Gospel Story Finder

There are other ways, as well, by which one might lift and serve. On one occasion, I was speaking with a retired executive I had known for a long time. I asked him, “Ed, what are you doing in the Church?” He replied, “I have the best assignment in the ward. My responsibility is to help men who are unemployed find permanent employment. This year I have helped 12 of my brethren who were out of work to obtain good jobs. I have never been happier in my entire life.” Short in stature, “Little Ed,” as we affectionately called him, stood tall that evening as his eyes glistened and his voice quavered. He showed his love by helping those in need. He restored human dignity. He opened doors for those who knew not how to do so themselves.

I hope that we understand that, while having a garden, for instance, is often useful in reducing food costs and making available delicious fresh fruits and vegetables, it does much more than this. Who can gauge the value of that special chat between daughter and Dad as they weed or water the garden? How do we evaluate the good that comes from the obvious lessons of planting, cultivating, and the eternal law of the harvest? And how do we measure the family togetherness and cooperating that must accompany successful canning? Yes, we are laying up resources in store, but perhaps the greater good is contained in the lessons of life we learn as we live providently and extend to our children their pioneer heritage.

Twenty years ago I attended a sacrament meeting where the children responded to the theme “I Belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” These boys and girls demonstrated they were in training for service to the Lord and to others. The music was beautiful, the recitations skillfully rendered, and the spirit heaven-sent. One of my grandsons, who was 11 years old at that time, had spoken of the First Vision as he presented his part on the program. Afterward, as he came to his parents and grandparents, I said to him, “Tommy, I think you are almost ready to be a missionary.”

He replied, “Not yet. I still have a lot to learn.”

Through the years that followed, Tommy did learn, thanks to his parents and to teachers and advisers at church, who were dedicated and conscientious. When he was old enough, he was called to serve a mission. He did so in a most honorable fashion.

Later I was baptized into the Church, got married, and had my own family. One night in family home evening, my wife, Renee, talked about how Noah’s ark and our home were alike in many ways. Each provided safety from the scary storms of the world.

“I was baptized at five o’clock in the morning in a river. The water was very cold, but I felt warm. It was a good feeling.”
Recalling his conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ some twenty-two years ago, Kriangkrai Pitakpong, president of the Khon Kaen District echoes experiences similar to those enjoyed by the almost 4,000 converts to the Church in the beautiful country of Thailand.
Because proselyting is not permitted in Thailand, most investigators come from member referrals. Other investigators, like Kriangkrai Pitakpong, become curious when they see the missionaries. “I used to see the missionaries riding their bicycles, and I wondered who they were and what they did. When I finally made contact with them, I accepted their invitation to attend the English language classes they were conducting. Then I began studying the gospel and reading the Book of Mormon. I was baptized in October 1970, when I was nineteen years old.”

At activity days we have been learning the Articles of Faith. At home I have been jumping rope to help me memorize them. My mom writes an article of faith on a piece of paper, and then I look at it while I jump rope. This has made memorizing the Articles of Faith fun and easy for me!
Seadra H., age 8, Arizona

At another baptism, a young girl of 14, with tears in her eyes, hugs the sister missionary who has taught her the gospel. Even though this missionary had to leave her home thousands of miles away to serve a mission, it has been worth it.
Two missionary stories with the same emotion and the same sacrifice. It may be surprising to learn they took place 150 years and an ocean apart. The first missionary was Addison Pratt, who baptized in 1844 the first members of the Church in the Pacific not far from Tahiti. The second missionary was Barbara Nauta, a native Tahitian, who left her island home to serve a mission in Canada in 1993.
Just like those missionaries 150 years ago, young Tahitians look to the Lord to guide them as they serve. For example, Barbara Nauta, who grew up in Tahiti, served in the Canada Toronto Mission. She said investigators in Canada were amazed that she had left her warm Pacific island to learn another language (Barbara, who speaks French and Tahitian, had to learn English) and suffer in cold and snow. They asked her why. “I told them the Lord sent me here,” she says.

Lorraine Booth of the Ottawa Second Ward, Ottawa Ontario Stake, was born with a birth defect leaving her partially paralyzed from the waist down. But that hasn’t stopped her from competing in athletics.
Lorraine won two firsts in the Regional Ontario Games for the Disabled in the 25-metre breaststroke and the 25-metre freestyle in swimming. She went on to the Provincial Games for the Physically Disabled in Toronto and entered two 50-metre races and received gold medals in both.
Lorraine also enjoys horseback riding and tennis.

Taylor recalls his experience as one of growth. “Savior of the World has forever changed how I will think about Christmas,” he says. “As I knelt as at the scene of Mary, Joseph, and the infant Savior, the Spirit testified to me that my Savior lives. The experience I had brought me more joy and happiness than I ever imagined. I now have a much deeper understanding for why Christ’s birth was heralded by angels and mortals alike.”

In one area encompassing several stakes, quorum leaders and home teachers visited more than 500 homes of inactive members, most of whom had earlier refused an invitation to attend a temple preparation seminar. “Could these good home teachers come to your home once a week to teach you the gospel?” the leaders asked. “We won’t pressure you or ask you to do anything. We’ll just explain the principles of the gospel, and you and your family can make your own decisions.”

