Chile in Park City

I picked up a cold dude standing alone In a parking lot in Park City with his ski equipment. It turns out he had been working in Park City this season. He was from Chile and we started talking in Spanish. He asked how I learned Spanish and I told him that I went on a Mormon mission and that’s how I learned Spanish. He said that he needs to go on a Mormon mission so he can learn English. We laughed and I said, well we better teach you what the church believes so you’ll be ready.

He said, what do you believe?

I told him we believe that God loves everyone in the world not just the people in Jerusalem. I told him we believe in God, that God is a just God, an all powerful God and a loving father who loves all of his children no matter where they were or when they were born.

I told him that when Jesus was in Jerusalem he said that he had other sheep and that he had received a commandment from his father to go to those other sheep. I told him that Isaiah had prophesied specifically of where the children of Israel have been scattered and it was all over the world. Then Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would go to them. I told him that Jesus came to America and when he was in America he said and still other sheep I have which are not of this land or the land of Jerusalem or the lands roundabout and that he had received a commandment from his father to go to them. I told him Jesus loves everyone in the world and God sent him to his children.

I asked him if he had ever read the Bible and he said yes. I asked him who wrote the Bible and he said the prophets. I said that’s right, the prophets wrote the words of God that were given to them from God. These prophecies were collected and preserved and today we have them. That is the Bible

I told him it was the same thing in America. God had prophets in America and he told them what people should do and he gave them teachings through revelations to bless and help the people. I told him that these prophets wrote those revelations down including the visit of Jesus Christ to America and because of this we have the Book of Mormon.

I told him that when Jesus Christ came to America he taught the people the gospel. He taught them similar things to what he thought them in Jerusalem. I told him that when he was here the first thing he did was teach them the proper way to be baptized and we gave them authority to baptize and be baptized. He gave the commandment that everyone should receive this baptism.

I asked him if he thought he was included or excluded in “everyone”. He laughed and said I guess I’m one of them. I asked him that if he knew this were true, what would he need to do and he said, I guess I would need to be baptized.

Speaking about the book and Mormon and thevelations in it, I told him that those writings were written in the language of those people, on plates of gold and then preserved until God gave them to a prophet to translate. I told him that the name of the prophet was Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith was a young man who was seeking the truth and couldn’t find the Gods true church. They would all say some good things but they didn’t seem to have the complete truth. I told him that Joseph Smith went to the sacred grove, he knelt and he prayed and God the father and Jesus Christ called him to be a prophet.

I told him that later he was given the these plates with the engravings from the ancient American prophets and by the power of god he translated it. Today we call it the Book of Mormon. He said, I have heard of that book.

There’s something special about bearing your testimony about the prophet Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. Every time you do it the spirit will bear witness if you bear pure testimony. The spirit was there and we could both feel it. It was really intense and I asked him what he felt right then. He said that he felt tremendous peace in his heart and had a lot of excitement and 1 million questions in his head. I told him that what he was feeling right now was the spirit of God and when he feels that spirit he knows that the things he is hearing are true. I told him that not only had I testified, but God had sent his spirit to testify and this is how he could know these things were true. He can follow this spirit and it will guide him in his life

I gave him a Book of Mormon. It was one of Sister Secrest Book of Mormons. He was touched by the gift and excited to start reading the pages associated with the tabs. Those tabs indicate answers to the questions of the soul as printed in preach my gospel. He looked at some of the questions answered in the tabs and said,”these are things I need to know. I can’t wait to start”.

I felt by the spirit to tell him that he was lost in his life and confused about which way to go. He said that was true and asked me if this book would help. I told him absolutely!

I told him that if he would read the Book of Mormon he would get the answers to his life. I told him that by following it’s teachings and what he felt while reading it he would find himself making better decisions and he would begin to feel a direction to his life.

He asked me what I learned about myself reading the Book of Mormon and I told him that I always learn that I can’t do it myself. I need to rely on my father in Heaven and his son Jesus Christ. I have learned that with his power I can do anything and go through anything and come out on top with peace in my soul. He said, wow! That is what I need! I said it will be interesting to see what you learn.

He’s was going back to Chile the next week and I asked him if he knew any members of our church there. He said no but he knows where there’s a church house. He promised me he would go to that church house.

He asked me if he needed to read the whole book before he went to church, I said you should probably read it while you’re going to church and have the missionaries read it with you.

It was a cold night in Park City but it was warm in the car and it had nothing to do with the heater. I always like how they never want to leave the car even though they’ve arrived at their destination. He lingered in the spirit for a while and then said he was excited to start reading and left my car.