Scaring the Visitors

First a little background: In our church, worthy young men and women serve full-time missions for 18 months to 2 years. We, as members in the communities where they serve, take turns feeding them their evening meals. This helps them to focus on sharing the Gospel, rather than spending time preparing meals, and helps with their budget, as their missions are voluntary and self-funded. It also helps having these valiant servants in our home to share spiritual messages with us, and to learn from their examples. I imagine their mothers back home are grateful they are being fed things more nutritious than ramen and pork and beans, too.

So, we had signed up for the missionaries to have lunch with us this afternoon (Saturday). We have church meetings this evening, and chose to feed them lunch instead. That is all very well and good, except things didn't go the way we had planned.

I woke up feeling lousy today (surprise, surprise) and asked King to take Snow White shoe shopping. Since we have meetings later tonight, and Snow White dances at our local Cultural Center this evening, I knew I had to limit what I could accomplish today. So, he decided to take Sleeping Beauty on her daddy-daughter date a little earlier than they had planned, and come back to get Snow White to shoe shop. I started some laundry and went back to bed.

About 20 minutes later the doorbell rang. And, I'm sure you know who it was, but I was puzzled. And half asleep. And I hadn't showered since Thursday. I opened the door to four fresh-faced and hungry missionaries.

"Oh, hi!" I said, "We completely forgot you were coming! I'm so sorry! And King just left with one of the girls. I've been sick the last couple of days and completely spaced it. Oh, goodness." Or some completely nonsensical blubbering like that for a few minutes. (Remember-I was half asleep.)

They were very nice. "Oh, that's fine. Don't worry about it. Is there anything we can do to help you?" And, when assured that there was nothing they could do to help, they went cheerfully on their way. I closed the door and then realized that the least I could have done was give them some cookies Cinderella had made this morning, or some money to buy pizza. Duh.

Now, I am sure they will get over the fact that their lunch appointment was canceled. There's always canned soup or macaroni and cheese. But, what I'm not sure they'll get over is seeing me half asleep, with no bra, in my pajamas, no make-up, ugly glasses, greasy hair, and ghastly breath. I'm pretty sure all of them vowed then and there to never be married after their missions. Yikes. Poor guys. I'm sure they are super excited we signed up to feed them Christmas dinner. (Remind me to actually take a shower that day, would you?)