Alone no more

One fast Sunday, Saturday night late I picked up a guy on the east bench going out to 80th west by Magna. We started talking and I felt to ask him about the church. I didn’t know how to bring it up so I asked him if he spoke Spanish and when he said no I said I learned my Spanish in Argentina which brought up my mission. Once I brought up my mission I then could ask him if he was a member of the church. He said no.

He said he loved the church because he loved the family aspect of the church. His mom had been a single mother since he was born and she passed away when he was 15. He said I am all alone here.

I could hear the pain in his voice when he talked about being alone. The spirit prompted me that he really felt like there was no one to have his back. Through the spirit I could feel the love of God there just waiting to be let in. God wanted to have his back.

He said that his girlfriend was a member of the church and that she was trying to get him to look into the church but it was kind of difficult for her to relate the teachings to him. He said that her family was great but that he could tell that the religion thing was a huge obstacle for them.

I asked him what he knew about the Book of Mormon and he said not much. I said it’s a compilation of ancient writings by the prophets who lived in America. I explained to him that the Book of Mormon is the ultimate proof that God loves everyone in the world not just the people who lived in Jerusalem. That they had prophets and they received revelation. These prophets wrote these revelations down, and “that’s the Book of Mormon” I said.

I discussed with him how it was a companion to the Bible to testify of Christ. I testified that Christ loves everyone and that he is the son of God.

I asked him if he knew that jesus came to America and he said no. I told him that he descended from heaven after his resurrection then taught and loved the people. I told him that today the Mayans and the Aztecs have the legends of the great white god. They say the great white God descended from heaven and taught them, blessed them and loved them. Then he left and said he would return.

I told him about third Nephi 16 where, just like in the Bible, Jesus said that there were still other sheep which were not of that land or the land of Jerusalem or the lands roundabout. I told him that the Book of Mormon is the proof that God loves all of his children. The spirit came in the car.

I told him that when Heavenly Father approves of or agrees with some thing that is said, he sends his spirit to testify of the truthfulness of it. He said I can feel it! I feel all tingly and warm.

I used that moment to testify about Joseph Smith and how God restored all of the truth through Joseph Smith. I told him that Joseph asked God in prayer which church was true and God told him that his church wasn’t on the earth at that time. God called him to be the prophet to restore the true church of Jesus Christ on the earth. I told him that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon and that it is true. I told him that the Book of Mormon testifies of God and of Jesus Christ.

I asked him if he still felt warm and tingly, he said yes. I asked him what the warm tingly feeling he was having meant regarding these things that had been said in the car. He said that it means these things are true.

I talked to him about what that means with regards to the church and he said that would make the church true. I told him that if he read, studied and prayed that he could feel that again. He would know he was in the presence of God and that when he felt that he would know that what he was reading and praying about was true. I told him that when he got an answer to his question about the church being true, how would it feel? He said just like I am feeling now. I said yes. That is how you can know. He said that makes so much sense.

He said he would always like to feel this good, I told him that it’s possible. Once you’re baptized you get the gift of the Holy Ghost and the spirit could be your companion all of the time. I said that he would never have to walk alone again. He said that this is exactly what he wanted.

I told him that we don’t hide the topic of baptism either. When I said this I felt impressed that he connected his baptism and religious heritage to his deceased mother and that it was precious to him for that reason. I told him that the baptism that he had before when he was young was important to God because it showed that he and his parents were loyal to God and loved of God. I said that God now has a new covenant and a new level that he wanted to give him and his family through him. I told him that in the Book of Mormon when Jesus came he gave them that authority and commanded them how those baptisms were to be conducted. I told him we do the same baptisms today with that same authority. I said that now he is inviting you to have that same baptism.

I asked him if he had a Book of Mormon, he said no. He said that he borrowed his girlfriends. I gave him a Book of Mormon so he wouldn’t have to borrow his girlfriends. He loved that there were questions on the front page that Sister Secrist put in that book so that he could more easily begin to read it and study.

He said he was going on a trip the next day and would be taking that book with him. He said he might even finish the book. He said “I already know it’s true “. These feelings that I have felt tonight have made up my mind for me.

I told him that when you have the spirit, you never have to be alone. He said, I’ve been looking for that for years.

I told him to tell his girlfriend what we talked about and more importantly what he felt. He said he would. He said that she would be shocked but that she and her family would love it. It was fast day and it is my guess that maybe they were already fasting, that God would touch his heart. I am just happy that I got to be in the car with him when it happened!