Continued lessons in Missionary Work, and working with Members

September 9, 2012

Missionary work is hard enough but when one runs into logger heads because of Culture it is discouraging.

The standard here is Socialism.  If you are not using it, it belongs to others.  Sister Zaugg, had set a standard that I did not understand.  She had JAE things spread around the church, and much of it in cupboards that could not be found or used by the members because it was under lock and key.  I gathered it all up and organized it neatly in a box in the allotted cupboard.

We had a baptism two weeks ago, and after the baptism I watched them using the disposable plates, and other items from the closet.  Well I was glad that they had felt comfortable using things.  But then I was a little chagrined  when they left the reusable items just sitting in the kitchen.  I was even a little disturbed, when Heinz the man who was baptized was cleaning up.

I noticed that they had just shoved the unused stuff back in the box.  So later in the week I went into to organize and was really disturbed and in shock.  The JAE had not been meeting at all since the middle of July.  I needed the napkins and found that Sister Zaugg's huge stash of napkins were almost depleated.  I had purchase straws for the JAE, the bag had been torn open, and the straws were dumped out.  I had purchased some plastic dipping cups, but change of program had not even opened the box, and they were gone.  Also the box was totally disorganized as they had pawed through it.  The foils and wraps and boxes of plastic bags had been thrown around.  These were from JAE funds.

Well I was read y to get one of our carry all plastic boxes and haul everything down to the computers that are locked up.  But as we talked about it, Elder Storrer laughed and said, "they live the united order."  But then he added,  actually this is Socialism.  They are required to share.  They really don't know any different.

Then I thought of all the extra stuff that I had gathered up, and realized that Sister Zaugg had such a large stash of knives and forks, and other stuff, that she herself had probably gathered up a lot of left over stuff, believing that she was saving JAE funds.  So some of the stuff they had used probably belonged to them anyway.  So the only thing I am really disturbed about now is the stuff that I have in the past purchased and set in the kitchen for JAE use on a Sunday, All put together in a box. It was all there for an obvious purpose. yet some sister decided she wanted my green hot sauce and took it..

I remember the other CES couples complaining that if they put anything in the church fridge a day early that the YM and YW program would eat it, even if they labeled it for JAE use only.  Now I realize that it is just their way of life and we have to work around it.

Even the Saints here are against Romney because he is a conservative.  We do our best to avoid any political discussion, so they say to our face.  They don't understand Americans at all.  Of course not they moved through Kaizer's, Natzism, and now Socialism.  They have "vacation time,"  It is about 8 weeks from middle of July through August.  Everyone are required to take their vacations then.  They might as well shut down Austria at that tijme.  And then we see those required to take 5 months of vacation because they had a baby.   And at a very reduced rate of what they normally make.  Then we see the tax 50% to support the nonworkers.  Yet they cannot understand why we cling to a piece of paper, "The constitution."  Many admit that they really don't understand Americans.  Well we have no choice but to cater to Socialism, and believe me the Freedom of America has become more precious to us.    It is hard to watch things unfold in America because we see the bad side of it here.  These people really don't have a clue and want for America what they have here.  Thank goodness none of them can vote.