Ye Wins a Few and Loses a Few

 

Somebody here wants to eat Elder Blain's suit!  These are a few who turned us down today!

The boys in the back are walking home from school on the public footpath that runs through this pasture.

 

Notice how they are ignoring and snubbing our message?

 

This one tried to listen, but we had no carrot to offer, except The Book of Mormon.  It didn't smell like something to eat.  The lady on the left got away.

We went into the what is called "The Pottery" area today--Tunstall and Stoke-on-Trent.  There are signs of the closed potteries everywhere.  Wedgwood potteries still have an operation here where they decorate the pottery, but it is first sent to China to be made.  It is sad so many lost their jobs, but the generations whose health has been affected many not think the potteries were such a blessing.  They have a canal system where the pottery stuff was taken in and shipped out.  The soil here is a good clay for making pottery.  Also, there are coal pits, so they had the fuel to run the kilns and other operations connected to the making of pottery.  The air was very poor quality at that time and much pollution was caused by this industry.

Above is a bell tower, and an old church.  We cut through a park for some exercise and finding.

 

Sister Blain is in a lovely park, trying to find someone who needs a Book of Mormon.  We actually found a homeless family.  The father was probably about all of seventeen years old, if that.  The baby looked about two.  The family consisted of a bunch of teens with no home and a cute little boy.  One of the girls grabbed The Book of Mormon and said, "That's mine!"  I had just placed it with the young man and he committed to read it.  He was very humble.  I promised him blessings and that his life could improve if he would pray, have faith, and find out for himself that The Book of Mormon is true.  I also asked him if he'd like to be with his family together forever.  Of course, he said he would.

Men bowling at the park.

 

In the garden.

 

This is beautiful Lavernia (we like the name since it reminds of LaVern). We see it hanging down over stone walls, fences, and walks all over as we are out and about.

Notice how they are protecting their young?

This big, bad swan was chasing the geese.  I forgot to correct the white balance on him, so he is all washed out (good thing to do to a bully--wash him out!)

Elder Blain and I visited many homes today and found people who had moved and some who had died.  We didn't actually find the dead folks (as Elder Blain mentioned in a letter he wrote today).  We tied to introduce the gospel at the homes we visited, but only one other person today was interested.  She took The Book of Mormon and promised to read it.  We will follow up on her.  

95% of the people are polite but firmly not interested when we offer to share a gospel message.  Some open the door, take one look, say, "We're not in," when obviously they are in or they wouldn't be standing there!  Another walked by us today and said, "We're not available."  So, I guess, even if the person is there, we are supposed to pretend they aren't, or we are supposed to get a clue they mean, "Go away, I am not interested."  

Some of the people we meet make it clear they don't want to discuss religion, but they do chit chat a bit and often share information about the history of the area (that is where the pottery info. came from).  One man. when he noticed we are from the U.S., ran into his house and brought two CDs he had recorded.  He told us to take them back to America to share.  We don't know if they are any good, but from what he says he is well known in the area.  He is a spiritualist and he said this was his way of serving others by giving of his talents.  He was most certainly happy with his present way of life and wished us well on our journey to find lost souls.