Mission Memories......."That Means I'm Jewish"

Even though I was a returned military veteran and 25 years old as I went on my mission - there were a lot of things I was still naive to in which I helped contribute to the sometimes-notion/impression that missionaries aren't that bright.


A mission is a learning experience. But sometimes.....well.....it can be entertaining as well.....

 I didn't know all the different religions yet nor much about them.  I was brand new, serving with Elder Keyes (eyes - with a "K") in Baton Rouge.   Anyways, if you don't know, Jews put a Mezuzah on their door post (to the side of the door) on the house reminding them of the ten commandments and they often touch it, or symbolically kiss their hand and then touch them as they pass by in their goings into and out of the home to remind them to go out and come in in the name of the Lord.  This is a fancy one and very pretty with the 12 stones representing the 12 tribes (sons of Jacob/Israel) and the 12 stones worn on the breastplate of Aaron.  Not usually so decorative, but pretty nonetheless. 




Anyways, also on some doors are wreath hangars of various fashions like this one:  

 And other times they have various fancy bulbs in their porch light - sometimes looking like this....

 And still other times, they have nails left in the door from some unspecified festivity/purpose but with nothing hanging on them.

 Well.....the door we went to for this particular story had all four.  A Mezuza, a wreath holder, fancy bulbs and two nails sticking out of the door. 


I didn't know what a Mezuza was nor did I know what a wreath holder was.  No clue.  Never needed to know and never paid attention.  I knew what nails were and fancy bulbs but anyways, all this plays an important part in the exchange to follow.

So, Elder Keyes and I are tracting in Baton Rouge and this gentleman says to us at the door, "I'm not interested in what you are sharing....see that over there?" pointing in the direction of the Mezuzah but sort of towards the porch light "It means I'm Jewish." 


Me, a bit puzzled, looked at the porch light and said, "Those fancy bulbs mean you're Jewish?"  (Frick...the whole neighborhood must be Jewish! I thought.) 


"No, not that....the thing on the door!"


I looked at the wreath holder not knowing what it was....what a strange religious symbol! "Oh!" I said politely. ".....THAT means you're Jewish?....what IS that?" (I was trying to figure out how it represented the Jewish faith and all sorts of weird thoughts went through my head as I tried to fathom what this thing had to do with God).


"NO!  Not that...the thing in the middle of the door!"


There hung two empty nails.....such a mystery. 


"Oh......whatever it was....I think...it fell down...."  I began looking around for the symbol of the Jewish faith that had fallen off the door to help the poor man find the declaration of his faith in a gesture of goodwill towards men.


The poor man looked exasperated and was clearly wondering if I was stupid.  My companion looked like he was going to hurt himself trying not to laugh.  


"NOT THAT! THAT THING! RIGHT! THERRRRREEE!"  and he touched the Mezuza in the middle of the door post looking like he wanted to grab my head to show it to me.


"Oh THAAAAT!  That means you're Jewish?" 


"YES!" 


"OHHHHH! Okay....what's that?" 


He was very kind to teach me a bit about Judaism and the Mezuza. I can't say I taught him a whole lot about Christ, other than He takes the willing and not necessarily the educated.  But after this, I can never see a nails on a door, a wreath holder or sometimes the fancy bulbs in a porch light without remembering that none of those things symbolize that someone is Jewish....and start cracking up.