Chapter 19 - The Church Still has Enemies

10/13/12 – THE CHURCH STILL HAS ENEMIES

We went to a stake fireside tonight at one of the stakes.   It was a great program and the Spirit was so strong.  However, when the meeting was over and everyone was leaving the building we heard a huge commotion outside.  Apparently the night before there had been a confrontation between several young men from the island and some of the young men in the stake, and they were waiting in the field next to the building to finish whatever had started the night before.  When the boys in the field started shouting most just ignored them and got on the bus (most people ride the bus to church meetings) or in their cars, but some of the young men were not happy with what was being said about them and the church and so – being typical teen-agers -they started after the young men in the field.  All of a sudden rocks started coming from the field.  Someone shouted to us to get in the car.  A rock hit the side of our van just after we closed the door.  One person on the bus was hit by a rock, but not injured too badly.  It was really scary for a few minutes.  Because it was dark, we couldn’t see the rocks or those that were throwing them.   We had the sister missionaries with us, but the two elders who were at the meeting were still somewhere in the parking lot.  We drove to the other side of the building and Dennis called them to tell them he would give them a ride home.  We didn’t want them walking home – through the field where all the trouble had taken place.  It took some convincing, but they finally agreed to let us take them home.  It was sad that after such an inspirational meeting it had to end the way it did.  But, we were thankful that we were protected and that no one was seriously hurt.