Each week at church, the brethren of the priesthood (ages 12 and above) meet together for announcements before going to our classes. During this short meeting, each quorum and group reports and announces their own business and events. Part of the time is also given to the full-time missionaries serving in our ward. They remind us of our responsibility to share the gospel and I love the saying, "every member a missionary". I try to make the sharing of the gospel a part of my life by speaking to people around me about my beliefs and answering questions. Sometimes it makes me nervous. Sometimes I fail to follow promptings. I'm sorry for those times.
Angie and I eat at a favorite Mexican restaurant. We love Mexican food.
A lot.
We frequent our favorite Mexican spots wherever we live. Well, there is a manager at this place that we go to that I've wanted to share a Book of Mormon with. We asked our full-time missionaries in the area if we could use a copy of El Libro de Mormon to give away. They were more than happy to provide us with one.
A few weeks later, when I remembered El Libro de Mormon on my office shelf, we took it down with us on date night and hoped this manager would be there.
He was.
And I got nervous during dinner. I recognized that nervous feeling as, "I'm nervous, but I'm going to do this anyway. I feel the Lord is near to help me."
You know me, I'd rather get it over and done with so that I don't have to feel nervous any more. I would have even talked to him during dinner - because he likes to make the rounds and see how patrons are doing. It turns out that his rounds were in another part of the restaurant and I was nervous that I wouldn't get the chance to see him before we left.
Well, I'll just jump to the end. I started wondering if I should give El Libro de Mormon to our waiter. He's a really nice guy that we've seen there a lot of times over the year and a half or so that the place has been open. But I decided that I'd give it to the man I intended it for from the beginning. On our way to check out I was just going to meander up to the cashier and hopefully catch his attention. It worked. When he saw me, I smiled and walked over to him. We shook hands and then I asked him if he had ever heard of The Book of Mormon. I held it out so he could read the title. "No," he said. He held it with one hand, but wanted to let go of it. So I just told him that I wanted to give him this book and that it was about Jesus Christ. He was very grateful (I think) and he accepted it. I told him I can answer any questions that he has the next time I eat there. That will be soon enough!
Back to our church meeting and announcements. After I shared that story, the full-time missionaries said, "Oh, ya. We met that guy this week and he told us about that." How cool! I wanted to find out from them what happened before going home, but I didn't get a chance to. I guess I know who I'm calling tonight. :)
I love sharing the gospel and bask in the warmth of the Spirit and the love of God for reaching out to his sons and daughters. We are part of the gathering of the House of Israel in these, the latter days. The Book of Mormon is the standard of this work and His people are being brought in, one by one. It is a miracle. I'm so glad to be part of it.
"So the last shall be first" (Matt 20:16). I have seen that firsthand throughout my life as the gentiles are being gathered and joining the House of Israel. I saw it on my mission in Bahia, Brazil and see it again every time I open my mouth to share the gospel and every time I see a person get baptized into our ward. How awesome is that!
Very.
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