Gospel Story Finder

One of the most cherished relationships we developed was with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association. Without a building of their own, they have used our meetinghouse for several events and have become close friends of our members. A highlight was a youth evening where their young people met with ours to talk about our respective beliefs, share experiences and enjoy sports and games together. The unity and joy felt that evening were so powerful that we plan to make it a regular event.

Many faithful Latter-day Saints have demonstrated that they are “settled” in keeping their covenants with God and are forever changed. Let me tell you about three such individuals—Brother Banza Mucioko, Sister Banza Régine, and Brother Mbuyi Nkitabungi.

In 1977 the Banzas lived in Kinshasa in the country of Zaire, now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They were highly respected in their Protestant church community. Because of their talents, their church arranged for their young family to go to Switzerland to study and provided a university scholarship.

While in Geneva, on the bus route to school, Brother Banza frequently saw a small meetinghouse with the name “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” He wondered, “Does Jesus Christ have Saints now, in the latter days?” He eventually decided to go and see.

Brother and Sister Banza were greeted warmly at the branch. They asked some of the persistent questions they had about the nature of God, such as, “If God is a spirit, like the wind, how could we be created in His likeness? How could He sit on a throne?” They had never received a satisfactory answer until the missionaries explained restored doctrine in a brief lesson. When the missionaries left, the Banzas looked at each other and said, “Isn’t this the truth that we have heard?” They continued coming to church and meeting with the missionaries. They knew that baptism in the restored Church of Jesus Christ would have consequences. They would be stripped of their scholarships, their visas would be revoked, and they and their two young children would be required to leave Switzerland. They chose to be baptized and confirmed in October 1979.

Two weeks after their baptism, Brother and Sister Banza returned to Kinshasa as the first and second members of the Church in their country. The members of the Geneva Branch stayed in contact with them and helped them connect with Church leaders. The Banzas were encouraged to faithfully await the promised time when God would establish His Church in Zaire.

Meanwhile, another exchange student from Zaire, Brother Mbuyi, was studying in Belgium. He was baptized in 1980 in the Brussels Ward. Soon thereafter, he served a full-time mission to England. And God worked His miracles. Brother Mbuyi returned to Zaire as the third member of the Church in his country. With parental permission, Church meetings were held in his family home. In February 1986 a petition was made for official government recognition of the Church. The signatures of three citizens of Zaire were required. The three happy signatories of the petition were Brother Banza, Sister Banza, and Brother Mbuyi.

These stalwart members knew the truth when they heard it; they made a covenant at baptism that anchored them to the Savior. They metaphorically threw their old ways into a churning waterfall with no intention of retrieving them. The covenant path was never easy. Political turmoil, infrequent contact with Church leaders, and challenges inherent in building a community of Saints might have deterred less-committed individuals. But Brother and Sister Banza and Brother Mbuyi persevered in their faith. They were present at the dedication of the Kinshasa Temple, 33 years after they signed the petition that led to the official recognition of the Church in Zaire.

The Banzas are here in the Conference Center today. They are accompanied by their two sons, Junior and Phil, and daughters-in-law, Annie and Youyou. In 1986, Junior and Phil were the first two individuals baptized into the Church in Zaire. Brother Mbuyi is watching these proceedings from Kinshasa with his wife, Maguy, and their five children.

These pioneers understand the meaning and consequences of covenants through which they have been brought “to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer.”

As Heber J. Grant matured, his faith in God also matured. When his first wife, Lucy Stringham Grant, lay critically ill, he called his children into her hospital room and told them she was going to die. His daughter Lutie pleaded with him to exercise his priesthood in her mother’s behalf and not let her die. When the children left the room, Elder Grant knelt by his wife’s bed. Of that prayer, he later said:
“I told the Lord, I acknowledged his hand in life and in death, in joy or in sorrow, in prosperity or adversity. I did not complain because my wife was dying, but that I lacked the strength to see my wife die and have her death affect the faith of my children in the ordinances of the gospel. I therefore pleaded with him to give to my daughter Lutie a testimony that it was his will that her mother should die. Within a few short hours, my wife breathed her last. Then I called the children into the bedroom and announced that their mamma was dead. My little boy Heber commenced weeping bitterly, and Lutie put her arms around him and kissed him, and told him not to cry, that the voice of the Lord had said to her, `In the death of your mamma the will of the Lord will be.’ Lutie knew nothing of my prayers, and this manifestation to her was direct answer to my supplication to the Lord, and for it I have never ceased to be grateful.”

