Petting Dogs

 Hudson had an exchange with the Linden elders again.  They were short on time to meet some appointments so they picked up lunch from a member and took it go.  The good news it was meatballs.  The bad news it was not in a travel safe crockpot.  One of the Linden elders was driving very fast along the windy roads that are in the area.  The crockpot couldn't stay upright and then there were meatballs all over the back of the car.  Hudson was glad it was not his car and he didn't have to try to clean marinara out of the carpet.  He also got to see how a companionship can get heated with different opinions of how things should be handled.  He was with one of the Linden Elders when they went to meet a self referral.  A self referral is something you can fill out on the internet that gives your contact information with the missionaries in your area.  Unfortunately, a lot of people use it as a joke.  Jokes on them, however, when the missionaries show up at their house.  This is what happened as they went out on this meeting.  They drove way back in the "sticks" to a trailer that was less than pristine.  They were greeted by a very large, very hairy, very barky dog.  The owner of the house and dog came out of the house and started yelling at the missionaries to PET the dog.  If you pet him he will stop coming at you.  Hudson was not sure if this was a trick to get the dog to attack, but he complied and to his surprise the dog stopped.  The man of the house told him he thought it was the man living in the trailer behind him that submitted the referral as a joke.  He was willing to allow the missionaries to share a message with him--score--.  He then invited them to come inside which was even more interesting then the outside.  His wife was inside doing paperwork.  A lively conversation ensued and the book of Timothy came in to the discussion.  The dog started going crazy again and Hudson started petting it again.  It flopped on the floor on top of his foot and laid as long as Hudson was petting it.  After their self referral contact they went back to pick up Elder French and the other Linden Elder that was giving a baptism lesson with an investigator.  Later that night Hudson got to assist with a blessing for a Jewish man whose wife is a member of the church.  He was at their house having family home evening.