Gospel Story Finder

When I was 17, people started asking me whether I was going to serve a mission. I hadn’t decided yet, so I always put them off.
But as my 21st birthday approached, I started thinking about it. I read my patriarchal blessing, talked to my parents, and prayed.
The desire never came; I never felt I needed to serve. I thought about the counsel of President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008), who said that while sister missionaries are welcome, they “are not under obligation to go on missions.”2 I was also reminded of the Lord’s words in the Doctrine and Covenants: “If ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work” (4:3).
That scripture helped me decide not to serve a mission. When I told the Lord in prayer of my decision, I felt peace and a confirmation that there were ways I could be a missionary without full-time service. I have since found I can share my testimony in many ways—through a conversation about the Lord’s tender mercies, while visiting teaching, or in doing family history and temple work. I am dedicating myself to missionary work by striving to live the gospel and follow the inspiration of the Spirit.
Amy Simon

It all started when my dad got an email from a company in Utah. We were going to move there! Everyone in my family was bursting with excitement! At first I was excited too, but when I thought of leaving all of my friends, I was kind of sad about it. Since it was my first time moving, I was sure I was going to miss them. When I told them I was going to move, they were sad too. But they encouraged me that I could do it. This made me feel a lot better. I decided to play it by ear and just believe that I could do it.
The day of the move, I was excited and sad at the same time! But I knew that Heavenly Father had a plan for me, and I would start out fresh. After the long drive, we finally got to see our new home. And after only a few days, I had made two friends already! I felt grateful for all the hard work it took to move. Months later I loved my new friends, my new house, my new school, and my new city. I even discovered there would be a temple built in my new town! I felt glad that I moved and also that Heavenly Father had a great plan for me.

We drove to look at the Houston Texas Temple. Even though the temple gates are closed, it still brings peace and comfort.
Sophie, Claire, and Bailey B., ages 2, 4, and 6, Texas, USA

I used to compare myself to others who I thought were far ahead of me, particularly people who were more financially stable. Whenever I prayed to Heavenly Father, He gave me confidence in myself. I knew that no matter the challenge, God would help me because He does not give us a duty save it be that He prepares way for us to accomplish it (see 1 Nephi 3:7; 17:3).
Joshua O., age 19, Lagos, Nigeria

From Guayas, Ecuador. Likes to play basketball and the violin.
Two of my friends from church, Arick and Mike, have taught me the importance of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. Their example has helped me to have more of a desire to serve a mission. Now I’m excited to share about Jesus Christ to those in need.
My friends are also good examples of Christ by the way they speak. They’ve shared many experiences with me about following Jesus Christ, which has encouraged me to draw closer to Him. For example, my friend has taught me that when we have a question, we can ask God. And how do we know when He’s responded? We will know in our hearts. That’s the Spirit saying God is talking to us and that we are choosing the right path.

When I was in junior high school, I would get out of bed on cold winter mornings and head for the heat vent to get warm. The family cat would always beat me there, so I would gently shoo her away and sit down. Soon my mother would tell me it was time to leave for school. I would look out at the icicles on the house and dread going out into the cold, let alone beginning another day of school.

As I kissed my mother good-bye and went out the door, I would look at my comfortable spot in front of the heat vent and find that the cat had repossessed it. How I envied that cat! If that weren’t enough, she would look up at me with heavy eyelids and an expression as if to laugh at me and say, “Have fun in school, Glenn. I’m sure glad I’m not a human!” I hated it when she did that!

However, an interesting thing would happen as the day went on. I would come home after experiencing the joys and sorrows of the school day and see that lazy cat still curled up in front of the vent, and I would smile and say to her, “I’m sure glad I’m not a cat.”

Success in athletic competition is pretty much a matter of attitude, knowledge, and skill. Inherent ability is important, but that alone is not enough. Do you remember the “Be Honest with Yourself” program sponsored by the MIA some years ago, in which inspirational recordings from outstanding athletes and others were made available for use throughout the Church? One of those records featured Robert Richards, an outstanding U.S. pole vaulter. He emphasized that the one thing that characterizes all great athletes is desire, and he told about a young lady from Holland whom he had met at the 1932 Olympic Games. As a girl she wanted to become an outstanding swimmer, but she got polio. She didn’t give up but continued her program. Improvement came slowly, but it came, and the day arrived when she was able to swim across the pool. She said that made her the happiest girl alive. Then the time came when she could swim the length of the pool, and then several lengths. She stayed with it day after day until finally she defeated the world’s greatest swimmers in her events at the 1932 Olympics.

Often, my prayers for my family seemed to go unanswered. Sometimes, the more I prayed, the worse things seemed to get. I didn’t know then that, though the Lord shares our sorrow, he will not force change. But over time, his love can often find a way to bring even greater blessings than we had prayed for. So many of those fervent prayers of long ago have now been answered. And I now know that he has never ceased trying to bless my loved ones.