Dear brothers and sisters, you are exceptional individuals. You have been reserved for this particular time to accomplish your mission in mortality.[1] Since your memory of your eternal identity has been largely forgotten, you need a reminder of how precious you are. You need to understand how really important you are in the eyes of your Maker. Most of you do not fully appreciate who you really are. And most of you do not fully foresee your future potential for greatness. That is understandable. You think of great people as men or women who are older and better known. And you are made aware of them because of their titles.

Such a circumstance occurred many years ago when I was teaching a missionary discussion to a woman from Great Britain. I was teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ, and how He had restored His gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith. She really liked the teachings of the gospel, but she had a hard time accepting the Prophet's First Vision. She said she could believe in the Restoration more sincerely if God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ had appeared to the Archbishop of Canterbury!

Actually, the fact that the Father and the Son appeared to an untitled youth is one of the most remarkable aspects of the Restoration. Joseph Smith did not have to "unlearn" anything. He was tutored personally by Them. Joseph was also tutored by other heavenly messengers, including Moroni, John the Baptist, Peter, James, John, Moses, Elias, and Elijah. His mission in mortality was foreordained. His receptive and pristine mind was receptive. But, by worldly standards, Joseph was most unlikely. And his task to be the Prophet of this last dispensation seemed totally impossible. This example typifies the title of my message for you today: "The Lord Uses the Unlikely to Accomplish the Impossible!"

Experience #4
A concerned young woman came to me after a meeting and tearfully shared her troubles. It was evident after a few moments of listening that this student had many anxieties. She had difficulties at home, problems in her classes, and lacked any feeling of worth. I struggled to find the right words to encourage her. As we parted, I noticed one of her roommates had been waiting for her in the hall nearby. This loving roommate put her arm around the shoulder of this anxious young woman and together they walked back to their apartment. I admired the love of that roommate. Certainly, living with this distressed young woman would not have been easy. But she desperately needed and deserved the unselfish love of a caring roommate.
A sower goes out to sow seed. Some seeds fall on good ground, grow well, and bring forth fruit. Perhaps the heart you traced from your teacher's pattern could represent this loving roommate who hears the word of God, patterns her life after the teachings of Jesus, and does good works.

After we had been married six years, I came to a knowledge that the gospel was true. There is no question in my mind that our previous efforts to serve and please one another were at least part of the reason Jim agreed to look into the Church and allow the missionaries to come. I was reactivated, Jim was baptized, and we were sealed in the temple a year later.
The next six years sped by quickly, and our marriage continued to improve with the foundation and application of gospel principles.
Then one night Jim returned home from an institute class and asked me about several terms he had heard there. “Do you know what these mean?” He spoke them, and they bounced against the blank wall of my mind. “I haven’t the faintest idea,” I answered. As we talked, a suspicion arose in us, awesome, even terrible, that we did not fully understand the doctrines of this gospel we professed to believe in—that our knowledge was shallow and unenlightened.
We started a concentrated study program immediately. We went back to the beginning again to understand faith, baptism, repentance, and the Holy Ghost. We chose vacations with the express purpose of studying together, weeks or weekends, in quiet places where we could relax, research, pray, and ponder.
Growth and understanding came in sudden leaps, as well as line upon line. Our efforts again meant selflessness, sacrificing other interests occasionally, in order to keep pace with one another and to share what we learned with our family. To drag a foot was to slow the rest of us, and neither wanted to be guilty of that.
Today, gospel study and service continue to be a central activity between us, a privilege, we hold most precious. As we look back, our first successes seem small now. But we will always acknowledge a certain ray of light that came one late winter evening to two desperate, seeking newlyweds. The gospel has reaffirmed to us that selflessness and service are truly a vital part of our Heavenly Father’s formula for an enduring marriage.

