That missionary was me! An answer to my own prayer.

After a missionary conference in Granada Spain my companion Sister Matthews and I headed back by bus to the small town of Santa Fe where we were serving.

While on the bus I noticed a woman in that back. I felt impressed to try to make my way back to her to talk to her. Leaving my companion I awkwardly weaved through people standing and sitting until I finally reached her.

Before I could say much she said in Spanish to me "I can tell you are a good person. I would love to talk to you but this is my stop and I have to go. Thanks for coming back to talk to me." She then exited through the back doors of the bus and proceeded to stand on the side of the road and wave good bye at me as the bus pulled away.

As I watched her disappear in the distance I was sad that my opportunity to talk to her was cut short. I said a prayer that a missionary would one day have the opportunity to give her a Book of Mormon. Since we were serving in a small town far away from that populous city where I had just met her I didn't think I would ever see her again.

A couple of weeks later we decided that we were going to visit a tourist location in that city on our preparation day. While walking along a beautiful path outside of the world famous Alhambra I heard someone call to me. I was baffled to see this woman walking with a man. She had recognized us from a distance and made her way towards us. In the next few minutes were then able to share with her the message of the restoration and give her a Book of Mormon.

The way the sun fell on the wooded pathway around us as we talked was beautiful. It was an oasis in a bustling city. My companion, who was an amazing singer offered to sing a song, which we did together with another sister in harmony. Our voices carried well and the sun rays split all around us through the trees while glowing specks of dust floated through the air. And the spirit was strong and our surroundings were peaceful.

After the song there was silence and she became emotional. She told us that it was her birthday and that morning she had prayed that she would receive something special from God. She held up the Book of Mormon that we had given her and said "I know this is that gift."

With special permission, since she was out of our jurisdiction, we were able to return for the first discussion with her but I never saw her after that although other missionaries continued teaching her. In a time before widespread use of email and online information I don't know if she was ever baptized but I did feel Heavenly Fathers strong love for her.

I couldn't help but reflect upon the moment weeks before when I had sat on the bus and watched her disappear in the distance. I thought about my heartfelt prayer that a missionary would find her and give her a Book of Mormon and how I was allowed to miraculously be the answer to my own prayer.

The Lord offered me a sacred opportunity to see the other side of that prayer. As missionaries and member missionaries we say prayers for people to hear and have an opportunity to embrace the gospel. I am so grateful for a small peek into the workings of the spirit and to be a part of that sacred experience.

"First Wise Man". My favorite true Christmas story!

Along with the stories of Shepherds and wise men this year I look forward to recounting the story of Simeon to my little ones.

It is my favorite Christmas story but is often forgotten in the recounting of that Saviors birth and took place after the shepherds but before the other three wise men.

Simeon was not in the field with the shepherds who possibly, before that moment, had never contemplated a Savior. He was not with the wise men who traveled from the East, who beheld the star and came in a great journey. His heart, however, was prepared beforehand and he was in the right place at the right time as he anticipated the coming of his Lord.

I believe he was actually the first "wise man". He was not in company with the other three but like them he looked for the coming of his Lord and was led to the baby Jesus.

Artwork by Greg Olsen 

Simeon was an old man. We know nothing about him other than he was just, devote and that the Holy Ghost was upon him. He is the perfect example of how great things can be manifest to us through personal revelation if our hearts are ready and if we are listening. We don't need to be a prophet, or a world leader or anyone of great consequence, but if our hearts are in the right place then we can see and behold incredible things.

It had been revealed to Simeon by the spirit that he would not die before he had beheld the face of the Savior. Luke tells us that he came into the temple that day "by the Spirit" just as Mary and Joseph brought 8 day old Jesus in order to offer sacrifice as was custom. Are we prepared for the clues all around us? Are we seeking our Redeemer out and using our energy to find him in our lives? Do we do the primary answers of read our scriptures daily and pray? Those will be the most powerful seeking tools that we have.

There must have been several righteous people in the temple that day but only Simeon and Anna (another who recognized the blessing of the moment) seemed to be prepared to behold the face of their Savior and declared him to others. Do we miss the Savior in our lives and recognize his face or hand when either is right before us?

Simeon took the Christ child in his arms. Wow! What a holy and precious moment. He not only got to behold his face but he took him in his arms!!! See why this is my favorite Christmas story! This was a moment he had been waiting for a very long time. In this story he looks toward heaven or at least addresses God while holding the child, and says "Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word." in other words "I'm ready to die now. I have seen my Savior."

He then prophesies to Mary and Joseph! I don't recall anything written about the other wise men doing this. Can you imagine?! We already know he was right about his own personal revelation of beholding his Lord but now he is prophesying to the mother of God and guiding the earthly father of the Savior of the World.

He tells them that Jesus will be "A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of the people of Israel." We see this prophesy come to pass much later, years down the road when the gospel is taken to the gentiles and they embrace the Savior as their Redeemer and later as many of us who were considered gentiles were adopted into the house of Israel and now bring the gospel to all nations! It was another way of saying that this child's impact would affect the entire world.

A piece of this story that touches me personally is when he turns to Mary and prophesies to her specifically and tells her "Yea a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

We believe that Simeon could be referring to the moment after Christ dies on the cross and Mary is watching nearby. They will pierce his side with a spear or a sword. This was the test of the soldiers to see if he was truly dead. At that moment she would realize that he was really dead and perhaps her world would shatter in a way that few of us understand. Only a few days later after his resurrection perhaps she would fully understand the purpose of the birth and death of her child.

