If you have a missionary experience to share in the missionary moments section,, please send it to ed*******@me**************.com
Dear Meridian,
My dear non member husband of twenty one years, resisted even the thought of baptism…… til four months ago!
Greg loved the many various missionaries who came to dinner often, but as my husband is a great story teller as well as a retired police officer, he regaled them with hundreds of very funny stories. They mostly came to visit and enjoy my husband’s company, as I felt they shouldn’t push him with doctrine. My husband, Greg, many times likes to do exactly opposite of what you’d like him to do (not sure if this is a male thing or not) Stubborn, yes.
When we moved to Florida six years ago, we had a “spool” (a bit larger than a hot tub, but more like a very small swimming pool) put in our back screen-in room. The many pairs of missionaries were always threatening to “dinky dunk” my husband in that small pool.
Greg had grown up in another faith, so we simply continued to share churches. I even began to play the organ for them on their Wednesday night service, as their only other organist was well into her 80s and didn’t want to travel at night. I knew I was receiving blessings. They all knew I was LDS and was not about to falter, or come on Sundays. But they loved me, and I them…….. and they are good people.
We had an open house last September in our newly divided stake, and Greg came to support it. He really enjoys the members of our wards. He had a good time and was impressed at the beautifully-done presentations, including the temple room, (which I’d helped put together).
Two months later, Greg hinted I should be away from the house for a while, as he was having two of the ward members coming over to talk about “things”. He’d been reading the Book of Mormon at my request and had been questioning three very close members about issues, but I really had no idea of what was developing. I left to go practice the organ.
Greg phoned me as I was pulling up to the chapel to practice and asked me to quickly return home, that the men had brought their wives. I hurried back home, ready to entertain them while the men discussed things.
When I entered our home, there was a vision before me that still brings me to tears. My beloved Greg was dressed in white, as well as a wonderful High Priest friend, also in white. I dissolved into uncontrollable tears and emotion. Greg was ready to be baptized right then and there in our little pool at the back of our house. The same pool all the missionaries who had passed through our lives had humorously threatened to baptize him in. Our beloved bishop and wife were there. Our precious current missionaries, and another close member friend, who works with Greg in the Sheriff’s Dept. A small and heavenly gathering.
I tearfully asked Greg what brought this about? He said “because I want to be with you forever, and I’ve always believed in my heart that families are meant to be together forever.”
This is never been mentioned in his childhood church. They are good people, but they simply don’t have the information of current revelation or authority. We are like missionaries for them now and stay connected. They can see that Greg is blissfully happy and has a devoted purpose and direction he didn’t have before.
We have just completed our first temple trip together to baptize and confirm many of Greg’s ancestors.
The beginning of his family work was begun around two years ago, with the help of my precious daughter-in-law. I know, without a doubt, that his ancestors were urging him on from the other side of the veil. Now Greg has taken over the reins and has done incredible amounts of family research for his ancestors. We will be making another temple trip in two weeks with the youth. He has a large list of new names to baptize. When he is able to receive his own endowments, we will begin to do the rest of the work for his family, as well as be sealed to each other. He has found his calling! The field is ripe for harvest.
This has been a miracle of major proportions. Greg’s testimony of the restoration of the gospel is already strong and will surely grow and blossom. He is a changed man. A humble man who will allow Heavenly Father to guide us.
It truly is a work and a glory. The gospel is true.
Name Withheld