When I was 19 years old, I sat in a Sacrament meeting, and the bishop of our ward announced that there would be a training class for prospective stake missionaries. At the time, girls were only called on missions when they were 21. This experience happened over 40 years ago. When the bishop made this announcement, the Spirit of the Holy Ghost bore a witness to me that I needed to attend this workshop, which would be a 2-3 month class, held once a week. My first thought was that my bishop and stake president would not approve of my attending this class as I was too young. After church I approached my mother and told her my feelings. She expressed the same feelings, that I was too young. But she suggested I ask the bishop. I called him. He had the same concerns; I was too young. But he said that he would call the stake president. He did. The stake president hesitated, expressing the same concern about my age. But then he told the bishop that he could not see any good reason why I could not attend, especially if I felt that it was the Spirit of the Lord indicating that I should do this. So I began the class. I loved it! I looked forward to each meeting, and, secretly in my heart, I was praying and wishing that I could be set apart as a missionary after the course finished. But every time this inner desire would surface, I would suppress it as I knew it was one thing to have permission to attend the classes when I was too young, and it was another thing to be set apart, underage, as a missionary.

On the last day of the class, I picked up my books and papers and proceeded to leave. A friend who brought me that day was waiting in the hall to take me home. I told him they were setting appointments for the other students to be set apart as missionaries and that I did not feel that was for me, as I was too young. My friend had served a full-time mission in England, and he boldly said, “Ask them if it means you too!” I hesitated. But, finally I went back and told the class teachers that I knew I was probably too young and wanted, still, to know if that meant me too. They responded with an enthusiastic “Yes!” I was overjoyed beyond description. Subsequently, I was set apart to serve as a part-time missionary in the stake where I resided. I was given a companion who had just returned from a full-time mission in Florida. We learned the discussions and scriptures to go along with them, and then, when we felt prepared, we went tracting down a street near our home.

We knocked on several doors and received several “no” answers. Some people did not even answer the door, though we knew that they were home. My companion suggested that we cross the street. As we began to cross, I was listening carefully to the Spirit as my companion had taught. Her famous statement was, “We should play it by ear.” While crossing, I had a strong feeling that we should go back and knock on one more door. We did so. A man opened the door. We told him we were missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and we asked him if we could talk to him for a minute. His face lit up and he said, “Are you from the church that has the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with Richard L. Evans as the commentator?” We assured him that we were. He then invited us in, saying that he and his wife had just moved to our state from Oklahoma and that they had listened to the choir broadcasts every Sunday, and they loved them. He then called his wife into the room to meet us. It was an immediate connection. After chatting for a few minutes, we felt very confident about asking them to have the missionary discussions. They were equally excited. We went to their house and gave six discussions and then accompanied them to Salt Lake City where they could meet Richard L. Evans and some of the choir members in person. They were a very golden couple and we knew it. However, when we asked them to be baptized, they said that they were not ready and refused our invitation. We experienced deep disappointment. We felt crushed. We told them that when they were ready to be baptized, to let someone in the church know.

Several years later, after I was married and had three children, we moved into a new ward. The first time I took my oldest child to Primary, I saw, standing there in the hall outside the primary room, this sister whom I helped teach as a young sister missionary. At first I recognized her, but could not tell where from. Then it dawned on me. I approached her and asked if she remembered me. She recognized but also could not remember where from. A moment later, it dawned on her, and she was overjoyed to see me again! When I asked if she had joined the church, she said that she had. When I asked her how it came about, she told me that we planted a seed of the gospel in her heart and that members in this area loved and fellowshipped her, helping her gain a testimony that had grown. I was so happy to hear this, and we became renewed best friends while we resided in this ward. The scripture, “cast you bread upon the waters and after many days it shall be returned to you,” took great meaning in my life at that time, and I learned an important lesson about life (Ecclesiastes 11:1). If someone is at first not interested in what we have to share, we can take courage that the Lord will not desert them. He will feel after them and continue leading them to accept the truth. Planting the seed is an important part, and it is OK to let others help nurture that seed to grow. This missionary experience as well as many others which I have experienced in my life have brought me close to my Savior, Jesus Christ. My experiences have helped me to know that He lives and that this church, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is His true church on the earth today.

-Anon.