Gospel Story Finder

“But I don’t want to take a nap.
I don’t,” Melinda said.
“I want to run and jump and play,
Not lie here in my bed.
“I want to go play hide-and-seek
With Jon and Bill and Sue;
Or maybe make a picture book
With scissors, paint, and glue.
“There are games to play and books to read—
I can’t lie here all day.
There is so much I want to do.
I’m just not tired, I say.
“I could be soaring on the swing
Or working with my clay.
Playing jump rope, jacks, or house
Would be just great today.
“There are so many things to do,
Like playing with my doll.
There are puzzles, toys, and storybooks.
I need to do them all!
“The animals on Grandpa’s farm—
The horses, cows, and sheep—
I’d rather go and visit them;
They’re much more fun than sleep.
“There are a hundred things to do
Instead of lie in bed—
I wish that I could do them all,
’Cause I’m not tired,” she said.
“The sun outside is bright and warm
For splashing in the pool.
And if it gets too hot to swim,
The shade tree’s nice and cool.”
Melinda yawned and rubbed her eyes,
Then sat down on her bed.
She felt worn-out from just the thought
Of doing all she’d said.
She smiled at Mom who handed her
A pillow for her head.
She closed her eyes and then she fell
Fast asleep in bed.

One evening near the end of the month, I was preparing to leave town and still hadn’t visited one of my sisters. It was later in the evening. I had no appointment. I didn’t call. I had no partner. But I decided it was important to visit my friend Julie. Julie’s daughter Ashley was born with a brittle-bone disease. Although Ashley was almost six years old, she was very small and unable to do much of anything besides move her arms and speak. She lay on a sheepskin rug all day, every day. Ashley was a happy, cheerful child, and I loved being around her.
On this particular night when I got to the home, Julie invited me in and Ashley called out that she wanted to show me something. I went in and knelt down on the floor on one side of Ashley, and her mother was on the other side. Ashley said, “Look what I can do!” Then with a little assistance from her mother, Ashley was able to turn on her side and back again. It had taken her almost six years to accomplish this wonderful goal. As we clapped and cheered and laughed and cried together on this special occasion, I thanked Heavenly Father that I had gone visiting teaching and had not missed this great event. Even though that visit was many years ago and sweet Ashley has since passed away, I will be forever grateful that I had that special experience with her.

If we are willing to work, we can accomplish many things. When I was about thirteen, some of my friends and I decided to organize a Boy Scout troop. We couldn’t find a leader, and we really wanted to go to the Jamboree that was held by a lake many miles away. We found a ride to the Jamboree and won the award for the best camping skills, even without a leader!

“Before I was a member, I’d always notice Belle. She wasn’t lazy. Every Sunday she’d get up and go to church,” says Simon, who was baptized in 1992. “When Belle was a missionary, she was a good example to my family and she helped us.”
Rambo also talked about the gospel with Simon and helped him with his decision to be baptized. Simon’s now a priest in the Tuen Mun Second Ward.
Simon likes to think back to the time when he began seriously investigating the gospel. He remembers praying for the first time. “I really didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know how to pray or what I should say,” he remembers. “But I always felt good when I prayed.”
Before Simon joined the Church, Sundays were reserved for rest and relaxation. He would generally sleep in, then get up and play soccer with his friends. These days, his friends don’t even bother asking him to play games on the Sabbath. “They know now that I won’t play on Sunday. I’ve already told them I don’t do that, and they understand why I don’t and what I do instead,” he says. Sundays for Simon generally consist of church meetings and scripture reading. “I love studying in the Book of Mormon—especially about Lehi and the faith he had. My own faith isn’t great so it’s good for me to read about someone who was so strong.”

Because he worked under inspiration, Joseph Smith took only about 65 working days between the beginning of April and end of June 1829 to translate the entire Book of Mormon.8 The Prophet worked rapidly, rarely going back to revise the completed work. He had never studied ancient writings, and he did not refer to any sources outside the golden plates when he was translating.9
Oliver Cowdery, who acted as one of Joseph’s scribes, said: “These were days never to be forgotten—to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven, awakened the utmost gratitude of this bosom! Day after day I continued, uninterrupted, to write from his mouth, as he translated with the Urim and Thummim.”10

