the entrance at the same time.

Hmmm. Was it a random encounter or a divine appointment? My feelings of guilt would seem to indicate it was the latter.

Yoruba at African grocery. Tue, Oct 5, 2010.

10/05/2010. 1256. After eating, I went to a nearby African grocery store to do a little shopping. The owners are from Nigeria and speak Yoruba. I've given copies of the Book of Mormon to the owners before, but they weren't there and some relatives were manning the store. I hadn't given anything to these folks, so after I made my purchases I offered them the Yoruba Book of Mormon. They were interested, so I took my stuff to the car and brought back in Yoruba and English copies of the Book of Mormon, which they enthusiastically received. They asked a few question and we chatted some more before I left.

Shona at grocery store. Sat, Sep 18, 2010.

09/18/2010. 1252. I was on my way home from a ward dinner and activity. As I came up to a certain gas station I felt like I was prompted, rather strongly, to stop there. However, either I missed the opportunity to make a contact there, or else it was merely a timing loop. I bought a newspaper. The cashier seemed foreign-born, but somehow, offering him something just didn't feel right.

As I got closer to home, I decided to stop at one of my favorite chain grocery stores. On my way to get something in the store, my attention was drawn to two men half-way down one of the aisles. They looked like they could be African, and I thought I detected an accent in their speech even though I couldn't make out what they were saying. On my way back, they were still in that aisle, and my visual "focus" was drawn to them again, and I noticed that one of them was wearing African sandals. So I turned down that aisle. As I passed one of them, he moved away from the center of the aisle to let me by, and I said the normal "excuse me" as I passed in front of him. He said something that I didn't make out, but it was obviously with an accent.

I had already taken a step or two beyond him, but I stopped and turned, and said something like "'Scuse me, I don't recognize your accent. Where are you from?" He said "Zimbabwe." I asked "Do you speak Shona?" He smiled, as if he were very pleased that someone knew about his language, and said "Yes."

I said that the reason I asked is that my church had free books in many African languages, including Shona, and I asked if he'd like a free copy. He eagerly said yes. I said I had one in Shona in my car, and asked him if it was okay with him if I went to get it and gave it to him there. He said no problem. I pointed out that it was Christian material, and again, he had no problem with that. So I left my shopping cart there, and hurried out to get it.

He was still there when I got back, and he very gratefully and enthusiastically accepted both the Shona copy and an English copy. I pointed out the info flyer in it, and said he could call the number and get more information or visit the church if he wanted.

He probably would have talked more, but I didn't want to impose upon his time, so I excused myself and moved on.

We saw each other again in the check-out area, and he again thanked me for the books.

The next day, Sunday, as I was restocking my trunk with another copy of the Shona Book of Mormon, that put me in a position (instead of just hopping in and going) behind my car where my neighbor who was driving by could stop and talk.

Hebrew at grocery store, missed op. Mon, Aug 9, 2010.

08/09/2010. Journal entry. Missed opportunity. At the grocery store, I heard two young caucasaian ladies speaking a foreign language. I turned around and politely asked what language they were speaking. One of them said Hebrew.

I thought that was so cool since they were the first people I've encountered locally who were speaking Hebrew. There is a sizeable Jewish immigrant population in Indy, but that group is Russian. I didn't ask, but I assumed these ladies were from Israel.

The church doesn't have anything in Hebrew that I'm aware of. There used to be a Hebrew edition of the Book of Mormon, but it's out of print, and used copies go for over $100. Rumor has it that pulling the Hebrew edition BoM off the market was one of Israel's conditions to allow the church to put a BYU branch in Jerusalem.

I couldn't think of any material to offer, so I just smiled and said "That's cool. Welcome to America!" But in hind-sight I still could have given them a pass-along card and one of my personal calling cards.

Hindi, English @ restaurant. Korean @ grocery. Tue, Jul 28, 2009.

07/28/2009. 1171. I took a dinner break while volunteering at the storehouse, I went to a restaurant where two of the employees were from India, and they accepted Hindi and English copies of the Book of Mormon, and a Hindi edition of the Liahona magazine.

1172. Seated in the table next to mine, was a lady reading a Bible. As she left, I offered her some free paperback Bibles in case she knew anyone who needed or wanted any. She said she was a minister on her way to teach a Bible-study class, and would love to have some.

I went to the car and pulled out some paperback King James Bibles from the American Bible Society and the International Bible Society. (They were only about $2.15/each in case lots. The cheapest LDS KJV Bible is $8.20). I threw in a Chinese/English bilingual Bible as well.

I didn't bother to take them out of the zip-lock bags, and take out the LDS promotional materials such as pass-along cards and the list of local chapels that I had put in them. But I made sure she knew there was stuff from our church in there, and I suggested a couple times she take that stuff out before giving out the Bibles, since I didn't expect her to promote our church. I forgot to tell her the name of the church, and I felt a little guilty of that later.

