Just when you thought those dang kids weren’t paying attention

One night I was going along after the bars closed and I received a call to pick up a couple of people at a notorious bar downtown. As I approached this bar, which is normally bustling with activity, I saw two Polynesians, a man and a woman sitting on the step of the establishment.

To me they looked totally out of place and the spirit told me that they felt totally out of place. They got in the car and we hit it off famously. I started by saying “malo léele” As they told me they were Tongan

We talked about family members of theirs that I knew through my association with BYU football. They talked about Kalani Sitake and how proud they were of him. I could feel that the guilt they felt from the lifestyle they had been mired in for some time now along with the result from that nights endeavors, began to be replaced with an excitement, pride and love in their voice for their families and the legacy that they had been blessed with.

They asked me if I could put some of the music from my phone on the radio so that they could listen to it. Did I have a surprise for them. I told them I had some music that I recorded that I wanted them to listen to.

I went into my videos and pulled out a video I took of some missionaries from Tonga singing when I was serving in the MTC. Here is that video. https://vimeo.com/578265270. As the video played first I heard sniffles and then I heard singing and finally a request to play it again and again. They were fully emotional.

I talked about the MTC and how faithful and spiritual those Tongan missionaries were and how as they sang that song you could see them worshiping. They then started telling me about all their family members who had served missions and how they were members of the church themselves.

I asked them what that song meant to them. They said that whenever they heard that song they could feel the love of God for them. I told them that out of 5000 rides I had never played a video from my phone for anyone but tonight the Holy Ghost wanted me to play that and that I knew it was special for them.

When I looked back at then,in my mind they looked like children. I could feel the Lord’s love for them and I could feel their mothers love for them.

I told them that their father in heaven loved them and their mother was concerned. I told them that their mother wanted them to make changes and that it was time to get going.

They were both quite young (in their late 20’s) and at that point I had no idea that their mother had passed.

They then began to cry. The lady said their mother died seven years ago and it threw them all into a tailspin. Their father could barely function and there been so much pressure. At first they quit going to church because it was inconvenient. Then they quit going to church because they didn’t feel like it and finally they quit going to church because they turned in a different direction.

The lady told me that it is the strangest thing but that the second she got in my car she could feel the presence of her mother. The funny thing is that I could feel the presence of her mother too and I have no doubt that her mother’s love for that song was the reason why we played it. It would not normally ever come to my mind to do something like that.

We talked about how God‘s love transcends all and that even though we sin he loves us. We talked about how that night their spirits had woken up and felt joy in the presence of the spirit of God. We talked about how he sent his son so that we can deal with our struggles and overcome our sins. Without being specific she said, I hear my mothers voice in your words. Everything you say is exactly what she used to say to me. I know you were sent by God to drive us tonight.

I felt prompted to talk about repentance and the way back. I assured them that it was not too far and that God wanted them back more than anything. I told them that their mom wanted them back so that they could all be together again

The woman told me that her mother had talked about that as she was dying and that again the words I was using were exactly the words she had said at that time.

I talked to them about the atonement and how faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ and his power is what they lacked. I told them that the atonement not only is there to help them repent but it is also there to take away the sting of the pain and suffering caused by their mothers death and the other challenges they face in this life. Most of all I told them that the resurrection was part of that atonement and their mother who was with us there that night,was not gone, she would be resurrected.

I told them that through the atonement they could turn things around and be ready to see her. I told them that this was what their mother wanted. The Lady said that their mother had always talked about the atonement but that they really hadn’t paid too much attention and that it was no coincidence that I talked about their mothers favorite subject. I told them that God doesn’t leave us alone. He’s given us the atonement of Jesus Christ and it’s power, he’s given us the Holy Ghost which was there tonight, he’s given us our ancestors who are supporting us and praying for us.

I asked them, with all these things that God has given us how can we fail if we will just try with God at our side? I promise that those words “how can we fail if we just try with God at our side” had never come out of my mouth in the history of all the talking I have done which, is considerable. They teared up again and said that this was their mothers favorite phrase. She said it all the time.

I told them that if they were going to come back they would need to read the Book of Mormon every day. I told them they would need to pray while they were reading the Book of Mormon and pray about their life and that God would illuminate their path. I told them that the path ran through the chapel and that they needed to go to church. I asked them if they knew what ward they lived in. They said no so we looked it up on the meetinghouse locator. They promised they would go to church.

I perceived that they were worried and hesitant about being judged by people in their family and in their ward. I said, are you worried about being judged? They both nodded. I said, I promise you someone WILL do that. Satan wants to trip you up and he knows that this would hurt. I also promise you that the spirit will go with you and your mother will be by your side. if you will go to church and focus on God instead of the other people, you won’t even notice it.

The lady said, I keep saying this, but that’s exactly what my mother would say! We know that you were sent by God here to straighten us out tonight. The man said I have not felt like this for years! I feel like it’s all possible now. I want to come back!

He said, I can tell that you are a man of God and that you are a worthy holder of the priesthood. Would it be possible for you to pray for us here in the car. I’ve had this happen on occasion and it’s always a wonderful event. We bowed our heads and I said the words that came to my heart while praying for them.

I prayed that they would find the strength to look to God instead of their own abilities, I prayed that they would turn away from evil influences and those who would drag them down. In the prayer I mentioned that their mother was watching and that she would be with them as they listened to the words that she had said. The spirit was very powerful and you could feel the spirit of our father in heaven and the spirit of their mother in the car. Light was pouring in and tears were pouring down.

The ride was over and we have been sitting for sometime in front of their house. I told them that I knew that they could do it and that I needed to get going. They both grabbed me by the hand and held it to their foreheads. They said they wanted to continue to feel this connection forever. I told them that if they repented, prayed, went to church and read the Book of Mormon that this would be their blessing.

They promised me that they would do that and got out of the car smiling and singing fola fola

With those two, the spirit, and their mother in the car I exceeded the amount of people that the rideshare company allows me to have as passengers in my car. I won’t tell if you wont!😀