The answer? In 80 percent of the homes, the family accepted the proposal. That’s 400 families who were now receiving the benefits of the missionary-work aspect of home teaching! And the success stories have been numerous:

During lunch one day one of the adults was swatting at some of the huge horseflies that seemed to be everywhere. “These horseflies are terrible,” he said.
Brother Wimmer piped up, “Don’t say that! Nothing up here is terrible!”
““Okay, I’ll just say the horseflies are mildly aggravating.””
““Fine,” said Brother Wimmer with a smile, and then let silence complete the sermon. It was a sermon that was relived time and again as the boys later shared the memories of this experience at troop meetings and a special ward banquet in their honor.”

Shortly after the Church was organized in April 1830, the Prophet Joseph began to prepare a copy of the revelations he had received. He may have considered their future publication because Church members were asking for copies for their own use and study.
On November 1st and 2nd, 1831, a conference of the elders meeting at Hiram, Ohio, decided that the revelations should be compiled and published. On the first day of the conference, the Lord gave his approval of the plan by giving a revelation which he called his “preface unto the book of my commandments, which I have given them to publish unto you, O inhabitants of the earth” (D&C 1:6). The Lord’s “preface,” became Section 1 of the Doctrine and Covenants, although it was not the first revelation received by the Prophet.
In response to the Lord’s commandment, the Prophet promptly selected and prepared the revelations for publication in Independence, Missouri, where Church member W. W. Phelps operated a printing press. The important responsibility of carrying the prepared revelations from Hiram, Ohio, to Independence, was assigned to Oliver Cowdery and John Whitmer.
By the summer of 1833, about two-thirds of the revelations had been set in type and printed. But the work was halted when an anti-Church mob destroyed the press and most of the printed forms. Church members were able to salvage some of the printed sheets and published a few bound copies under the title of the Book of Commandments. There were sixty-five sections.

The New Era is great! It really helps me to round off that which I missed when I wasn’t yet a member of the Church. I’ve been a member for three years now, but I ordered the New Era for myself this last year after hearing that the missionaries love to read it. They are so right! It’s like having a library at your fingertips.
SusanHuntington Station, New York

I love to dress in Mother’s old clothes,
In big, long dresses that reach to my toes.
Next, onto my feet I slip Mother’s shoes
And rush out to tell all my neighbors the news.
Then home to my dolly I come, before long;
I rock her to sleep while I sing a soft song.
My brother pretends he’s the dad when we play
Our favorite game. First, he leaves for the day.
And while he is gone, I bake us a treat:
Some chocolate mud cakes that tonight we will eat
At the end of our game. What is it? Have you guessed?
Of all pretend games, family home evening is best!

From time to time I meet members of the Church who do not feel able to take responsibility as an officer or a teacher in the Church. I tell them of my experience in England. Literally within days of baptism, I was called to head the youth program in the Nottingham Branch. This was completely new to me, and I felt inadeqate, but I knew the Lord had need of me. There were less than 7,000 members in the whole of the British Isles where there are now 40 stakes. We all had to be “anxiously engaged” in the work of saving souls, building the kingdom, and establishing Zion. So it is with all of us. It is futile to fear responsibility when we have been called to serve “by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority” (A of F 1:5).

When Great-Uncle Joe came down from up north to live on our farm, he brought his dog, Silver, with him. Uncle Joe didn’t stay with us in the farmhouse; he preferred to live in the old log cabin down by the pasture. It was just as well, for my six-year-old sister, Linda, was afraid of Silver—he was so big! Even Papa looked at the dog with suspicion. A touch of wolf in Silver’s mixed ancestry showed up in his howl.
Uncle Joe had so many stories to tell about the north woods that nothing could keep me away from the cabin. Gradually the dog came to accept me and even wagged his tail a little when I brought him a juicy morsel of meat.
Uncle Joe died the second spring after he came to live with us, and after his death, Silver attached himself to me. Though he looked like a German Shepherd, Mama could see only wolf in him, and she wouldn’t have him around the house. When Papa said that he’d give the dog away, I begged to keep him. “I’ll feed him at the cabin,” I said.
Papa hesitated, then gave the dog away on account of Mama. But Silver returned again and again. Papa was baffled.
One day in May when Linda and I were cutting across the pasture on our way home from school, Linda stopped to pick violets down by the stream. When we saw the bull, he was not much more than a stone’s throw away. It was Mr. Foster’s black monster!
Boy, was he a big one! He had broken through the fence into our pasture. The bull was a people-hater, and he’d gored Mr. Foster’s hired man and nearly killed him.
The bull saw us about the same time that we saw him. He took a few steps forward, then charged.
“Run!” I yelled, but Linda was so scared that she couldn’t move.
Suddenly Silver came racing into the pasture. He leaped at the bull and sank his teeth into his nose. I grabbed Linda’s hand, and we ran for the fence. Papa, who was plowing in the next field, heard my yells and came tearing down the hill. He leaped the fence and practically threw Linda and me over it to safety. The bull had shaken Silver off by then and was only a few yards from Papa when the dog grabbed his nose again, causing the bull to stumble as he threw Silver through the air. But the dog’s maneuver gave Papa enough time to scramble over the fence himself.
Silver, limping and bleeding from a gash in his hindquarters, crawled through the fence. I threw my arms around him.
Papa took Linda’s hand, and nobody said a word as we headed for the house. Silver followed.
When Mama saw him, she yelled, “Don’t let that dog in here. He has wolf in him.”
“That dog just saved the children’s lives—mine too,” Papa said unsteadily.
“What!” Mama really looked at us then. Shaken, she pulled Linda and me to her.
After Papa told Mama what had happened, I added excitedly, “Silver pulled the bull down by his nose! Uncle Joe told me that that’s how wolves get a moose.”
“That dog deserves a medal,” Papa declared.
Mama took a long look at Silver lying at my feet, licking his wound. “Maybe he would prefer a good meal.” She went inside and came out with a big bowl of scraps. “I guess he can stay here now,” she said.
Linda patted Silver. I was so happy that I turned cartwheels.
After that, Silver stayed around the house but never came inside; he was a bush dog. When I was outside, he followed me everywhere. He never lolloped around like most dogs, though; he had dignity. Each night before I went inside to bed, he gave me his paw to shake, then settled down in the woodshed.
Silver was my friend.

