When I served as an Elders Quorum President in Northern California, I became aware of a sister in our ward who had two sons and a newborn daughter. One Sunday, this faithful sister arranged for her step-father and home teachers to bless her newborn daughter because her husband was not a member of the Church. On the day of the baby blessing, the father came to sacrament meeting to see his daughter receive a name and a blessing.

Seeing this moment as an opportunity to invite this young father to participate in Elders Quorum, I approached him after sacrament meeting. The scriptures invite us to “open our mouths,” even when we don’t know what to say. On that day, I approached the man not knowing what to say! When I started talking, I simply introduced myself and then said, “Would you like to stay for the third hour when we meet together as men to discuss how to be better husbands and better fathers based on the principles taught within the Gospel of Jesus Christ? We’d love to have you join us.”

To my surprise he said, “Yeah, sure.”

This young father came to our Elders Quorum for the first time that day. Then the full-time missionaries started having dinner and family home evening at their home every Monday evening. Soon after, he said he would be baptized.

It was a neat experience. I will never forget going over to their home as their home teacher to give the two boys priesthood blessings before they went back to school in the fall. The following year, I went back and stood with the two sons’ father as he blessed his own sons after receiving the Melchizedek Priesthood. Soon after, we went to the Oakland California Temple to see this family of five, all dressed in white, be sealed for time and for all eternity.

The joy that comes with sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and inviting others is truly exhilarating. Maybe that’s part of the reason why it’s such a marvelous work and a wonder. We succeed when we invite — how true it is!

-Anon.