I know this much better in retrospect. When I was a boy my mother and father were disenchanted with the traditional religion of their ancestors. Our family attended a church that was doctrinally unstructured and open. After my father died my mother stuck with it for a few more years, long enough for me to graduate from sixth-grade Sunday School. Though I participated in no organized religion from then on, I remember several occasions feeling quite confident that “things would work out” with no apparent basis for my inner assurance. I felt guided where to attend school and what major to pursue. That choice led to other momentous ones. I joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints near the end of my first year of graduate school in Indiana. My master’s thesis advisor baptized me. I first became acquainted with him in a freshman chemistry laboratory, where I was excited to learn that he was involved in auto racing. We became fast friends, and his family became my family away from home. Little did I know that they were expert examples of President McKay’s description “every member a missionary.”

We started a racing club at the school, and I helped build various racing cars with this man. During my undergraduate years we drove long distances to professional drag races around the country, where he worked as an official and I helped on the crew. Interspersed with discussions during those many hours about racing, cars, and horsepower, I was introduced to his intriguing philosophy of who we were, where we came from, and where we were going. Did I want to know more? Absolutely! The plan of salvation “rang true,” and I began to appreciate the source of the good cheer I had felt growing up. Our conversations evolved to lengthy gospel discussions that gave me much to think about. The missionaries were somewhat taken aback when I answered “the LDS Church” to their question “Mr. Brown, what church do you know most about?” It was obviously a big decision to join the Church, but no bigger to me then than are some of the key decisions facing you now. I think the ability to be, in some small way, of good cheer helped me to think more clearly and to use my agency without error.

Before I was baptized I had decided to pursue a doctoral degree in mechanical engineering. One of my professors had just completed his Ph.D. at Stanford and told me of exciting work in my area of interest. I applied and was accepted to begin a Ph.D. program at Stanford the next fall. After my baptism I was interviewed by my bishop on several occasions. During one visit we talked about my plans. As I remember, I didn’t hesitate to change them when he counseled me to attend BYU, where I could meet my wife. So I did change my plans, and I did meet my wife. I’ve gained great comfort from my personal knowledge that the Lord has prompted and continues to prompt leaders and friends to influence my life at crucial and important times.

When twenty-one-year-old Sunita Kumari, an Indian sister, wanted to join the Church, her older brother tried to stop her by arranging a marriage for her. After the members of the Rakiraki Branch fasted and prayed with Sunita the marriage fell through, and she was baptized.
A few months later, branch members again fasted and prayed with Sunita, this time that she might be able to find a job. She had been looking for work since she had completed her schooling four years earlier, but now she felt it was especially important to earn money “so that I could pay my tithing and help the poor people.” A week later, Sunita was offered a job as a secretary for a new business. Since that time, she has served as a missionary in the Suva Fiji Mission.

Some months ago, I was able to get in touch again, through a video conference, with one who used to be a very good friend in the past—but with whom I had no contact for nearly two decades. He had made some decisions in his life which caused many of his “good” friends, including myself, to decide not to be close to him anymore. During this video conference we were trying to catch up for nearly 20 missing years of our lives. He then called his younger son, who appeared in front of the screen smiling, and he said pointing at me: “Son, I want you to meet your dad’s very best friend!” At that moment I felt a mixture of joy for learning that he still considers me his best friend—and pain for knowing that I had left him alone, perhaps when he needed me the most. We have, since then, reignited the flame of our precious friendship.

Leslie Williams, Jr. of Tallahassee, Florida, received the Disabled Citizens’ Community Service Award and was honored at their annual banquet.
In completing his Eagle project, Leslie surveyed Tallahassee restaurants to determine how accessible they were to wheelchair patrons and nonsighted or partially sighted customers. Leslie wrote letters and sent questionnaires to the restaurant managers and organized teams to visit restaurants. The completed report of his survey is on file with several government agencies and has been printed and distributed in chart form to the city’s handicapped citizens.
As a result of his efforts, the local food editor now reports on restaurant accessibility in the newspaper’s weekly restaurant review.
Leslie is a member of the Tallahassee Second Ward.

Through the years the Tabangos’ humble home was blessed with 15 children, but only four survived beyond the age of five. The couple’s faith, however, was not shaken. In the fall of 1978 and at great personal sacrifice, Brother and Sister Tabango traveled across the South American continent to Brazil for the dedication of the São Paulo Temple, where they renewed their friendship with President Spencer W. Kimball, who greeted them warmly. Following the dedication, the couple was endowed and sealed, giving them hope and assurance of an eternal family. Later the children they had lost in life were sealed to them for eternity.