“Uh, Christine? Would you like to go to the dance with me Saturday?”
“Sure!”
“I can’t believe it! She said yes! I am so happy! I am so excited!! I … I …”
“I have to learn to dance by Saturday!”
Ryan Stoker

The Latter-day Saint snowboarder from Australia, Torah Bright, surprised the world when she noticed that the American snowboarder Kelly Clark was nervous after a bad first run. Instead of focusing on her own performance, Torah hugged Kelly until Kelly could calm down. Because of this simple act of kindness from Torah, each girl got to stand on the winners’ podium. Torah won a silver medal and Kelly won a bronze. If you have a friend or family member who needs encouragement, help them too.

In Utah, Elder Ballard encouraged young single adults to observe the Sabbath as “a wonderful and glorious time” and to study fundamental principles and doctrines of the Church. He told temple workers that the temples built now will also be used during the Millennium. With Elder Ronald A. Rasband, he visited Texas to encourage volunteers cleaning up hurricane and flood damage.

By the time we were ready for that drive, it was late—and dark. As we got back on the road, my mind filled with thoughts of our trip so far. I thought of all the ways Heavenly Father had helped us. I thought of all our pleadings with Him on the way to Portland and all our expressions of gratitude on our journey back.
While I reflected on these things, I saw a bright light, standing tall above the darkness of the trees, a little distance from the freeway I was on. My heart began to swell in excitement as I thought about what this light might be. After a few minutes, as we drew in a little closer, I could see that there was no way it could be anything else but the Portland Oregon Temple!
I was so excited that I told my family we were getting off the freeway to find that temple. I had to see it! My spirit yearned to be on those temple grounds, to take in its beauty and to share that experience with my family.
As I made my way through the trees, I could see the light as though it was at the end of a long tunnel of darkness. My heart leapt with joy and anticipation.
Pulling closer to the temple, we noticed a cul-de-sac just before the temple gates, where a circle of cars parked. Excitedly, I looked around for a way to drive in, onto the temple grounds.
I felt my heart break when I realized the temple gates were not just closed, they were locked.
I quickly found a place to park among the other cars, and in the next minute, I was standing at the iron gates—holding on to them and crying—as I gazed in at the beauty of that majestic and holy house.
The idea of being locked out of the gates of heaven became a very real thing to me in that moment.
Questions flooded my mind as I stood there that night:
Is this where I want to be when I get to heaven?
Do I want to be locked out? Crying because I can’t get in?
Will someone see me crying and feel bad enough to let me in?
What will I do to make sure this will not happen to me at the gates in heaven?
I cried up until we had to get back on the road, and then I cried some more.
The impact of that night was so intense. As I continued driving, I reflected over and over on the flood of emotions I was feeling that night. It strengthened my desire to do better—to be better—to give my heart to Him and to work hard to follow the example of my Saviour, Jesus Christ.
I started to sing as I drove. As I sang, my heart began to fill with peace and comfort. I knew that my experience would give me a new song, a song I completed during that drive. A song that will lift and inspire. A song about a temple. My temple song.
This is that song:
I went to see the temple.
It was marvellous to see,
a masterpiece that is sacred and divine.
In my heart, I heard a whisper
that spoke so very softly,
saying, “Look inside and see what you will find.”
Is this where I want to be?
On the outside looking in?
This feeling isn’t right for me.
I want to be within the walls,
a part of what I see.
As I stood at the gate that night,
looking in on what was more
than marble stone, surrounded by His love,
A question came into my mind
I’d never thought of it before,
What if this was the kingdom up above?
I want to be a part of
that everlasting joy
that’s promised in the kingdom of our Father.
But if I’m not prepared right now
to receive the blessing stored,
I’ll never find that peace from any other.