I was recently asked by my mission President to write about a certain experience I had while on my mission. Every experience you have as missionary holds meaning, but this one for me is so precious and was a great reminder of God's power in our lives, and the importance of following promptings.
It was a hot, humid, summer Ohio day and my companion and I were tracting an old street in Delaware, Ohio. We had planned to be on this street for half an hour. We were reaching the end of our allotted time slot and were beginning to feel quite discouraged at the lack of receptiveness on the street. Only a single door had opened and as soon as we mentioned the gospel the door was quickly closed. I just wanted to shout out to everybody on that street, "don't you know we have the best message in the whole world and you're missing out on it!" There was only one house we hadn't tried, but we had somewhere else we had to be so we began walking to the end of the road where our car was. As we made it to the car and my hand reached for the door, a prompting from the Holy Ghost whispered as clear as can be "your work here is not yet finished." Without second guessing what I had just felt my companion and I marched all the way back down the road to the very last house on the corner, and there sitting on the front porch was an elderly man listening to his radio who looked somewhat confused, yet somewhat curious as we approached him.
We started conversation by mentioning that we were missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and promptly proceeded with a message about God's love. Here we were with a complete stranger, yet we felt the need to testify of God's love for him, and for his ability to live with God and his family again. The Spirit warmed our hearts and filled our mouths. We left his home knowing that God wanted us to be there in that moment.
For whatever reason we had the hardest time reaching Clarence again. Every time we showed up at his house he was never there, or he wasn't feeling well on the rare occasions that he was there. And the chances he would answer his phone-next to nothing. Many of the times we had showed up at the house Clarence's step-son Dan had answered the door. Initially he wasn't the friendliest, and really didn't want anything to do with the church. He seemed almost like a barrier between us and Clarence. After a matter of weeks of this we were about to give up because we simply could not get ahold of Clarence. My companion felt that we needed to try them one more time. We approach their house and prayed before we went in. I specifically remember praying to God and asking him to not let Dan answer the door so that we could finally see Clarence. We knocked on the door and who stood there to open it? Dan! I had to chuckle to myself because if I didn't know already I learned that day that God has a sense of humor and He is the one in charge...not me. But a miracle happened that day. Instead of our brief conversations with Dan that went somewhat like this, "Clarence isn't home" he came out on the porch and started to talk with us. Already we could see a softer heart in him. He made us laugh and we made him laugh unintentionally when we extended baptism to him. We even had an opportunity to talk about the Book of Mormon. In the time we were talking with him, Clarence pulled up in his old blue pickup truck. From the look on his face he knew he was cornered when he got out of his car ;) We then all sat out on the front porch and taught them the first lesson. And guess what!? In all that time we hadn't seen Clarence he had still done the reading assignments we had given him.
From that point on Clarence McGuire never missed a single lesson and Dan even joined in during most lessons. Clarence was prompt, and always kept the many reading assignments we had given him either through the missionary pamphlets or the Book of Mormon. It took awhile for him to attend church, but i'll never forget the pure smile on my face when he pulled up to church in his blue pickup truck. Clarence even ran up to the bishop after the meeting and said, "these girls are accomplishing miracles. They got me to pray out loud for the first time in my life and they got me to church for the first time in 40 years." Little did he know at that time that it had nothing to do with us, but everything to do with God and His plan.
On General Conference Sunday we went to the church with Clarence and were edified by the powerful Spirit the leaders of our church brought to the meeting. Clarence for weeks now had been praying about baptism. After the session had concluded he told us, "I think I got my answer." But that is all he told us! We had no idea if this answer was a yes or a no he was being so sneaky about it. We went over for a lesson a few days later and were in the middle of teaching him when I looked over at a calendar that was placed right behind where he was sitting. On the 18th (the day we told him to pray about for baptism) was written something in tiny little print. I jumped up from my chair in the middle of the lesson, probably even mid-sentence, to read what it said. On Saturday the 18th of October it read, "Clarence's baptism."
On that Saturday Clarence McGuire at age 76 was baptized and took upon himself the name of Jesus Christ. His daughter Tina, and step-son Dan both came to the baptism. The water was freezing, but the Spirit was warm. It was a day I will never ever forget.
A few weeks later I was transferred to a new area. When I signed up for a mission I had no idea how difficult it would be to leave those you love behind and go to a new area. This family had become my family, yet I knew and had faith in how inspired this work was. I knew I was transferred to a new area for a reason and while serving there I discovered those reasons.
Eight months later while serving in Pickerington Ohio, I got word that Dan had a baptismal date. Dan! Dan who wanted nothing to do with the Book of Mormon initially. Dan who opened his heart to God and let Him in. I was able to go back to Delaware for that baptism and as we drove in I felt like we were driving though sacred ground. It was such a memorable and special feeling. His baptism was beautiful. I was so proud of him and the strides he made to draw closer to the Savior.
I finished my mission in August but have never lost contact with this family that has become my own. During the holiday's Dan shared with me an incredible missionary experience he had had. Dan's son, who also happens to be named Dan, was joining the family in Ohio for Christmas. He happened to be in Ohio during a Sunday, so Dan invited his son to come with him to church. His son politely declined, but Dan's desire to share the gospel didn't stop there. Before his son was to head back to Alaska, Dan asked him if he had room in his carryon. He did, so Dan proceeded to give him a Book of Mormon.
His son made it safely back to Alaska, but Dan followed up and told his son that there were also missionaries in Alaska! In fact they are all over the word. Dan Jr. started meeting with missionaries and reading the Book of Mormon.
A little less then a year from Dan's baptism, his son was baptized in Alaska.
Dan is currently a perfect and patient primary teacher for 10 year olds, and Clarence attends the temple almost on a weekly basis. When I went back to visit my mission a few weeks ago he taught me an important lesson. He had just been to the temple the night before and was telling me the name of the person he did doing the work for, where they lived, and when they were born. He taught me that all the work we do in the temple is for people. Real people. They are waiting for the joy of the gospel. Next time I attend the temple and every time after that I hope to remember these precious souls as he does.
One prompting. Three generations were affected. What if we hadn't have listened to that prompting? Where would this family be? I imagine they eventually would have been found because God is very aware of His children, but who knows if the outcome would have been the same. God knew that day when I prayed that Dan wouldn't answer the door, that Dan needed the gospel too. The gospel can and will bless anyone and everyones lives. Looking back I feel so blessed that Dan was the one to answer the door that day. God knew all along what He was doing, I just had to learn and put more faith and trust in Him.
A few months ago I was teaching a seminary class that focused on Proverbs 3. I shared with my class all the miracles of this particular story. I think through this story I really learned the truthfulness of the scripture, "trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths."
Trust Him.
Acknowledge Him
And He will direct our paths
I know that to be true. How grateful I am for this beautiful gospel that changes hearts and lives. Our Savior lives. That is the joy we have to share with the world!
