So one day, about 4 weeks ago, we were having a pretty hard time finding a reference (because nobody has a mailing address). So we stopped by a members house to ask directions. Now this guy (I'll call him Juan), was an inactive member, he used to go out with the missionaries all the time, and apparently, he was really good at the missionary work too. He says he spent 3 years in missionary work, even though he never served full time. But since then he has fallen inactive. But he still knows everyone, and he is friends with everyone. Supposedly he was one of the first members in this area.
So we stopped by to ask this guy for directions, and when we got there he was out front by the well, drinking beer with a buddy. I thought he was just a random drunk guy, and my comp just kind of ignored him at first, (cause he was drunk). So we went in to talk to one of his two nieces that live with him, (the two girls are super active in the church by the way). She came out and said she didn´t know the person we were looking for. The whole time we were talking to her, Juan was making jokes about exaltation and other doctrinal points, and I was pretty confused cause I thought he was just a random drunk guy(and I could only understand half of what was said, cause it is all in Spanish). But then she started to cry, and my comp said something like"I can´t imagine how hard this is for you". By this time I was starting to think this drunk guy might not be so random.
So we started to leave, but then Juan called us over, and started making jokes again about the church. My comp asked him if he knew the address we were looking for, and he said that he didn´t. Then he said "I used to work with the missionaries all the time, I love the missionaries! When can you come visit me?" sS we put a time to have dinner with him, and then he said. "I have a problem." My comp said, "I know." Then he burst into tears. He began to roll up the end of his shorts, to reveal the edge of a temple garment. And he said "I need your help"...(it is a little uncommon for people here to go to the temple and make those covenants)
Just at that moment, the bishop pulled in to the driveway. We said hi to him, and made a hasty retreat because he had the situation in hand.
part 2 of Juan coming soon
