Wonders in the Grove

Yesterday we had the early shift and after we got off we did laundry and mailed home the things we won’t need in Ireland. In other words, it was task day. However, we finished the tasks and Carl wanted to take a few more pictures in the Sacred Grove so we went back to the grove and while we were there we saw a little fawn. I’m thinking that the deer I saw the other day must be his mother, but we never saw any sign of the mother yesterday. He wasn’t the least bit afraid of us. I wasn’t sure who was observing whom. He was as curious about us as we were of him, and he kept stepping closer to us to get a better look, his big brown eyes never leaving us.

Last night we attended the pageant again and each time it gets better and better. The interesting thing last night is that the antis that shout and yell before and after the pageant weren’t as intense. I don’t know if they are wearing out or if they are being mellowed, but it was interesting to watch how LDS people react to them. Groups of young people will pass through and begin to sign a hymn. Older people smile and wave at them as if they were long-lost relatives. Some people even stop for a friendly chat which keeps the antis entertained so they can’t yell. There have been, and always will be, a few who content with them but gratefully there are only a few. Most of them don’t know a thing about us. They are hired by anti-Mormons to harass and protest, but when you question them you discover they haven’t a clue what Mormonism is about. When one was asked if he knew what the Book of Mormon was all about, he answered, “Sure, It’s about Jo Smith.” Even their signs show they haven’t a clue. When you understand all that what they are doing is actually humorous rather than offensive.

We heard a story of something that happened last year. A seminary teacher decided to confront one of the antis near the Grandin Building where the Book of Mormon was printed. It got very heated with yelling on both sides and accusations flying like bullets at a trap shoot. Finally a gentleman walked up to them and said, “An hour ago we had one fool yelling on this corner. Now we have two fools.” That made the seminary teacher realize what he was doing and he left. You can’t fight evil with evil! But there is something miraculous that happens when people fight evil with love.