Then Anna an older woman who spent all of her time in the temple came in that instant and also gave thanks and beheld the child "and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem." I am not sure if that meant she told others around her in that moment or if she stayed in the temple as she was there all the time and told others who came to temple after about him. Either way she recognized perhaps who he was and his important role in redemption!

I guess I love this story because Simeon gives me hope. He did not have an angel appear to him (that we know of) as the shepherds did. Neither did a choir of angels lead him to Christ's birthplace. He did not follow the signs of the skies or the star as the other wisemen did. But he followed his heart and was led to his Savior.

In my own way I feel like I know the gospel with my heart. I really know and feel that it is true. I anxiously await the day that I will meet my Savior. In the process I really do feel guidance and that I am lead in my heart. I could be crazy, yes but so much good comes from it that I see almost daily. Matthew 7 tells us that by their fruits ye shall know them. This fruit is sweet. This fruit brings peace, joy, excitement and light. So much peace. There could be really no greater gift! This Christ child and the story of his birth brings me, over 2000 years later, peace in the midst of a very troubled world! What an incredible gift!

A 6 hour conversation with a Muslim Woman

As part of a scout requirement I've been reading the news headlines with my 11 yr old boys daily. Because of this they have seen recent terrorist attacks play out more than they have before and we have had hard conversations about things which are happening in the world.

This morning while getting something from downstairs I came upon my 11 year old in prayer.

Because of the beauty of the scene and the light beaming behind him I quietly snapped a picture. I am not sure if it is inappropriate to take a picture of such a personal moment but I am so glad I did. It is something I want to remember...forever.

I do worry about their future. I worry about the world that they will grow up in. 

But I choose hope. I choose faith. Against the darkness the light will grow brighter. 

On a recent 6 hour flight to Paris, just right before the terrorist attacks, I had an interesting conversation with a Muslim woman about Islam and the LDS faith. 

In the very beginning of our conversation I knew I was going to love sitting next to her. She was well educated and very dedicated to her way of life and to her beliefs. I knew a lot about Islam but she didn't know much about my faith. On my mission sometimes I reflected on how similar Islam was to many of our beliefs. She was surprised to discover that we too fast, that we give tithes, that we abstain from alcohol among other things, that we have a code of health, believe strongly in a family unit, in living a moral life and congregate in temples. All of these things have similarities to the pillars of Islam. In talking with her and those who share her faith I am very careful. In my mission we could not teach Muslims especially Muslim women. It was dangerous for them if we did and also dangerous for us. But she kept asking questions so I did answer them.

As we talked more she became very interested in my thoughts about my own 5 boys and raising them in our western society. She said that it was difficult for her family- they lived in a predominately Muslim community before where there was no alcohol, drugs or other things available. But she moved them to the United States and her kids start to live a double life and can't handle the agency and availability of these things. Some turn to extremism while others are lost.

She said that this lost feeling has happened in her family as well as many others that she knew. "How do you keep your kids free from these things?" She asked. I'm supposing she meant "you" as in plural to my faith. I told her we train our children that it isn't a matter of "if" but "when" they will be faced with these decisions. We try to prepare them with what these situations might look like, what to do as an alternative and with a knowledge of the blessings that come from living a certain way. I told her we hold family prayers, family scripture study, family counsels and family home evenings and I best tried to explain these principles. It made me think deeply about the blessings that come with living within the reach of the gospel. I didn't even begin to talk about primary, young men's, young women's or scouts. I didn't discuss family meals, family vacations, for strength of youth, the expectations of the priesthood or deacons and priests and their weekly responsibilities and duties.

I didn't talk about firesides, youth conferences, EFY or any of these other things. But as I have thought through them since I have been amazed. The role of the family unit is vital in our society! Teaching the gospel in the home is the greatest layer of protection that a youth can have. If this layer of protection is there these other things add to it but without it these things can also act as continual invitations.

I was also impressed by the role that "agency" has in our eternal salvation and how this applies to the conversation that I had with this Amazing woman. I have done a lot of research on this subject, gospel wise and this is a post for another day but to sum up Agency is what sets us apart from the other elements of the Universe and the other creations of our Maker. This agency when exercised and used for good propels us forward in our progression. Without our agency we can not increase, grow or move forward.

After my husband and I returned home from Europe and saw the attacks that happened in Paris my heart was heavy. I thought of this woman. She was on route to Morocco to adopt a baby with her daughter. I hoped for her safe return and wished her the best. It opened my eyes once more to the full light of the gospel. It made me so grateful for these programs that our available through the organization of the church that add that extra layer of protection.

It made me so grateful for my own little boys. I do worry about them. That is a mothers lot, but I do have faith in them and I will do all I can do give them the most opportunities in this life and the next. They are a Ray of Hope in the darkness of the world. Their faith is strong and it is such an honor to be apart of that!

Muslims and Mormons have a lot in common but we also have differences especially in the divinity of Jesus Christ.

Here is a recent statement from the Leaders of the LDS church in response to Donald Trumps call to ban Muslim travel.

Also here is an LDS article on Muhammad which I found interesting.