President Thomas S. Monson, Second Counselor in the First Presidency: “Several years ago, the Salt Lake City newspapers published an obituary notice of a close friend—a mother and wife taken by death in the prime of her life. I visited the mortuary and joined a host of persons gathered to express condolence to the distraught husband and motherless children. Suddenly the smallest child, Kelly, recognized me and took my hand in hers.
“‘Come with me,’ she said; and she led me to the casket. … ‘I’m not crying, Brother Monson, and neither must you. My mommy told me many times about death and life with Heavenly Father. I belong to my mommy and my daddy. We’ll all be together again.’
“… To my young friend, … there would never be a hopeless dawn. Sustained by her unfailing testimony, knowing that life continues beyond the grave, she, her father, her brothers, her sisters, and indeed all who share this knowledge of divine truth, can declare to the world: ‘Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning’ (Ps. 30:5).” (Sunday morning session)

“Hi, Tommy,” Mom said as Tommy walked in the door and dropped his backpack on the floor.
“Hi, Mom. Guess what?” Tommy opened his backpack and took out a piece of paper. “Soccer sign-ups are this week!” Excitedly, he handed Mom the paper and watched as she read it.
“It says the city leagues are forming, and any interested boys should meet at the park this Saturday.” Mom looked up at Tommy. “What do you think? Do you want to play soccer this season?”
“I really want to,” Tommy said, “but my other friends have been playing for a couple of years, and I might not be a very good player. What if I make a mistake and our team loses a game?”
“Winning isn’t everything,” Mom said. “Having the courage to try, even if you’re scared, is more important. I think you should try.”
Later that evening as the family was sitting around the dinner table, Tommy told Dad about the soccer sign-ups.
“Are you going to play this year?” Dad asked.
“Mom says I should have the courage to try,” Tommy said.
“That’s right!” Dad said. “Having courage is more important than winning. Remember in family home evening when we talked about Nephi building a boat? He had the courage to try something new. Without Nephi’s courage, his family would never have made it to the promised land.”
Tommy sat silently for a few moments. “Dad, will you go with me on Saturday to the soccer meeting?”
“Sure.” Dad smiled. “I’ll give you an extra boost of courage.”
The rest of the week went by quickly, and soon it was Saturday morning. Tommy and his dad sat on the bleachers at the park with the rest of the boys who wanted to play soccer. Some of them had brought their parents along too.
After dividing everyone into teams according to where they lived, the man in charge spoke to each group and asked them to choose a coach. Tommy and his dad looked around at the other parents in their group. They were all shaking their heads.
“I’m too busy,” one dad said.
“I work on the weekends,” said another parent.
Soon the man in charge stood in front of Tommy’s group.
“We still need a coach here,” he said. He waited a moment, but nobody raised a hand. “Without a coach, you can’t form a team,” the man repeated. Everyone was silent.
Tommy pulled on his dad’s sleeve. “You could coach our team!” he whispered.
“No, not me,” Dad said. “I’ve never played soccer. I don’t know anything about the game.”
“But without a coach, we can’t play!” Tommy insisted. “C’mon, Dad, you’d do a great job.”
“I don’t know,” Dad said. “I can barely even recognize a soccer ball!” They sat in silence a few more moments. Still, no one offered to coach the team.
Tommy leaned over to whisper to his dad again. “Remember, having courage is more important than winning.”
His dad’s brow furrowed as he thought for a moment. Then he slowly raised his hand. “I’ll coach the team,” he said quietly.
“Hooray!” The other boys cheered as they jumped up. “We can play soccer!”
Tommy grabbed his dad’s hand. “I’ll be with you at every practice and every game, Dad,” he said. “And I’ll give you an extra boost of courage!”
Even though the team had a great time that season, they never won a game—and only scored one goal. The details of their soccer games are now forgotten, but the lesson Tommy and his dad learned about having the courage to try will last a lifetime.

Our Heavenly Father knows us and loves us. He will not forget us. Some years ago my husband was the Athletic director at Kahuku High school and was put on paid leave due to an ineligible player on the Football team and so while they were investigating he had to stay off work. My children and I were very upset that he had to be the one to be punished and so we were very verbal to my husband telling him what he should do to get back at the school but in all this my husband continued to have faith in the Lord and told us that the Lord would take care. Our understanding was that we needed to do something to get Dad back to his job. During this time of being off the job, the Lord blessed my husband. The temple was reopening, after the extensive renovation and he was able to work as a temple worker and learn from Bro Ben Nihipali the correct way of running a shift, setting up for large sessions and just making it comfortable for the patrons who would come. He would not have been able to do this if he had still been working as AD because it is a very time consuming job.

