I came home from the grocery store about 7:30 p.m. and a couple of local Mormons were mowing my front lawn. A teenage boy and his dad (who, BTW, would have been Bishop Howdy Doody had he achieved that status in the last election - you know the type) were mowing and edging my lawn. They claimed they were mowing their own lawn and thought of us, so put their lawnmower in the truck and came over. Now granted, our lawn needed it. DH has been working a lot of extra shifts lately and the kids have been off on one adventure or another all summer. But they had to drive a couple of blocks and so I really don't buy their prompted by the spirit act, especially when the dad got the teen son to invite me to his big brother's mission homecoming in two weeks. Maybe he thought I couldn't resist the little 14-year-olds big brown eyes or something. Or that I wouldn't be rude to a kid. I offered to pay them or at least make them brownies, but they cheerfully declined and finished their work and left.

Honestly, it's not just Mormon doctrine that's like nailing Jell-O to wall. Sometimes it's the members themselves, such a slippery mix of nice, mean, brainwashed, relentless, fake, cheerful and just plain clueless. I guess that makes them human but at least I can get away from the other humans that bug me. Getting away from Mormons ... did I mention relentless?

Strings.

Do I get props for the nailing Jell-O to the wall saying or did I filter that in over time being here? I see so many of us using similar sayings, it just cracks me up.

Shows there really is a language to leaving Mormonism.

I don't know where I first heard it - you can have credit for it if you like. I know I didn't come up with it originally but it does brilliantly explain Mormon doctrine and many situations dealing with Mormons.

It's a very old phrase that has been around since well before I or even my parents were born.

The internet credits Teddy Roosevelt in 1912, but it became a popular phrase in the '60s.

Similar situation happened to me, but I was NOT happy about it. I came home to some missionaries trimming my hedges. My concern was that had they gotten hurt on my property, I may have been legally responsible for their injuries.

I didn't think about that aspect but I suppose I could have returned fire with a trespassing charge. Oh well, they left unscathed. But seriously, why do they think it would make me want to go back to church? At the very least, it makes me a bit less irritated with Mormons and a bit more sorry for them. But the difference is miniscule and neither feeling makes me respect them more.

They imagine favors will change our cold hard hearts and we'll return to the fold because they just don't understand we have deep doctrinal and historical reasons for rejecting the church. No amount of lawn mowing is going to make JS an actual prophet.

So if I let them find me I get my yardwork done, augratin taters and cookies?

If you let them find you the great prize is you get lifetime stalkers.

If CAgirl were a actress living in Hollywood/Malibu and some kook showed up and was in her yard mowing the lawn it could have ended with a jail sentance.

But I guess you said you know them so that's a different story...still kinda stalker, creeper type stuff.

Yes - they honestly don't understand how creepy they are being, which weirdly makes it kind of heart wrenching. They think they are being sweet but they are being strange. Of course, that feeling of being sorry for them disappears pretty fast when you see how many strings are attached, as Bite Me so succinctly summed up in the above comment.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2013 02:24AM by CA girl.

Don't worry when you don't return to the fold as expected they'll go back to ignoring you.

I would return the favor...drop your lawn mower to the lowest setting and mow away on their lawn. Ring the doorbell and hand them some cookies with a big grin and say you did your best to return the favor...they will never mow your lawn again.

And make sure you say, "My children helped make the cookies, but don't worry, they got over that nasty tummy bug the day before."

I think it's great to do something like that for someone who is sick or the elderly. In that case it is done with a good heart, just helping.

But in your case, it was done with intent to manipulate - now you "owe" them something in return.

I still think it's rude to not ask first. I don't want anyone coming onto my property without permission, much less to do work I haven't authorized.

What if there was an accident and someone had to go to the hospital? Would they sue you? They could...and you could probably fight it saying you didn't give them permission, but no one wants to end up in court.

I do the mowing around here. I love to mow my lawn. I right now have 3 men living with me and I CHOOSE to mow the lawn.

Also--right after my ex left and I had been inactive for a short time, I broke my foot. I mowed my lawn with the boot on because there was nobody else around to mow the lawn. My ex told me it made him look bad. I told him "if the shoe fits." I never once had someone offer to mow my lawn and the bishop was my next door neighbor. I am glad they didn't--because, again, I would have been offended.

Boundaries.

I have a friend in the neighborhood who was just diagnosed with cancer for the second time--in her 70s. Her husband isn't well. I thought of mowing their lawn, but KNEW I shouldn't unless I asked first.

Just wanted to clarify that some generational gap differences in vocabulary and communication could create some confusion on the subject of "getting your lawn mowed".

You younger readers should be informed that this is a thread about actually mowing the grass that grows in the back yard and front yard of a house. Not the lawn in your panties.

Now back to the discussion at hand..er....nevermind.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2013 11:57AM by upsidedown.

Sure it is weird.

But Mormons are weird and awkward.

It was still very nice. We complain enough when they do batshit crazy things. Good on them when they do something nice...even though strange.

You might mention the windows need washing and the toilets scrubbing. Hey might as well let them get it out of their system lol

I wish they'd come and mow mine.