In my driving people have always commented on how much they enjoy the cleanliness of my car and the service i provide. They come and go frequently to Park City. Some have asked me to kind of be their permanent ride. I like this because they pay me in cash and everyone’s happy.
I have one such person who is a Jewish man from back east. He has a home in Deer Valley in a condo community with many other people from back east. In these condos there is a large Jewish community. Apparently he has spread my name throughout that community.
I get new calls all the time to take people to the airport who are Jewish. Sometimes they are rabbis, sometimes they are orthodox and sometimes they are not practicing Jews at all. I get along really well with them and it’s been a profitable, good relationship.
One of these people had his son-in-law in town with his granddaughter. He had me take the son-in-law and the granddaughter to the airport one morning at 5 AM in a snow storm. It was a lovely trip up Provo Canyon 35 miles an hour.
When I finished the ride the young man asked me to help him the following week when he had some business associates in town. I said I would and the following week I was able to give rides to many of them. The last ride of that week was the same man who was the son-in-law. This time he didn’t have his daughter so we had some uninterrupted conversation time.
As we started driving I had the impression that I was supposed to give him a Book of Mormon. I carry several in my car so that’s not a problem but I have rarely given a Book of Mormon to a Jewish person. I don’t have a large base of experience to draw from with Jewish people so I was a bit unsure and little bit awkward as to how to approach it.
As we drove, the prompting came back again two times. As we came out of the mouth of the canyon heading towards the airport I decided I better get with it. We were finished talking about business and everything else I could think of.
I asked him if they were practicing Jews. I don’t even know if that’s the way you’re supposed to say that but it is how I asked it. He said, interesting that you would ask that. It’s quite the topic of discussion in my family these days.
He talked about his family and how his wife comes from a split Jewish Christian background but is now 100% observant as a Christian. He comes from a very traditional Jewish background. This had become quite an issue with everybody and he felt like they were between a rock and a hard spot with regard to religion. No matter what they do, somebody’s not going to be happy. His mom in particular was not happy when they talked about going to a Christian church but his children love going to a Christian church. He said, my kids really love learning about Jesus.
He said that his mom believes that they are of the house of Israel and that means something. It is really a sticking point.
He said that in his heart he also has a dilemma. Many times they just don’t go. He told me that he thinks it’s wrong to deny his children a religious upbringing. He said, if we don’t give them a religious upbringing it’s like taking the opportunity for them to know God and their place in the universe away. Time is important here. He didn’t believe people ever come back to it if they’re not taught it while they’re young.
I agreed with him and asked him what he knew about our church. He said he knew very little. He said that he drives by the Washington DC temple from time to time and it is beautiful. I agreed with him on the DC temple.
I told him that our church has a lot in common with the Jewish religion. I told him we have a health law and they have kosher. I told them we believe in prophets and they believe in prophets. They consider themselves children of the prophets. I told him we believe in the same God.
I told him that the biggest difference between his religion and our religion is that we believe that the Messiah has come and it is Jesus Christ. I told him that they don’t believe the Messiah has come and they’re still waiting.
He agreed with that comparison and said, it sounds about right. I asked him if he’d ever heard of the Book of Mormon. He said yes but he didn’t know anything about it
I talked about the Book of Mormon and the story it tells. I said it was written by and about a Jewish family in Jerusalem. I told him that the father of that family was a prophet. It says that before Babylon conquered Jerusalem in 600 A.D. he took his family and they escaped. I told him that this family was brought by the hand of God to the Americas. He laughed and said, we are the most wandering bunch of people ever. I laughed and said that even though this is true, God remembers his people of Israel and he gave them prophets to lead them in their wanderings. I said that many prophets descended from that family and they received revelation from God. They wrote those revelations down and God preserved them. I said that these revelations are the Book of Mormon.
I told him that the book is a spiritual account of this Jewish family and their interactions with God. I told him that where we believe that Jesus is the Messiah, we also believe that God is all powerful and he sent his son Jesus Christ to America to visit these people. I told him that this account is contained in the Book of Mormon. I told him it testifies that Jesus really is the Messiah and that he went to God’s children all over the world to save us all. He came to gather scattered Israel.
He thought that was cool. The Book of Mormon being a history of a Jewish family was something that he was intrigued by. I told him that the purpose of the Book of Mormon is to convince both the Jew and the Gentile that Jesus Christ is the Messiah and the son of God.
I said that the power of God is the thing that will gather Israel as prophesied and the Book of Mormon is the instrument we use to gather Israel. I talked to him about the tribes of Israel and how they were scattered all over the world. I mentioned that this included this family of people in America that were brought there by the hand of God from Jerusalem. I told him that the purpose of the church of Jesus Christ was to gather Israel in these days.
I told him that we believe that we are part of the house of Israel from various tribes and then when we go out and do missionary work we are gathering Israel. I said, this is why we are not antagonistic towards Jews as many religions are. He agreed with me that many Christians have been very antagonistic but that this approach was new to him.
I told him that where the Jews believed in prophets we still believe in prophets. I told him that the Book of Mormon was translated by the power of God through a prophet named Joseph Smith. This man in my car was from New York and he knew exactly who Joseph Smith was.
I told him that Joseph Smith was a 14 year old boy looking for the truth and God called him to be the prophet to restore his church on the earth just like it had existed in Israel 2000 years ago. I told him that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God. I testified that he received these plates, engraved by prophets who were the people who had lived in America. They were all descendants of this Jewish family. Joseph Smith interpreted the engravings into English so that we could have them today.
I testified to him that we also have a prophet today that speaks with God and maintains that line of communication with God that is foundational for our religion. I said that this line of communication through prophets has been foundational for the people of God throughout the centuries. He agreed.
The spirit was with us in the car. He noted it by saying, ”I feel so calm and peaceful right now”. He noted that it was a profound peace. I said, it is the spirit of God. God gives us his spirit to confirm truth. When you feel that, you know the things you are hearing are true. He said, “that makes sense” I feel truth in everything you have said.”
I asked him if he would like to have a Book of Mormon and he said, yes! Very much so! I reached into my glove box and pulled out one of the Book of Mormons prepared by the Secrists and gave it to him.
He was intrigued by the tabs and the questions in the front and I explained how he could answer the questions by reading the pages indicated by the tabs. I told him to feel for the spirit.
He said, this may be the answer I’m looking for! Where you guys are of the house of Israel, maybe this is a way forward for us. That might make my mom calm down and I know my wife wants a Christian religion. It seems like this might be my answer. I am going to read this.
I asked him if he knew any members of our church. He said he knew a guy at work who was part of something called a Bishop Rick in our church. I smiled and said, it is a bishopric and it means that he has responsibility to watch over the people in your area. He is supposed to help them in their lives and nurture them spiritually.
He said, he is a really good guy. I said, go to him with your Book of Mormon and let him know about our conversation and the spirit you felt. He should be able to answer any questions you have. He said, this is something I want to do.
He said, this ride has been amazing and answered so many questions. I love that I can be both Christian and of the house of Israel. That feels right and it should make everyone happy.
We had arrived at the airport and he said, this ride has given me so many answers, brought the spirit of God and given me a sacred book to read. This has been incredible. He generously tipped me and left for his flight but what was poured out in generous abundance on this ride was the spirit of god. Look out Bishop Rick
Sometimes God sends you a lift 