For almost 1 ½ years that he was on leave, my husband was able to enjoy being in the temple and serving others. He did not waiver in his faith and knew the Lord would help him through this trial. He would always say the Lord will provide. We decided that he should just quit his job, since they were taking so long and not doing anything. My husband still wanted to work in the temple and we felt that if he went back to his AD job then he would have to give up being a temple worker. Besides he was getting older. So he put in his papers to return to teach with the DOE. We had decided that he should start subbing while we waited for a position to open up for him. To do this, he was going to go to the West side because they always have subbing jobs over there and this would help us maintain a steady income. His parents lived down that side so he was going to stay there during the week and return home on Fridays. In our understanding, he was going so he could continue to support our family. But while he was there, he was able to spend more time with his mother whom he had had a strained relationship with and also bond with a brother who had been adopted out to his father’s friend. This brother had come over to get some genealogy from his mother and continued to come over while my husband was there so they could bond as brothers do. They were able to have long gospel discussions as he wasn’t a member, although his wife was. My husband was able to baptize his brother’s son and we continued to work on him and be an example to him. As we looked back on this time we knew that although we had our plan, the Lord had something else in mind. We were so grateful to the Lord for giving my husband this time with his family because his mother passed away later that year and it made this time even more precious. Lean not unto thine own understanding.

For example, when Martin Harris asked Joseph to ask the Lord if Martin could take 116 pages of the Book of Mormon manuscript to show his family, Joseph was told no. But Martin kept asking, and Joseph kept asking, and they were eventually allowed to go ahead, under strict commandments. Martin did not keep these commandments and as a result lost those 116 pages. Joseph and Martin were devastated. They had to face the consequences of not obeying God.
The Lord took the plates from Joseph and told him he needed to repent if he was to translate again (see Doctrine and Covenants 3). Joseph humbled himself and sought the Lord’s forgiveness.
After some time, the Lord told Joseph that he could continue translating the Book of Mormon as long as he was faithful.
This experience helped Joseph learn to fear God more than man (see Doctrine and Covenants 3:7), to trust the revelation he was receiving, and to repent quickly when he made mistakes.
Joseph’s example shows that repentance enables us to find peace and allows us to progress. While Joseph was distraught over losing the manuscript pages, he found hope in repenting and turning to the Lord. As a result, he was able to gain forgiveness and continue serving in God’s work. We too make mistakes, sin, and must suffer the consequences of our actions. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we too can become clean from our sins and continue to serve in the Lord’s work.

Stephanie says she learned to put faith in the Lord. “I had three girls in my tent whom I didn’t know very well, and I had to dig deep to find ways to reach them. One of the girls was just coming back to activity in the Church, so I adjusted our spiritual thoughts to meet her needs. The experience helped her decide to continue going to church. Another girl didn’t want to be there at first, so I had her help me and made her feel welcome. At the end of the week she thanked me. That made it all worth it.” As you lead, you can work to help others feel needed and important.

Two young women in this seminary class, both 16, are named Brigitta. “From my classmate, Seres Brigitta, I heard about the Church for the first time,” says Bozó Brigitta.
“I began attending sacrament meeting and made a lot of friends here. So when youth conference came, I naturally thought I needed to go. At the conference, I felt for the first time that I needed to belong to this Church. I was baptized a week later.” Two months after Brigitta’s own baptism, her mother and her 15-year-old brother, László, were baptized. (Her father had died six years earlier.) “Now the three of us—our whole family—are members of the Church. It is wonderful!”
“At first I thought just my friend would be baptized,” says her classmate Seres Brigitta. “I was amazed that her family also joined the Church.”