Augustina Constantie Doorson was born on July 1, 1863, on the Sarah Plantation in the district of Coronie, west of Paramaribo, in the country currently known as Suriname. She was born the day slavery was officially abolished in the country that was then known as Dutch Guiana, located in the northeast part of South America. Augustina’s mother, Molly Doorson, and Molly’s sister, Eva Doorson, were slaves on that plantation. Life for the slaves was hard and did not change for 10 years after slavery was abolished because the government had to repay each plantation owner for each person freed. The family eventually moved to Paramaribo, a larger town in Dutch Guiana, to find work.

As part of a Primary activity, my five-year-old granddaughter places a popcorn seed in a large glass bottle each time she does a good turn. She sings this Primary song in a loud voice as she looks for good things to do each day: “Follow the prophet, follow the prophet, Follow the prophet; he knows the way.”4

When I was a Laurel more than 15 years ago, our stake Young Women president was a real heroine to me and many other girls. Her beautiful, curly brown hair impressed me, but she was also smart and articulate, a spiritual woman, a returned missionary, and a newlywed. She wore nice modest clothes, showing us how attractive we could be without compromising our standards. I remember her personifying every dream I had ever dreamed for my own future.
Once she was the speaker at a fireside for the Young Women. When we entered the chapel, we saw her gorgeous white wedding gown displayed in a prominent place. What can be more exciting than a wedding dress when you’re a dreaming 16-year-old? I imagined a fireside about boys and our bright futures.
But when our Young Women president started speaking, it became clear that this was not her plan. She started talking about chastity and how important it was to keep ourselves morally clean. She stood at the pulpit with notes and a pen and talked emphatically about these crucial matters.
All of a sudden the unthinkable happened. She gestured as she spoke and somehow flipped ink from her fountain pen across the wedding dress. The ink made a big stain on the white fabric. We were devastated.
I don’t remember exactly what she said next. It was something about our being as clean and pure as her white dress and that sexual transgressions, however small they might seem, would stain us just as the ink had stained the dress. I recall never ever wanting to be anything but clean and pure. It was a decision I had already made subconsciously, but now it was unforgettably engraved upon my heart.
After she had made her point about remaining clean or becoming clean, she informed us that the ink was invisible ink from a prank store and that it would disappear in a couple of minutes. She hadn’t tried it before, so we all sat there hoping it would work. It did.
Since that day this object lesson has had a special place in my mind. I want to appear before my Heavenly Father as pure as that white dress.
Anja Klarin, Borås Ward, Göteborg Sweden Stake

Elder Michael Hayes of the Walsall Ward spends time serving with the Walsall Society for the Blind and the Billion Graves Project. In sharing his thoughts about the blessing of service, Elder Hayes said, “Unfortunately, due to health challenges, I couldn’t serve a teaching mission. I remember sitting at home upset that I wouldn’t be able to serve the Lord. Then one day, the bishop spoke with me about a new mission opportunity. I will never forget the feeling I had when he told me that I could serve for two years as a service missionary. I didn’t know what a service mission was until he spoke about it, but what I did know is that I felt the Spirit so strongly, without hesitation I said, ‘Yes! Yes! Yes!’ I knew this is what I had to do. I am nervous, but I know that with the help of my Heavenly Father, I can do anything.”

by Ann Romick
Rick Hilder of the San Lorenzo California First Ward has loved sports for as long as he can remember, and someday he hopes to make them his life’s work. Meanwhile, the 16-year-old sophomore from Arroyo High School not only participates in baseball, football, basketball, and wrestling, but spends a good deal of his spare time coaching a group of younger boys. It was because of his willingness to share his time and talents that he got a part-time job with the Oakland Raiders.
A few years ago, Rick’s younger brother asked Rick if he would come and help to organize and coach some of the kids at his school. Rick was delighted and immediately formed a neighborhood team. The activity was so successful that they completed two winning seasons.
The father of one of the team members was impressed with Rick’s work and dedication and suggested that Rick meet one of his neighbors, George Jones, the assistant equipment manager for the Oakland Raiders. They discussed his interest in sports. George offered Rick a chance to be his assistant.
The work itself is rather ordinary, even in the somewhat awesome world of professional sports, but once in a while, Rick’s job turns into a real treat.
“There are times when I feel like I’m working out with the team,” he says. “I keep the balls dried off, and sometimes they have me go out onto the field and catch the balls or shag field goal attempts when the team is practicing. The players are super guys and treat me very well and are friendly. They encourage me to stick to my goals.”
Rick particularly likes talking with Todd Christensen and Marc Wilson. “We talk a lot about the Church,” he says, “and about my plans for a mission and my desire to one day play football for BYU.”
At his school, Rick is an all-around athlete. He is a double-duty football player, taking a defensive tackle position as well as playing center for the offensive team. He was voted the most valuable player of the year last season. He also wrestles and plays baseball.

