Elder Scott was assigned to go to the Browning Home and Gun Shop site today and I was assigned to go to the Brigham Young Home site. I really love that site.
When I was leaving there this afternoon, I talked to a man who was by his van waiting for a lady who had gone into the Brigham Young Home. He said he is a member of the Catholic faith. At first he said he wasn't interested in hearing more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints. Then he started asking me all sorts of questions about it. For someone who wasn't interested in hearing more, he really put my knowledge to the test. I felt bad hearing his story. His eleven year old son is dying from cancer and he said he is really having a hard time with the whole religion thing and life in general. I told him what a special spirit his son is. He's questioning why his son has to suffer so much and maybe die so young. I thoroughly felt for him and his situation. Me who never cries was brought to tears more than once. He asked me what we would tell someone in his situation. I explained briefly about life after death and the resurrection and that we live eternally. The Catholics believe that. He believes that but I could see he is really struggling with it and I can understand why. He asked me if we believe that our spirits live here the same as us. I don't remember the exact wording nor half of what I told him. I explained about the veil being drawn over our minds at birth so that we can be tested and tried and that if the veil could be lifted from our eyes, we could see those who have gone before us right amongst us. They are very busy and not very many of them appear to people on the earth. But some of them do if it is needed. I felt impressed to and told him about Willie's experience in the Ogden Temple when we sealed my dad to his parents. I told him it was a really sacred experience to me, but I felt impressed to tell him so I did. He asked me something about the earth that led me to explain about the three degrees of glory, the terrestrial, telestial, and celestial kingdoms and how after the earth is destroyed it will be celestial and we will live her after death and being resurrected. That's my understanding. I hope I didn't teach any false doctrine to him. I told him that was some pretty deep doctrine he was getting into. We talked about Joseph Smith translating the Book of Mormon and restoring the Church of Jesus Christ back to the Earth in it's fullness in these latter days. At first he told me he didn't know about the Book of Mormon and then he said he thought he had one around the house somewhere. I invited him to read it, that it is a second testament of Jesus Christ; that the Bible is the stick of Juda and the Book of Mormon being the stick of Joseph that the Bible talks about. I invited him to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it and the spirit would testify to him of it's truthfulness, like Moroni promises in Moroni 10: 3-5. I finally asked him if he lived by other members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-saints and he said, "Aren't there Mormons everywhere you go?" :) We laughed and I said I didn't know. I told him to get a hold of someone from the church and ask for a priesthood blessing for him and his son, that it would give him comfort. He said, "Can I get one, I'm not a member?" I told him, off course, he couldn't give one, but he certainly could have one. I kind of repeated myself and told him it would bring him comfort and if his son had a blessing, who knows what might happen. The person he was with had came out and he asked her what she thought of the Brigham Young Home. She said she liked it. He had told me he has been to Old Nauvoo about nine times. I told him there is a reason he keeps being drawn back here and it's was just the beginning here. He said he has been out to Carthage Jail also and I told him that wasn't the end either. There's a lot more and he should look into it more. Pretty bold of me, huh? Like I said, for someone who said he wasn't interested in knowing more----hmmm. He'd have a hard time convincing me at this point. What a special experience for me and like I said, I don't remember the whole content of what was said. After they left, I was shaking and so week that I didn't dare drive so I went back in the Brigham Young Home and sat for a minute before I drove home. I also was crying. The Sister in there thought I had got in a wreck or something 'til I told her a little of what had transpired. She cried also.
I better go to bed so I will be somewhat functional tomorrow.
Love all of you. Good night.
Sister Scott
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