Many years ago when we lived at a different location, Merlene said she wanted a rock garden. On a particular Saturday I went out into the field that was right behind our home and decided that if I dug a hole six feet deep, six feet wide, and six feet across, the dirt from that hole should be enough to provide her with a hill whereon we could place rocks and beautiful flowers in the corner of our yard.
To begin with, as I started digging the hole, I could throw the dirt, each shovelful, over my shoulder, over the fence, and into the corner where Merlene wanted the rock garden. As the hole got deeper and I became more tired, I would have to throw the dirt up on the side of the hole. Then I would climb out of the hole and throw the dirt onto the pile across the fence. As the hole became even deeper, I finally had to lower a bucket into the hole, fill the bucket, and lift it out, and pour it on the hill over the fence.
As I started the hole, Lawrence, our three-year-old, began to gather his little friends around. There must have been 15 or 20 little friends watching me dig the hole. When I got deep enough in the hole to use a bucket to lift the dirt out, I said to Lawrence and his little buddies, “If you’ll pull the bucket filled with dirt out of the hole and dump it on the shoulder of the hole each time I fill it so that I will not have to climb out, when I get finished with this hole, I’ll give it to you.” Now a hole isn’t much of a prize for an adult, but for three- or four-year-old boys, a deep hole with a little trench leading down into it is a great prize. So they began to assist me.
After doing this work for a few minutes, Lawrence said to me, “Dad, why are you lifting the dirt out of the hole, then climbing out of the hole and throwing it over the fence onto that pile of dirt?” I said, “Lawrence, your mother wants a rock garden in that corner, so I came out here to get enough dirt to build the hill for her rock garden. What your mother really wants me to do, that is what I do.” Then Lawrence turned to his little buddies and said, “Our mom is our leader.”

Dad, can I invite Jacob to church today?
That’s a good idea, Eric. I’ll call his home for you.
My mom said I could go to church with you!
Great!
Eric and Jacob had a good time at church. They learned about prayer and sang songs during sharing time. Eric was glad he invited Jacob.
The next week, Eric called Jacob again.
Do you want to come to church with me today?
No, not today. I’m going to play at my grandma’s house.
Oh, OK.
Are we picking up Jacob today?
No, he said he didn’t want to come today.
How does that make you feel?
A little sad.
I’m sorry you’re sad. Remember that Heavenly Father lets us all choose for ourselves. Maybe you can invite Jacob another time.
Dad, can I invite him next week?
You sure can. You are a good friend.
Eric called Jacob again the next week.
Do you want to come to church with me today?
Sure.
Eric was glad Jacob went to church with him again. Eric knew that Jacob could choose for himself if he wanted to go to church or not, but he decided to keep inviting Jacob in order to give him the chance.

3. “I will only read and watch things that are pleasing to Heavenly Father.” Show the children a brown paper bag (with the scriptures inside) and a beautifully wrapped gift box (with garbage inside). Ask which they would choose, then let them open the packages. Discuss why they chose as they did. Explain that movies, books, and television programs could be compared to the packages: Sometimes bad things are made to look very attractive. Ask: “What kinds of garbage might be found in these kinds of entertainment?” Have the children turn to Moro. 7:12–19. Read these verses together, and discuss the standard for judgment that Moroni gives us. Without having them share with one another, the older children could each make a list of the books and magazines he/she has read lately and of the programs and movies he/she has watched. Then each child could compare his/her list with Moroni’s standard to see if the choices invited him/her to do good and love God. They could each circle or check those that would be “pleasing to Heavenly Father.” Suggest that the children discuss their lists with their parents.

I have been in the hospital a lot in the last year. Sometimes I bring the Friend to read because it makes me feel better. I like when there are posters of Jesus. I also like Matt and Mandy and stories about Joseph Smith.

Some of the greatest experiences in my life have come from attending the temple in Mexico City and sacrificing things to do so.
Once, there was a misunderstanding about the time the bus left for a temple trip and it had already departed when the Church members arrived. We prayed and were able to take a later bus. Many of the members had to stand the entire 400 kilometers and we were blessed through the priesthood to be strong and healthy. We all arrived and had a very spiritual experience.
I have a testimony of attending the temple. Nothing can stop me from going. I know there is a higher spirituality when we go.
Francisco J. Reyes RodriguezOaxaca, Mexico

“Mother gave us opportunities to prepare meals and to do many other things, for which we were all grateful. She would often say ‘James, will you get dinner tonight?’ And so I learned to cook. It helped me on my mission and later in my married life.

