Just like what you believe only more

I went over to pick up a lady that works at an senior adult care center. She was waiting out front when I got there and very cheerful. When she got in the car we started talking about where we were from.

I always ask that question because it seems nobody’s actually from Utah. When somebody says they’re from Utah, I always say “you’re the one!” “She wasn’t from Utah so she’s apparently she is not the one….. not in that way anyway. She talked about her life and how she lives with her son. She works this difficult job but she is really a happy person.

As we talked it occurred to me that she really liked living in Utah. She liked the people she worked with and she was happy. I had the impression to flat out ask this woman that I had known for three minutes if anyone had ever asked her if she wanted to know more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

I usually try to be more nuanced than that. I try to find common ground or work into something. Nope! Not this time. The spirit said and asked her the question so I did. I kind of half expected that she would be shocked at the boldness. I was surprised to see her face light up and a smile as she said, I’ve always wanted to learn more. I’ve always wanted to find someone that could help me know more but no one has ever said anything about it or offered to help. As I spoke I felt power in my words a direct result of obeying the promptings of the spirit. The spirit flooded the car.

I felt properly chastised for doubting the revelation and then said, you’re Catholic aren’t you? She said yes, I knew this because the spirit indicated that to me. This time I just said it. I said one of the easiest things to think of as you’re looking at the church is that we have everything that you have plus more.

I talked to her about God‘s love for us. I asked her how it is that God shows us his love. She said that God shows his love by helping us live good lives. I said that’s exactly right. We are God’s children and he loves us, everyone. He wants us to be happy. To help us with this he gives us prophets and then reveals his words to those prophets so that they can teach us.

I told her that those revelations that the prophets receive are called prophecies and commandments. I told her that the prophets then gives us those revelations and commandments and if we obey them we can be happy. She nodded her head in agreement.

I said, that’s what the Bible is and we believe in the Bible. It is a collection of the revelations and commandments that the prophets received from God. I told her that they wrote them down and we have the Bible. She agreed.

I asked her if God just loved the people in Jerusalem or if he loved everyone. She said he loves everyone. I told her that we believe that the people here in America anciently had prophets as well. That God loved them too so he gave them prophets to receive revelations and commandments. When they lived those commandments they were happy and they were blessed.

I told her that those prophets wrote those commandments and we have them today. I told her that those commandments are found in the book called the Book of Mormon. She said, I’ve heard of that book!. I told her that the book contains commandments from God and talks about the visit of Jesus Christ to America.

I said that they had the bible and so do we but we have more, the Book of Mormon.

I told her that when Jesus was in Jerusalem he said, other sheep I have which are not of this fold and that he was talking about the people in America. I said that he descended from heaven and they touched the prints of the nails in his hands and they bathed his feet with their tears. He blessed them with commandments. He taught them and he loved them

I told her that when Jesus was here he told the people that they needed to be baptized even though they had already been baptized in their previous religion. He taught them to be baptized to this new covenant and this new level and invited everyone of them to do so. I told her that this is the baptism that we have today and the invitation that Jesus gave to be baptized to this new level and this new covenant still stands.

I told her, we have a baptism too, only more

I told her that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon from the writings of the ancient prophets to English by the power of God. I told her that Joseph Smith, who was a young man, had been searching for the true church. I told her that he had prayed and that God the father and Jesus Christ appeared to him and called him to be the prophet to restore the church. I told her that today we have a prophet and apostles who lead and guide the church and speak with God and then reveal his will.

I told her that they had a leader of their church, the pope. I told her that we have leaders in our church too only they have the authority from God, the priesthood and we have a prophet.

The same but we have more.

I told her that we believe that people should be married just like they do but that we believe the marriage lasts for eternity. I told her that when Peter was on the earth he was given authority to seal things on earth that would be sealed in heaven. I told her that we use this same power to seal things on earth. We seal marriages and families so that they last beyond this life. She said “that’s beautiful.”

I told her, that’s exactly what God has us doing. We are building eternal families to serve him.

I said in your church and in our church we have marriage but in our church we have a little extra, eternal marriage.

I could tell that she was feeling the spirit very powerfully so I asked her, “tell me what you feel right now.” She said that she felt exhilarated and she felt the power of the things that I was saying. I asked her if she thought they were true and she said she knew they were true.

I asked her if she had a Book of Mormon and she said no. I asked her if I could give her one and she said yes. I grabbed one of the book of Mormons prepared by the Secrists and gave it to her. She said she would read it. She said she couldn’t wait to get started. I asked her if she had any friends that were members in the church and she said the owners of the business where she works were members of the church and she likes them quite a bit.

I told her to go and talk to them and tell them about our discussion and she said she would. I told her to tell them about what she felt. She said that she would try but it would probably make her cry.

I told her, that’s ok, sometimes we cry in church. I asked her if she wanted to go to church this Sunday which was two days later. She said she couldn’t this week but she would love to the following week. I got the information from her and I am calling the missionaries to make sure that she is well received while she attends the ward. It was time for her to get out of the car and I said, do you remember the part where Jesus invited the people to be baptized to that new level? She said yes! I asked her if that would be an invitation she would accept. She smiled and said she would love to and she wants to do that.

I think this day I learned that sometimes you just have to say the words and not worry about finessing yourself into a conversation. The bottom line is that the Lord knows where the conversation needs to go and he will guide it there.