01 March 2012

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....
...........

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