Today I had to most amazing missionary experience, I can't even believe it! It started with Kylie bringing me my BYU sweatshirt and asking to go to the library. We went yesterday, but I thought, "why not? I need to go to the church anyway and pick up supplies to babysit at the temple tomorrow." So I planned a picnic and drove us to the church, then got out the stroller and we walked to the library. We approached the front entrance because we were walking. I noticed an older man sitting on the side rail and he said, "it's closed." Oh! I forgot that on Fridays they don't open until 1. We asked each other at the same time, "do you know what time it is?" I looked at my phone and we still had an hour until the library opened.
He commented on the cute kids and I could hear his Spanish accent. So I felt like answering in Spanish. He was surprised. We talked (all in Spanish) about BYU a little with a nice visual from my sweatshirt. I was walking away and suddenly turned around to see if he needed a ride or something. I don't know why! He said he lived close, and I said I was walking to church. That opened the floodgate! He showed me his well read Santa Biblia and asked about my church. After a minute he asked if he could walk us back.
What?!? I would never walk to my car alone with 2 kids and a stranger! But somehow I wasn't scared at all and it just felt right like I had known him for a while. It felt safe. So we walked and talked and talked and talked about the Bible, about God and Jesus Christ, about the organization of my church and his experiences in different churches. This man KNEW the Bible and understood so much! He had a testimony of our Savior and how His death and resurrection enables us to repent and live with God again. He knew that if one really believes, he should live like Jesus did and be an example. He even knew the importance of baptism by immersion! I couldn't believe it.
I happened to have Josh's church key and invited him into the church building. What?!? But I'm not crazy! It just felt natural. I explained all about our 3 hours of church and the Sacrament and how it's like the Last Supper. The kids were making us nervous on the choir stairs so we headed out to the courtyard. It was beautiful weather today and for 2 hours the kids just played! This stranger poured his heart and soul out to me and is SO READY FOR THE GOSPEL! He knows it already! I couldn't believe it. It was so great to meet someone who really knows the scriptures and wants to avoid all confusion and just know the truth.
So I got his information and gave him mine and he said he would give The Book of Mrmon another shot. I guess he read a little about 10 years ago. THis guy's wife left him for recent desire to study the Bible and search for religion. But with tears of sadness he still exclaimed with a positive attitude how God has a plan for him!
At home I looked up the number of the Bishop of the Spanish Branch to get the meeting time and the missionaries info. And I totally know him! 2 weeks ago an old piano student's dad was made the bishop of the Spanish branch! Can you believe it?
My own testimony has been so strengthened. 1. God KNOWS us and has a hand in the details - the details! - of our lives. To the minute and which library entrance we should take! He loves us. 2. the scriptures are true and bring us to our Savior. How can we serve him if we don't know His words? 3. If Josh and I weren't willing to sacrifice and babysit at the temple tomorrow so lots of parents in our ward could go inside, none of this would have happened! I wouldn't have walked to the library because I wouldn't have needed to go to the church building and I wouldn't have had Josh's key. What a blessing!!!!!!!!! I'm really excited. (obviously) I know that this man's faith will pull him through all the challenges that he'll ever face.
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