Seven-year-old Russell recalls a time when his testimony was strengthened. “My Primary teacher told me that Jesus died and that in three days He was resurrected,” he said. “My teacher said that because of this, after I die, I will be resurrected, too, and live again. My teacher tells the truth, so I can believe her.”

Eric Hansen, who orchestrated all the music and conducted the 23-piece orchestra, remembers a few discouraging moments. “When I was first given the assignment, I thought of how impressed my friends would be,” he said. “But at first, no matter how hard I tried, nothing worked.” He said that when you try to please God first, your talents will be recognized, adding, “I had to humble myself and do it for Him, not for me.”

I’ve been a member of the Church now for 17 months, and it’s really changed my life. Years ago, not long after the Church video “Families Are Forever” was brought out, two men came to our home and showed it to us on the back of our kitchen door. I was about eight years old and lived at Ingleton. My parents told these men not to come back. Nine years later I joined the Church, a month later my sister Dawn joined, and in August 1988 my father and step-mum joined. It wasn’t until I was working with the missionaries that I realized those two men were Latter-day Saint missionaries.
I just want to say to the missionaries, baptizing isn’t always the important thing, but planting that very first seed is. Who knows, the ones that reject today may accept tomorrow.
Jill ChappellLancaster, Preston, England

Last December, he sent us the greatest gift we’d ever received—a letter from a husband and wife, the parents of two small children. “We are to be baptized the day after Christmas. Thank you for sending your son, who taught us, and changed our lives—for now, and for eternity.”
It’s probable that the Book of Mormon will become their anchor as well.

When Elder Christopher H. Kim was 14 years old and had a chance to share the gospel with friends, he realized he needed to know the truth of the Book of Mormon so he could speak with conviction.
“As I prayed about the Book of Mormon, I felt a soul-comforting feeling,” he recalls. “And suddenly, there was not any question or any doubt about the Book of Mormon.” For the first time in his life, he added, “I really felt the Spirit, knew the truth about the Book of Mormon, and knew that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.”

Just before my twentieth birthday, I was called on a mission to Finland, where I used both the Finnish and Russian languages. I loved teaching the gospel, particularly in a foreign language. Consequently, when I returned home, I continued my study of Russian. I liked the language, and I wanted to teach it. I also hoped that someday I would be able to teach the gospel in countries where missionaries were not yet allowed to preach the gospel.
After I graduated from the university, I worked in the Family History Department of the Church and was assigned to the countries in Eastern Europe. Whenever I traveled to Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Hungary, and other countries, I felt that the time was not far off when the Church would be able to send missionaries to them. There was a special feeling among the people. They desired the freedom they knew others in the world enjoyed. More and more they could see and hear about freedom on TV and on the radio. The people were tired of not being able to solve their problems or become what they wanted to be. In many countries the people also wanted to know about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. These important changes in the people, and other changes in their governments, led to the introduction of the gospel into their countries.
In 1987 I was called as president of the Austria Vienna East Mission, which was created to work with the countries in Eastern Europe. The mission began with just a very few missionaries, and the number of baptisms was small. Now many missionaries are serving in countries like Russia, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, and Greece, where people only a few years ago could not worship Heavenly Father as they wanted. Many people are listening to the missionaries and are accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Imagine yourself on a trip to Mars. You have been traveling for several months and the red planet now looms before you. Peering out of your spaceship through the pane of glass that protects you from the cold vacuum of space, a fantastic drama unfolds before your eyes as the great sphere rotates on its axis and new features of its surface emerge from the dark of night into the light of day.
To the north or top of the disc, with bright clouds trailing from its summit, stands Ascreaus Mons, one of the giant Martian volcanos. To the south or bottom of the disc, with a thin layer of gray white frost glimmering in the morning sun, lies the great Argyre meteor crater. Suddenly, however, your attention is drawn to a third feature midway between the two, a giant scar upon the land that stands out in stark relief against the red terrain. Rubbing your eyes in disbelief, you look again. Yes, it’s still there—and growing bigger! As it moves into the full light of day, you see that it is a giant system of canyons that stretches more than a quarter of the way around the globe. Then you remember. It is the Valles Marineris, the Grand Canyons of Mars.
Think again, now, about your imaginary spaceflight. If you were really on a trip to Mars, what would you take along to help you remember the journey? A camera? Right! And that is just what scientists do whenever they send a spacecraft to another planet. Their snapshots are one of the ways that we are expanding our knowledge of the great variety of God’s creations. In the Valles Marineris we have one more example of His magnificent handiwork.