No - But Have a Grapefruit — Mark & Elaine Quinn

“No, but have a grapefruit,” a woman said, pointing to the tree in her front yard.

This made me laugh as some missionaries told me about being rejected one day while standing on a doorstep here in California. For missionaries, rejection is something they get used to. In fact, in our mission, it’s surprisingly common for people to offer fruit from their yards right after saying “no.” Missionaries get offered oranges, apples, lemons and peaches. Elder Henrie told me he carried home a watermelon one time on his bike – “football hold,” he said.

I told the missionaries that the next time someone offers you fruit, you can smile and say, “We have a beautiful story we’d like to share with you about fruit from a tree—the sweetest fruit, the most desirable to make one happy!” (1 Nephi 8:10 from the Book of Mormon)

Yes, rejection is part of missionary work. Most of the time, missionaries tell me, people say “no” in a kind way. Sometimes too kind—just ask Sister Chappell and a few other sister missionaries who have been proposed to on doorsteps! And then there was Elder Wallace who got slugged in the eye. He was so shocked he just stood there frozen, not sure what to do next.

There are the regular ways of being rejected: people turning away, slamming doors, ghosting you, wagging a finger as you walk up, the drunk person who doesn’t make sense, and the occasional very mean person who says things you can’t repeat.

I’ve had to remind more than one set of missionaries that the way someone rejects you is a reflection of them, not you! Kind people reject in kind ways; mean people reject in mean ways. So, when someone is harsh or unkind, shake it off and go on your way.

There is a rejection that the all missionaries tell me stings. It is the friend who is on date to be baptized, someone with great potential, someone you have grown to love and then without any reason they disappear, they’re gone. That’s the kind of rejection that hurts your heart.

I often reflect on the priceless value of the message our missionaries have to share with the people they have been called to teach and serve here in the California Santa Rosa Mission. I am reminded of the account in the Book of Mormon that I referred to above where an ancient prophet, Lehi, had a vision where he was shown the pure white fruit available to those who accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ. In his dream, Lehi described the fruit as the “most sweet above all that I ever before tasted…and was white to exceed all whiteness I had ever seen.” I pray that our missionaries will find those the Lord has prepared to receive the fruits of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know the sweet joy available to those who embrace the fruit our missionaries offer them.

If you would like to learn more about the fruits of the Gospel of Jesus Christ click here:

Fruits of the Gospel

Have a wonderful week. Thanks for reading! Sister Quinn

I had a very tender week visiting with missionaries about their “Coming to Know Him” journals as they shared beautifully written entries with me. Stay tuned for some sweet stories in a future post. Here is prompt #7

Photos from the week

Screenshot of helicopter fighting fires in Napa Valley forest fires

This week we had to evacuate Hermanas Campbell and Risser from Napa/St. Helena due to forest fires there.

No - But Have a Grapefruit

It Came From Heaven - “Preach My Gospel”