25 June 2000

We ended the week with 50 contacts, 35 of which were adult males.  Most of them rejected us or punted us (stood us up) after we made return appointments.  We are so sick of contacting now.  People in Calbayog are rude, hard-hearted people.  They're stupid, too.  We've been told this week that both cigarettes and tuba (coconut wine) are good for your body.  Well, now, don't we feel silly for avoiding it for all these years.  We also went by a 17-year-old member of Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ).  He kept trying to tell us why his church is true.  His only argument was: "In Romans 16:16 it says 'iglesia ni Cristo.'"  That was his only argument.  Our conversation went like this (translated from Waray-Waray, for the most part):

"We're the Church of Jesus Christ, too, Brother."

"No, you're the Church of the Mormons."

"Mormons is just a nickname.  The real name of your church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."

"That isn't 'Iglesia ni Cristo.'"

"That's Tagalog, Brother.  In English, it's 'Church of Christ.'"

"But it says in the Bible, 'Iglesia ni Cristo.'"

"Brother, where did the Bible come from?"

"Ummm...the Apostles?"

"Where are they from?"

"Ummm..."

"They're from Jerusalem.  The Bible is from Jerusalem and Rome.  It was written in Hebrew and Greek, and then translated to English, Spanish, Tagalog.  Tagalog isn't the original language of the Bible."

"Aw, no!"

"It's true, Brother."

"Whatever, in Tagalog Bible it's 'Iglesia ni Cristo.'"

No matter what we said, he could not get off the fact that in the Tagalog Bible, Romans 16:16 says "Iglesia ni Cristo."

I hope Calbayog isn't my last area.