“We were so scared. We didn’t know if you’d like us,” said an anglo leader.
“I’ve never known a lot of Lamanites before, and I am proud to be one,” said a Lamanite participant.
The thoughts were being voiced at a testimony meeting concluding a five-day girls camp for Lamanite girls from the Southwest Indian Mission. Also participating were Anglo girls and leaders.
“Sometimes brownskins and whiteskins in our area don’t have the nicest of feelings toward each other,” said a participant, “so we looked forward to this camp so that we could make sure bad feelings didn’t happen in the Church, where we have a real commitment to respect and love each other.”
Besides spirits’ being lifted—many Lamanite girls thrilled at being among the tall fir trees, mountain peaks, and cold streams outside of Farmington, New Mexico—some conversions occurred, and friendships flowered all over the place. It was a worthy goal—elimination of prejudice—and in this instance, a superb way to accomplish it.

Fritz Engels walked into the huge Frankfurt/Main train terminal, his heart pounding so loudly that he was sure everyone could hear it.
“Herr (Mr.) Schiller, I’ve come to ask for the job as errand boy,” said Fritz, rubbing his damp hands on his best lederhosen (leather shorts).
“So you think you can load a food wagon and roll it to the train?” the station manager asked. “Can you be prompt? Always on time?”
“Ja (Yes), Herr Schiller,” Fritz answered, nodding his head.
“Do you know what makes a perfect day for me?” the manager asked, looking directly at the young boy, but without waiting for an answer. “The day no trains are late. You must do your part to help the trains leave on time. A food cart has to be on each train so that the attendant can deliver it to the next station.”
“I’ll work quickly,” Fritz promised, “and I’ll always remember how important time is.”
“Good boy! You can start work today.” Herr Shiller called to a boy about seventeen years old. “Ludwig, take Fritz and show him what he is to do.”
As the two boys walked into the huge terminal where trains waited in long rows, a voice over a loudspeaker announced the departure of some of the trains. Fritz loved to hear the voice switch languages, from German to French to English.
“When I grow up, I want to be a train announcer,” said Fritz.
“Then study hard, because you must speak at least three languages well to get that job,” said Ludwig. “Hurry along, now. We have to load the cart for the Berlin D-Zug (Express).”
The boys arrived at a room where small carts were parked in rows. “Place crackers, sandwiches, chips, soft drinks, and cookies on one of these carts,” explained Ludwig, “then roll it down to the departing train. Turn the cart over to the boy on the train. He’ll take it to the next town, selling as much as he can, then get off and board a train coming back to Frankfurt.”
“Do you sell much?” asked Fritz. He understood something about the vending process because he had been watching for months, hoping for a job.
“Most Germans pack a lunch,” Ludwig explained as he filled a shiny cart, “but since few trains have dining cars, the tourists usually buy from us.”
“How do I know when to load a cart?” asked Fritz, still nervous about his new job.
Ludwig pointed to the huge white display boards that lined the depot waiting room. “Those are the departure times and the gate numbers for each train.”
Fritz nodded and recited his duties for Ludwig’s benefit: “I check the board for the time the next train leaves, and I must be at the right gate at the right time with a loaded cart. An older boy, like you, will be waiting to take the cart aboard and ride with it to the next station.”
Ludwig patted him on the shoulder. “You are a smart lad, Fritz. Now we must hurry. The train I sell on leaves in five minutes. When do you have to be ready for the next one?”
Fritz’s eyes rounded in shock. “The Amsterdam train leaves in eight minutes!” he cried, grabbing supplies and filling his cart.
“Good-bye and good luck,” called Ludwig. “See you later.”
Fritz worked so fast that he dropped several packages of chips and had to stop and pick them up. He glanced at the large clock in the waiting room. He had three minutes to get to the platform. Pushing the cart as rapidly as he could, he steered his way through the crowd.
The aroma of knockwurst, a thick round sausage served on a yeast roll and covered with mustard, drifted by. Fritz didn’t stop as he usually did to watch the knockwurst twist on spindles over a charcoal fire.
“Hi, Fritz! So you got the job, did you?” called Fraulein (Miss) Greta, who ran the magazine and refreshment stand. “Want a free knockwurst?”
“I can’t stop now. I must get to the train on time,” he called back, waving to her with one arm and steering with the other.
Fritz skidded onto the platform ramp just as the announcer began the last call for passengers to board, Happily he handed the cart over to the blond-haired boy who was anxiously awaiting it.
“Good work,” said the attendant, lifting the cart onto the train. “See you later.”
The train whistle blew, and the Amsterdam train began rolling down the track and out of the terminal. Fritz stood watching, pleased that he had not caused it to be late.
All afternoon Fritz worked, never failing to get a loaded cart to the right place at the right time.
Fritz enjoyed the sounds of the terminal. Trains hissed, people spoke rapidly in different languages, and everything echoed in the high-ceilinged building.
“Fritz, what are you planning to do with all the pfennige (pennies) you’ll be earning?” asked Fraulein Greta.
“Help Mutter (Mother) pay for things we need,” he answered shyly. Fritz could think of many things his mother needed now that his father was ill and out of work.
Things went smoothly, and Fritz was loading a cart for the Paris train when the stationmaster came by to see him. “You’re doing an excellent job, Fritz. However, don’t get careless and be late,” warned Herr Schiller.
The happy boy grinned as he wheeled the cart down the concrete walkway. “I won’t,” he promised.
Suddenly he heard a cry, then the sound of someone falling. He looked up to see elderly Frau (Mrs.) Wagner, his neighbor, lying on the steps. She had slipped and fallen, and oranges and canned goods from her shopping bag rolled across the platform. People hurrying to board departing trains stepped over the food.
Fritz glanced at the clock. The Paris train would leave in just three minutes. Should I stop and help Frau Wagner, or should I pretend I don’t see her? he agonized.
Even if he lost his job, Fritz knew that he couldn’t just leave Frau Wagner there on the steps. He stopped the cart, locked the brake on it, and ran to help her. Taking her arm, he asked, “Frau Wagner, are you hurt?”
“Nein, nein (No, no), but I’m going to miss my train. My daughter is sick, and I must catch the train to be with her in Paris.” Tears began to run down her face. “My food! My food! I was taking it to her.” She gestured at the scattered groceries.
“Don’t worry. I’ll get everything back into the shopping bag,” Fritz said, scurrying to gather the things up. Tossing the last runaway orange into the bag, he took Frau Wagner by the arm and led her quickly to the train.
“Bless you!” she cried, smiling and waving from the train steps. “Auf Wiedersehen (Good-bye).”
The stationmaster’s whistle blew, signaling the train’s departure, just as Fritz arrived at the ramp with his cart. He raced along the loading ramp beside the slow-moving train until Ludwig could grab the cart handle and swing the cart aboard.
Turning to leave, Fritz heard his name called.
It was the stationmaster. “Fritz, did you cause the train to be late?” asked the man, pretending to be stern.
“Nein, Herr Schiller, but I almost did. I’m very sorry.” He swallowed hard. Am I going to be fired? he wondered.
Herr Schiller patted him on the shoulder and said, “I saw what happened, Fritz. That was a kind thing you did. Everyone else ignored the poor lady in their hurry to catch the train.”
“I could not leave her,” said Fritz.
“That, my boy, is what makes you special. A lad with a kind heart will be good for my train station. That lady was more important to you than your job.” He winked at Fritz. “Who knows, one day you might even be a stationmaster!”

