why not the book of mormon + delayed flight

"The teachings of our Heavenly Father

 are not the ordinary, 

predictable, 

run-of-the-mill kind

 you can pick up in paperback 

at the local bookstore. "

Elder Uchtdorf

I'm in the jetBlue terminal at the 

JFK Airport.

Early 90's music is playing,

I'm in terminal one.

I just ended a conversation with a man.

He was drumming a constient

beat upon his knees

with a set of drum sticks.

So clearly, I saw him as

a perfect candidate to receive 

restored truth.

He is from Grenada.

(Est. population, 91,000; Members, 178; Branches, 1;

Percent LDS, .2, or one in 511; 

Caribbean Area; West Indies Mission)

He just spent three months 

vacationing there,

He is living in Oakland now.

He is sitting next to me because

1. his flight is delayed.

2. he had a layover.

He plays his drums every weekend 

at local place called

Berkeley Flea Market

Ashby avenue. Berkeley.ca.USA.

He invited me to come and watch him in the drum circle, next time I am in Oakland.

Road trip anyone?

He saw my book of Mormon sitting on my 

back pack.

"Are you a latter day saint?" he asks

"I am"

He responds 

"Grenada has a beautiful chapel

right on the water,

its beautiful."

I'm smiling as I ask him,

"Oh, have you been inside?"

"No," he says,  "I'm not a very religious 

person, but that building is in the 

best location."

I begin to teach him about Tithing and 

part of it's purpose is to fund the 

construction and building of the

chapels.

Now, I'm dear friend wasn't entirely 

interested in entering the building.

It's a warm up for both of us,

to get to know things outside 

of ourselves.

I'm humbled.

I don't have any pass along 

cards or even business cards.

But I know his location of employment.

To get to know things outside ourselves

for me can be directly credited to Jacob.

 Jacob 2:17 

Think of your brethren

 like unto yourselves, 

and be familiar with all and 

free with your substance, 

that they may be rich like unto you.

This verse changed me in 2007

I was walking around in the desert,

more specifically McClintock Dr.

 in  Tempe,AZ

I had just finished a morning study where

I pondered what it meant to

BE FAMILIAR WITH ALL.

I was determined to truly get to know

people, figure out what makes them tick

smile

laugh

and even cry.

I started to try to train myself to

become more inclusive than ever before.

And something happened.

The first man on the street I met that

morning accepted the book of Mormon

after I shared that scripture with him, 

but I don't know what else happened 

to him..

But something happened to me.

I became happier as I developed myself

into who I needed to be

by focusing on other's needs.

I can't not pin point

the moment it all made sense,

for it never completely makes sense,

but little by little,

information leads to inspiration

and you are closer to where you need to

become.

You don't always have to see the big 

picture of God's plan for you. It's in

the details that you gain traction

and advanced to become more like Him.

And that is what this life is really about

To become.

I feel embrassed that I don't have 

the haste to ask him for his information

to send him his own book of Mormon 

or information or material regarding

our conversation.

what happened to my haste?

I'm not a full-time missionary

anymore, that is for sure.

I DO NOT SAY A PRAYER ADDRESSED

TO HEAVENLY FATHER,

I just had the simple desire in my heart

for our

conversation not to end.

There is space and silence for a couple minutes.

He leans over to me again.

"Is everyone in your church required

to serve a full-time mission?"

"do you have more than one spouse."

That question stems

so many things.

I bear my testimony to him

that God knows each of us

individually.

We connect.

I teach him about 

The light of Christ.

and how the world calls it

our conscience.

________________________

And as his flight boards it's passengers,

He gathers his items

we exchange names and

I ask him boldly

"Can I get your contact information

that I might be able to share 

more truth about the things

we have talked about."

In his most gracious voice he says

"you have shared so much with me,

I will be fine, thank you though. It 

was such a pleasure to meet you."

He leaves..

and my own secret prayer has been

answered. He didn't leave with

a book of mormon, he left with 

else. 

I was able to bear my testimony.

As I am typing this post,

Another gentlemen sits next to me

and starts asking me about utah....

...........