“Anyone want to go with me to look for a Christmas tree?” Papa said one day in December.
“I do!” Ed shouted.
“Me, too,” I declared.
Caroline had just spread out her paper dolls to play with while the little boys were having their naps, and she didn’t want to pick them up just yet, so she shook her head.
“Where can you find a Christmas tree?” Mama asked. “I haven’t seen any pine trees growing around here.”
“Don’t know,” Papa said. “Maybe we’ll have to use a cactus.”
“A cactus Christmas tree?” Ed sounded disappointed.
“Why not!” Papa said. “Think how pretty it would be with paper chains and popcorn strings.”
“I guess so,” Ed conceded.
“I’ll pop the corn while you’re gone,” Mama offered. “We’ll string it when you get back.”
We tramped around in the warm sunshine, trying to imagine it was winter and that Christmas was nearly here. Although we learned to expect some snow every year, it wasn’t really very much when compared with what we had in Utah. This year December seemed more like March.
We could find nothing on our property that would do, so we started down the road to the sand hills. This definitely was not Christmas tree country. We decided there was no use hunting for a green tree and began to search for something else.
“Look at this,” Ed said, pulling a spiky round bush from next to the fence where it had tumbled in the wind.
“Not bad,” Papa said. “Not bad at all.”
I found another like it but not so squatty. “Look!” I exclaimed.
“That’s even better,” Papa said.
Once we began to look, we found a whole little forest of tumbleweeds along the fence line and finally selected one that was nearly cone shaped. Papa carried it on his shoulder, and we sang “Silent Night” as we walked home in the desert twilight.
The “tree” was suspended from the ceiling in the corner, where Frank and Georgie could see but not touch. We draped it with popcorn strings and chains made from the bright Christmas paper our purchases were wrapped in at Younger’s General Store.
We didn’t receive many gifts that first Christmas in New Mexico. Our stockings contained an apple, an orange, a handful of nuts, and a peppermint stick.
Each of us had one package, and inside was a napkin ring carved by Papa. Tucked inside the ring was a paper Mama had decorated with pretty writing and flowers painted around the edge. It read: “Coupon for part interest in a place of our own. To be redeemed for a deed in seven years.”
It was the best gift of all—the gift of hope. I put mine in the box where I kept my precious things. (To be continued.)

Serious artists seek recognition by performing exceedingly well. Their happiness comes from achieving worthwhile goals. A successful businessman once heard me play the piano, and he said, “I would give $25,000 if I could play like that.” He was trying to compliment me. The fact is, you cannot buy the ability to play any musical instrument with money. You buy it with constant practice and good instruction. This man did not really want to learn to play the piano, or he would have paid the honest price. And, having done so, he would then enjoy such recognition that comes from honest accomplishment.

“I received a call from Grandpa one day. He was very excited about being honored by the First Presidency for seventeen years of his broadcasts, Sunday Evening from Temple Square.“
The son-in-law went on to explain: “We always listened on Sunday night to Grandpa’s broadcast, and then the children would get together and phone and tell him they’d heard him.”

But as Bien started high school, other pursuits—including a new group of friends—made church seem less attractive.
“My brother could not force me to go,” says Bien, “and I resisted attempts to reactivate me.” But Bien knew that despite good grades and many friends, he felt empty and aimless at times. He remembered how happy people at church were, and finally decided to return.

One such event was after he first asked his future wife on a date. “My twin brother said, ‘That’s not the kind of girl you just date. That’s the kind of girl you marry.’ And he was right.” Elder Edwards, son of Elbert and Mary Reid Edwards, married Judith Lee Higgins on June 20, 1964, in the St. George Utah Temple.

1830
Two months after the Church was organized, Joseph Smith presided over the first general conference in Fayette, New York. About 30 members and several others attended.

In 1850, President Brigham Young called George, then twenty-three years old, to serve a mission to the Sandwich (Hawaiian) Islands. Elder Cannon had great difficulty speaking before large groups of people, but through his faith in the Lord and his great desire to serve Him, he overcame this fear. He never let an opportunity pass to talk to the people and improve his understanding of the language.

Ernest Sibanda met two Mormon missionaries on bicycles—Elder Black and Elder Kaelin—in December 1978. They left a Book of Mormon with him. Before their visit, Ernest had already spent many years studying religion. In fact, he had been a teacher for his church for nine years and a pastor for three years.
The night Ernest received his copy of the Book of Mormon he stayed up until 2:00 in the morning reading enthusiastically. He couldn’t wait to meet the missionaries the following day. Ernest told them that he had learned more from Joseph Smith about Jesus Christ than all the ministers he had ever met. Ernest was baptized shortly thereafter, followed by his wife and children a few weeks later.
Of his baptism day, he wrote, “I felt very free. I felt released from every evil. I found there was love in me for my family. I found there was love within me for the Church.”2
Ernest Sibanda proved to be a great strength to the Church. He served as Sunday School president, branch clerk, and second counselor in a branch presidency. He also fulfilled an assignment from the South Africa mission president to translate hymns from English to Shona.

In 1830, Jesus Christ told Joseph Smith to organize His Church again. On April 6, Joseph Smith organized the Church in a meeting in Peter Whitmer’s home in Fayette, New York. Close to 60 people came. In the meeting, the sacrament was blessed and passed, like Jesus blessed the sacrament and gave it to His Apostles when He lived on earth.
Afterward, several people were baptized. Today, more than 14 million people around the world are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.