Just days ago Sister Packer and I attended Relief Society somewhere in Eastern Europe. There were in attendance twelve sisters. We sang the hymns of Zion from song books—words without music—printed nearly fifty years ago. The spiritual living lesson was reverently given from the pages of a handmade manual.
I told those sisters that they belonged to the largest, and by all measure, the greatest women’s organization on earth. I quoted the Prophet Joseph Smith when he and the Brethren organized the Relief Society.
“I now turn the key in [behalf of all women].”
This society is organized, “according to your natures. … You are now placed in a situation in which you can act according to those sympathies” within you.
“If you live to these privileges, … the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates. …
“If this society listen to the counsel of the Almighty, through the heads of the Church, they shall have power to command queens in their midst.” (History of the Church, 4:607, 605.)
The Spirit was in that meeting! And when the meeting closed, the lovely sister who had conducted with gentility and reverence wept openly.
I then told them about you, and they were strengthened. I spoke of the assignment to speak to you here tonight and asked if they had a message for you. Several of them made notes; each expression, every one, was in the spirit of sending something to you—not of asking something from you. One of them said, “A small circle of sisters send their own hearts and thoughts to all the sisters and begs the Lord to help us go forward.”
Those words, “circle of sisters,” inspired me. I could see them standing in your circle. I caught then the vision of a great circle of sisters—the same vision the Apostles and prophets before us have had.