I picked up a restaurant manager in Holiday one night. She seemed physically worn out after a long day and acknowledged that when I asked. I could tell that her spirit was worn out and tired as well. I asked her where she was from. She said that she was from Las Vegas originally. She said that when she lived in Las Vegas she was into all kinds of bad things. She said that she believes that this is a better place. She said that this is a place where she could get away from the evil influences and start a new life.
I felt prompted to tell her that she was guided here. She looked at me, paused and said, I believe that. I believe that I was guided here by God. I asked her why she thought that this place felt different and she said she didn’t know.
I told her it was because the people here worship God so his spirit could be here in more abundance. She thought for a second and then she said whatever the reason is, it is a good thing and she liked it. The spirit whispered to me that she had a hard life, that she had spent her life running with bad people and even some street gangs doing many unworthy things. I felt prompted that she had been sexually abused by the people in these gangs and even before she was in those gangs by people who she had trusted. It had been her life. I mentioned these things to her and she started to tear up and she said you’re exactly right. She asked, how did you know this? She said, that’s where I started my downward path. That abuse made me feel like I was nothing.
I told her about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and that it was God‘s plan to help us cope within injustice, suffering and pain in this life. I told her that Jesus Christ had already suffered all the pain and humiliation that she suffered and that he wanted to take it on himself so she wouldn’t have to do this alone. I told her Jesus Christ is the answer. He came to heal our bodies, our spirits and our souls.
I said that he is God’s son and he is the God of the whole world not just the God of Jerusalem. I told her, Jesus Christ served his ministry in Jerusalem but then went to America and other places after his resurrection because God loves everyone not just the people in Jerusalem. I said, Jesus Christ is for everyone not just the people in Jerusalem. Jesus Christ is for you. He is here to heal you.
She asked where I learned this and I told her it was from the Book of Mormon. She said she’d heard of that book. I bore my testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. I taught her about Joseph Smith and how we have prophets in the world today to bless us. I told her that our church Is led by these prophets.
The spirit was really strong in the car. I explained to her that reading that book will lift you and fill you with the spirit. I told her that by doing this she would more easily be able to see God‘s will and God‘s goodness. I told her that if she prayed while reading that book, the truthfulness of it would be revealed to her and she would learn to trust Christ so he could heal her wounds. She said, this is what I want, this is what I need.
I asked her if she would like a copy of the Book of Mormon and she said she would. I gave her one of the copies I carry that are customized by the Secrists and asked her if she had any friends who were members of the church that could answer questions for her. She said, yes! There are three Mormon missionaries that live right next-door to me. They’re always asking me if I want to know more or if there is something they can do to help. She said, I really like those boys and always feel something special around them. She said that this would give her a good excuse to talk to them.
She said, earlier I asked you how you knew in such detail about my past. You didn’t really answer. I said, when we are baptized we become clean from all of our sins and we then receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost fills us with the spirit. It leads us, guides us and gives us things to say so that we can speak the words God would have us speak. This is what happened tonight. It was directly from the spirit of God. He knew, he knows you and wanted you to feel his power so you would know to listen to his truth.
She said that there was no other way I could have known. She thought for a second and said, I had better do this. I will talk to the missionaries tomorrow. She was excited. I asked her how she felt. She said energized and hopeful. I told her that this is how she felt in the presence of God. This is how she knows that the things I was saying were true. She said that she believed all the things I had said. She said, this feeling is awesome. I said that the missionaries would teach her and invite her to be baptized. After her baptism she would receiver the gift of the Holy Ghost so she could walk with God all of the time.
She smiled and said that she couldn’t wait to talk to those missionaries. She thanked me then got out of the car and went into her apartment.
Later, one of my friends said, think about everything that had to come together for that to happen. There was the discussion that went on in my car but also, the senior missionaries who were prompted to choose that apartment for those elders however many years ago. That specific apartment was chosen not the one upstairs or in another building. They
chose that apartment so that it could all come together at this special time and at this specific place
This truly is God’s work. God is great
Sometimes God sends you a lift 