1173. Later on in the evening, on my way home, I stopped at a grocery, and as soon as I walked in, I saw an Asian man bagging his purchases prior to leaving. He gave off a lot of spiritual light, enough that I stopped in my tracks, and it seemed obvious to me that I was supposed to talk to him.

I asked him where his family was from, and he said Korea. I offered him a free DVD in Korean from church. I described it as being about husbands who work too much (Together Forever) and he agreed to receive it. He asked which church and I told him. He followed me out as I went to retrieve it from my car. I also presented "The Testaments" DVD, which he accepted. He asked where the church was, and I showed him the list of chapels that I had put in the DVD clamshell, and pointed out the closest one and the one I go to. It was a very pleasant encounter.

Yoruba declined at parking lot. Fri, Apr 3, 2009.

04/03/2009. 1132. In the parking lot at the grocery store there were two African men speaking a foreign language. When they had a break in the conversation, I asked what they were speaking. Of the two, one was willing to speak to me, and said it was Yoruba. But he declined to receive a copy of the Yoruba Book of Mormon. Then after I was done at the bakery across the street, they were still there, so I showed the man the Yoruba Book of Mormon, just so he could see it. He did reach out to take it, and then he flipped through it real quick, but handed it back.

Arabic at grocery store. Tue, Mar 31, 2009.

03/31/2009. 1128. I was just starting to check out at the self-serve check-out registers at a grocery store. Two men in the next self-serve check-out aisle were just leaving, and were speaking a foreign language. As they passed by, I asked one of them what language they were speaking. He said Arabic, and they were from Sudan. I asked if he still liked to read in Arabic and he said yes. I offered a church book in Arabic, making mention that it was Christian material (since most Arabic-speakers are Muslim). He agreed to wait for me outside while I checked out, and then would get it for him.

I finished, paid, and went outside and got Arabic and English copies of the Book of Mormon from my car. I didn't even bother to put my stuff in the car, just leaving it sit in the cart. I walked around looking for them, and when someone honked their car horn at me, I turned around and it was them. They were very grateful for the books. I asked if they were Muslim, but he said they were Christian. I pointed out my name and the info flyer inside, and invited him to visit.

Polish declined. Tue, Jan 27, 2009.

01/27/2009. 1109. I was grocery shopping late at night (for myself this time) and the cashier spoke with an accent. He was from Poland. I offered him a free Polish Book of Mormon, but he politely declined.

French at grocery store. Fri, Sep 19, 2008

09/19/2008. 1068. On way home late at night, after stopping at a gas station, also felt inspired to stop at a grocery store. An African man was leaving as I entered. He ended up accepting a Together Forever DVD (with French audio track) and French Book of Mormon.

Twi at grocery store. Sat, Aug 16, 2008.

08/16/2008. 1052. It was late night at the grocery store. As I was in the check-out line, the security guard looked like he might be from Africa. After paying, and on my way out, I asked if he was from a certain country, but I guessed wrong. He was from Ghana. I offered him a free book from church in Twi, and he agreed to receive one. I took my groceries out to the car and brought back in a Twi copy and an English copy of the Book of Mormon, and he eagerly accepted them.

Follow-up at grocery. Chinese. Sat, Jun 28, 2008

06/28/2008. Journal entry. On my way home from the laundromat, I felt impressed to go slightly out of my way to stop at a 24/7 grocery store.

In front of me at the check-out line was a young Chinese couple. The man's shirt bore the name of a local Chinese restaurant, but there are several restaurants with that name, so I didn't know the exact one. But I had been to all three that I was thinking of with that name.

I struck up a conversation with him as he was waiting on the cashier, and he told me which was his restaurant, and he remembered some of the material I had given him, though I had forgotten exactly what all I had given them.

They were parked near me in the parking lot, so I retrieved a couple DVDs from my car and met him half-way between our cars. He was eager to talk, so it was not an imposition on him. He already had one of the DVD's, but not the other, so I gave him the one he didn't have.

Their restaurant is in our ward boundaries, so I ought to take our full-time missionaries there for lunch soon.

Yoruba at grocery store. Thu, Mar 6, 2008.

03/06/2008. 1003. I stopped at a grocery store to shop, and one of the employees who waited on me spoke with an accent. I said I didn't recognize her accent, and I asked her where she was from. She said Nigeria. I asked if she was Igbo or Yoruba, and she said Yoruba. I said my church has free books in Yoruba, and asked if she'd like to see one. She agreed. So after paying I went out to my car and retrieved a Yoruba copy and an English copy of the Book of Mormon, went back in and presented them to her. She gladly accepted them, and quickly opened flipped through the Yoruba copy. She was busy, so I didn't want to take up her time with extra small talk.

