Sharing the Gospel

by Tom Wilson
West Jordan, Utah
9/2010

As I have served in the temple for several years now, it sounds like an easy task but the truth of the matter is that almost all of the experiences I have had are so sacred to me that I am unwilling to share them. However, I do have one that I would like to share.

This story starts about 25 years ago, long before I started working in the temple. One Sunday morning, my Sunday School teacher challendged each of us to purchase 12 Books of Mormon, insert our testimony and find someone we didn't know to give the book to. That was one a month for a full year. I took the challenge and actually succeeded in handing out 52 books over the year; one a week. Of course, you never know what happens when you hand out a Book of Mormon to someone you don't know, so it is a good feeling; but you always wonder if anything will come of it.

Now we jump forward in the story about 15 years and I am serving in the temple as an Ordinance Worker. I had been on a leave due to haveing a cancer removed from my ring finger on my right hand. Well, I returned to service sooner than expected and didn't really have an assignment on my Friday morning shift but that particular day, there was a need for extra help because there were many people coming to the temple to receive their own Endownment. It was my privledge to assist these people in their first time in the temple. There was a large family of 12 adults and I don't remember how many children; but the adults 6 couples, a Mother and father, 5 of their children with their spouses were all there to be Endowned and then Sealed together and have their children Sealed. I was so touched to see such a large family all at the temple on the same day to receive those sacred saving ordinances.

As I introduced myself to them, they became so excited and said things like 'don't you remember us?' I had to say I was sorry but I did not remember them. It turnes out that this was indeed one of the families I had given a Book of Mormon to those many years before. How grateful I was and am that the Lord allowed me to see some of the fruites of that particular labor.