Yoruba at grocery store, Chinese to missionaries. Fri, Nov 2, 2007.

11/02/2007. 909. I was at a large multi-ethnic grocery store that caters to many immigrants from different countries. I was in the neighborhood and went in to shop without any intention of making a book placement.

I was still in the produce section when an African family caught my eye. I was going by them when they had a break in their conversation, so I asked the father what language they were speaking. He said Yoruba, from Nigeria.

I asked he'd like to see a free copy of our Sunday School manual in Yoruba, that I'd bring one in from my car. He said okay. So I left my shopping cart in the produce section, and went out to the car and retrieved a Yoruba and an English copy of "Gospel Fundamentals."

When I took it back in, they had moved on further in the produce section, but they eagerly came back towards me to see it. They were a bit excited to see something in Yoruba, and were very grateful to receive it. We exchanged names, and I pointed out the flyer inside with information to contact the church if hey wanted to know more. And I pointed out my card that I had taped inside.

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Journal entry. Afterwards, I went to another nearby Asian grocery store, and bought some stuff. I had a slip of paper in my wallet with the owner's name to remind me. I had given him a Vietnamese Book of Mormon a year or two ago. He remembered me, too. I think he was sleeping when I went it, and the door-chime woke him up. He was very helpful and eager to chat. I didn't mention the Book of Mormon or anything religious.

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Journal entry. Our ward's missionaries had requested a Chinese Book of Mormon for a referral from Temple Square. So I stopped by their apartment on my way home and got there just before they got home for the night.

It turns out they had some buried in a stack of other copies of the Book of Mormon, but I gave them another pair of traditional and simplified Chinese copies, and explained the difference. I also took over some food and cleaning supplies they had askef for previously.

Arabic at grocery store. Tue, Oct 16, 2007.

10/16/2007. 904. On my way home from the Chinese restaurant I passed a large grocery/department store. As I passed by, I believed I was prompted of the Spirit to go there. (For those who believe that Mormons make up their "prompted of the Spirit" stories, I would refer you to this story by Beth Moore, in which she recounts that she was urged of the Lord's Spirit to brush the hair of an elderly man in a wheelchair at an airport. It's very touching. Beth Moore has an organization called Living Proof Ministries.)

As soon as I went in, there was a couple with another lady speaking a foreign language. I chickened out of approaching them, and just went on to buy some produce.

However, when I checked out, the one couple was waiting up front for the other lady to finish checking out.

I approached the couple and asked what languages they spoke. I addressed the man, but the lady was the one who responded to my questions, so I then addressed her. They were from Egypt and spoke Arabic. I offered them a free copy of a bilingual Arabic/English Bible that I had bought from International Bible Society. They agreed to see it, so I asked them to wait while I retrieved it from my car.

I got it and also Arabic and English copies of the Book of Mormon. When I went back they had just come out of the store and were waiting outside. The lady to whom I had already spoken accepted the bilingual Bible, but when I presented the Arabic Book of Mormon, she politely declined. At that point the other lady came out, and she accepted the Arabic Book of Mormon. At first she declined the English Book of Mormon, saying she didn't read English well. But when I suggested that it could be used to learn more English, she accepted it.

Twi at grocery store. Sat, Oct 13, 2007.

10/13/2007. 901. I went to a nearby 24-hour grocery store to do some late night shopping. As I was in the produce section near the doors, a security guard closed and locked the entrance doors on that side so that customers would have to enter the doors near the cash registers until the morning shift started.

I was standing only a few feet away at the first fruit stand, within conversation distance. The thought that this might turn into a gospel contact never occurred to me. Well, you know me, I'm Mr. Chatty anyway, so as he turned away from the doors, and towards me, I said something just to say something, like "That time of night?" (ie, to lock that set of doors.)

He said "Yes" and something else, enough that I could tell that he had an accent. I said something like "Ah, you have an accent. Where are you from?" He said Ghana. I asked if he spoke Twi (pronounced "chwee") and he was pleasantly surprised that I knew about the language. I said something about the many Ghanaians in Indianapolis, and mentioned one of the cultural events I went to.

I said my church has lots of books in African languages, and he asked which church and I told him. He knew about the church, and had had some contact with members. I offered him a Book of Mormon in Twi, and agreed to receive it.

I left my shopping cart in the produce section, and went out to my car and retrieved copies of the Book of Mormon and Gospel Fundamentals in Twi and in English (four books total). When I returned, he was near the main entrance, and there were no other customers, so it was easy to talk to him. I presented the books, and he beamed. I didn't want to interfere with his duties, so I wrote my name and phone number on one of the inserts, and said he could call me or one of the other numbers if he wanted any more information. We shook hands, and he went back to work, and I went back to shopping.

As I went in the doors near the cash registers, another store employee looked at me, as if he had seen me give the books to the guard and wondered what I was up to. I probably should have enthusiastically said something like "I had some books in his language!" which I have said on other occasions to third party observers who looked askance at the transaction.

Romanian declined at grocery store. Sat, Aug 18, 2007.

08/18/2007. 867. I was shopping at a grocery store that was on the way home, after leaving the evening session of Stake Conference. In the store, I passed by two young adult men, 20-somethings, who appeared to be brothers and were speaking a foreign language. They came out of the store just a few seconds after I did, and so I asked them in the parking lot what languages they spoke other than English. They said Romanian. I offered them a free book in Romanian from my church, and one asked what church. After I answered, he said "We're Orthodox" in a tone that indicated he was declining the offer. I wanted to continue the discussion, but the tone of his "We're Orthodox" response was rather dismissive, so I didn't intrude any more upon them.

I did give the other young man a customized pass-along card, so they have something in case they get curious. I like those over the standard ones because it also says "Available in over 100 languages", whereas the church-produced cards don't mention foreign languages.

Twi, Ewe at grocery store. Thu, Apr 12, 2007.

04/12/2007. 812. I was at the grocery store late in the evening. The man behind me had only two items, and I had at least a dozen. There was only one check-out lane open. I suggested to the man that he go ahead of me. He deferred to me, but I insisted he go ahead. It wasn't until he paid the cashier and said something that I detected the accent in his voice. I should have picked up earlier on his dress that he was from Afria, and was not African-American.

As the cashier started to ring up my purchases, I engaged him in conversation, asking where he was from, and what languages he spoke. He said he was from Ghana and Togo. When I asked if he spoke Twi, he was surprised and asked how I knew about Twi. I said there were many Ghanaians in Indianapolis. He spoke Engish, French, Twi, Ewe, and one or two others that I didn't recognize. I offered him books from church in those languages if he would wait for me, and he agreed.

We went out to my car, and I gave him Twi and English copies of the Book of Mormon, a Twi Bible, and Ewe and English copies of the Joseph Smith Testimony.

I forgot to give him a French Book of Mormon. I searched the car for a French New Testament, but I didn't have any in the car, though I knew I had some more at home. I showed him my phone number in the material with the books, and asked him to call me, and I'd arrange to get him a French New Testament.

He could have been in his 50's or 60's. When I talked to him face-to-face, I could see the ravages of a hard life in his face and eyes. He was a dignified and humble man. It is hard to be dignified and humble at the same time, but this man was one of the few whom I've met that are both. It was a real honor to meet someone like him, and to be able to give him material in the languages of his homeland. We spoke a little in French. I look forward to his phone call, and getting him a French New Testament and a French Book of Mormon.

He lives close enough, and is in my ward, that I could pick him up and take him to church if he doesn't already have a church to go to. But I didn't think of inviting him until I got home. I hope he calls and that I remember to invite him.

I haven't had as many of these serendipitous meetings with immigrants since moving, so meeting him was all the more special. In addition to that warm glow of humility, kindness, gentleness, and dignity that he radiated, traces of past hardships and horror were written on his face and eyes. God has blessed him by bringing him to this land of peace and freedom. What an honor if I am permitted to introduce him to more of God's blessings.

Follow up here.

Fortuitous follow-up, Cambodian. Fri, Jan 26, 2007.

01/26/2007. Tonight, I met the older brother of a young lady I met on July 3, 2006. I was at a grocery store, a well-known local chain, that I haven't been to in a long time, near my new home.

One of the employees who was bagging groceries looked Asian. I took my groceries out to the car, and came back in to buy a newspaper and try to meet him.

When I got back in, he was working in a different area up front near the check out lanes, but wasn't busy, and was approachable. I asked what languages he spoke, and he said a little Cambodian, but he didn't read it. I asked if he knew the young lady that worked at a certain gas station/convenience store, and he said she was his sister.

I asked about the Books of Mormon and magazines I gave her, and he said he had seen his parents reading them a few times. Cool!

I offered him another magazine for his parents, and he agreed to give it to him. I went back out to the car and got another Cambodian Liahona, and a copy of Finding Faith in Christ DVD.

I thought the DVD had a Cambodian track, but after getting home and looking it up on the web, I see that it was Thai instead of Cambodian. Thai writing is similar to Cambodian to my untrained eye. Unfortunately, the DVD case does not list the languages in English, only in the target language. So unless you know how to read the Thai on the case, you wouldn't know that the DVD has a Thai track.

Anyway, I presented the material, and he was very grateful. But his manager/supervisor kind of looked askance at me from a distance. I hope I didn't get him in trouble.

He looked at the card inside, and then commented it was the same one in the books at his parents' home. I mentioned that the Church has more material in Cambodian, and if his parents want more, to call me and let me know.