Terry

I met Terry on a flight from Salt Lake City to Santa Barbara on 1/5/09. Terry is a National Park Ranger stationed in Jackson Hole WY with about 20 years of experience. We had a pleasant general visiting type conversation. She was going home as her mother is having cancer surgery in the morning. She apparently had a bout with the same type of cancer about 17 years previous and was cured. I made a comment about how the Lord had been sending so much knowledge to the earth and that my mother had died of cancer in ’41 and if we would have had the knowledge we now have she wouldn’t have died. I asked her what her religious background was and she is a not active Methodist. I told her I belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and we’re some times called Mormons. She said she had a few Mormon friends. I asked her if she knew why we were called Mormons and she didn’t have a clue. I asked her how she would describe what kind of book the Bible is if I weren’t a Christian and she had a little difficulty. I told her I think of it as a history book of the Children of Israel and the dealings of God with them through the prophets and it included the life of Christ. She felt comfortable with this explanation. I got out my Book of Mormon and showed her the map. We discussed the map and then the plan of salvation. She didn’t know if she existed before we came here or not and she was interested in the plan as I showed it to her. We talked about Joseph’s first vision and that the Father and Son are individual beings and not rolled up into one. We talked about Moroni’s visit and how we got the Book of Mormon. We went through many of the scriptures I had marked and answered her questions. I showed her the promise and asked her if she believed in prayer and she said she did. I asked her if she would like to have the book and she said yes. I told her I didn’t want to loose contact with the people I’ve met and she gave me her email address. I asked her if I could send some of our young missionaries to meet her and she said she would prefer not. I said OK and that I wouldn’t send them with out her permission.

Andy

On my return flight from Phoenix 1-8-09, no one sat next to me on the Albuquerque to Midland leg of the flight. Not willing to miss an opportunity to share the gospel I moved up a row. Andy works with the environmental regulations for an energy company in Midland. This company had previously been owned by the company I work for. We had an enjoyable visit talking about people we both knew. I changed the subject to families. He is a single dad taking care of two daughters 18 and 15 and a son 11. His world seemed to revolve about his children. When it seemed appropriate I asked about his church. He was raised Church of Christ and sometimes attended the 1st Methodist church. I stated that I attended the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS or the Mormon Church. He immediately said do you know Chuck Allen or David Lafrance. I told him I attended church with them. After we talked a little more I asked him if Chuck ever told him why we were called Mormons. He said he had not and that he did not know why we were called Mormons. I pulled out the B of M and asked him if he knew what it was. He thought it was written by someone contemporary. We then talked about the Bible / B of M picture in detail. He wanted to know if we knew where Lehi landed. I told him somewhere in Central America. He wanted to know where the word Mormon came from. I turned to the page that lists the books in the B of M. I told him about how Mormon compiled the record and Moroni buried the gold plates to prevent them from being destroyed. We talked about the 200 years of righteousness and the subsequent rejection of Jesus by the people and would kill anyone who did not deny the Christ. I explained that the B of M complimented the Bible. I asked him if he believed that we lived before we were born and if we would live after we died. He believed that we would have a spiritual resurrection without our bodies. We then turned to the picture of the Plan of Happiness. We went through this picture in detail. When we talked about the resurrection he said he did not want his body back because it had too many things wrong with it. I then turned to the scriptures on the resurrection first pg 236 then 73. He read the marked scriptures and would reading past them. We read about the spirit world pg 308 and faith pg 289. I turned back to the front of the book and explained how Joseph Smith got the plates and translated them. We talked about the 3 and 8 witnesses and how Oliver Cowdry would write as Joseph translated. We talked about the pictures in the front of the book. When talking about Samuel the Lamanite I turned to his prophecies of Jesus’ birth and death pg 401 – 402. He not only read the marked passages but he also read everything on the page. We turned to the coming of Christ to the Americas. He wanted to know if we knew where this took place. I again said Central America, probably in the Panama & Guatemala area. He then told me that he had an archeologist relative who in the 1950’ and 60’s did exploration work in this region. The plane was close to landing so I offered him the book he said that he wanted to get a B of M but did not want to take the one I had. I told him that it was OK with me. He gladly received it. My next step is to contact Chuck and David to inform them of our visit and ask them to take over from here.

Bridget

On the second leg of my flight from Albuquerque to Phoenix 1-5-09, a mother and daughter (age 19) sat next to me with the daughter sitting in the middle seat. I tried to talk to the mother but she was too far away. I them decided to talk to the daughter. I had to wait until the peanuts and drinks were served because she was reading a magazine. She was from Parker, Alaska and was a freshman college. She and her mother were visiting relatives in Pagosa Springs. I got to know her a little bit and asked about her school, hobbies and activities. Finally I asked her about her church. She said she was Catholic. We talked a little bit about her church. I then said that I went to the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS or the Mormon Church. She said she had several Mormon friends and had attended the LDS church on occasion. I asked her if she knew why we were called Mormons. She did not know. I pulled out my B of M and said it was because we use this book. I asked her if she knew what the B of M was. She wasn’t sure. We then talked about the Bible / B of M picture. I explained that the B of M complimented the Bible. I asked her if she believed she lived before she was born. She did not. I asked her if she believed we would live after we died. She said that she believed we would go to heaven. We then discussed the picture about “God’s Plan of Happiness”. We then read about the spirit world pg 308 and the resurrection pg 236. I asked her how she would define faith. After her response I turned to pg 289 and let her read the verse on faith. Next we talked about the pictures at the front of the book and we then went through the introduction and talked about Joseph Smith and the 3 and 8 witnesses. We were getting close to the airport so I offered her the B of M which she willingly accepted. I asked if I could get her email address and she gave me her name and email address. My next step is to make contact with a bishop in Parker. Perhaps someone could continue where I left off.

Mrs. R

I sat next to Mrs. R on the flight from Midland to Albuquerque on 1-5-09. She and her Family wore Texas orange shirts and had plans to attend the Fiesta Bowl to watch Texas play Ohio State. We had an enjoyable conversation about football and then family. When it seemed appropriate I asked her what church she attended. She said Stone Gate Baptist. She in turn asked me about my church. I responded that I went to the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS or the Mormon Church. She said that she had some Mormon friends and asked if I knew the Morris’ who lived in Odessa. I asked her if she knew why we were called Mormons. She had no idea. I pulled out my marked copy of the B of M and said it was because we used this book. I asked her if she knew about the B of M. She did not know what it was. We first went through the Bible / B of M picture. I explained that the B of M complimented the Bible. I asked her questions about pre-earth life, life after death and the resurrection. She believed that our spirits would be resurrected without our bodies. We then discussed the picture about “God’s Plan of Happiness”. We then read about the spirit world pg 308 and the resurrection pg 236. I asked her how she would define faith. After her response I turned to pg 289 and let her read the verse on faith. Until then I was holding the book. She took the book from me and read the verse and the rest of page and part of the second. She believed in being saved by grace and not by works. I turned back to the plan of happiness picture and talked about how faith, repentance, commandment were all works. I asked her if she believed in being born again. She said that was the same thing as being saved. I turned to Alma the younger’s conversion pg 201 and handed her the book. After reading the marked verses and then some she said that was just what she believed. I offered her the B of M. She leaned away from me and said that she was secure in her religion and did not want to change. This is the second time someone from Stone Gate has wanted to put distance between them and me and my B of M. She quickly changed the subject and we talked about her Mormon friend and how her son served and 2 year mission in the Philippines. I felt it was a good conversation. She learned a lot. My next step is to find her Mormon friend and give her an update on our conversation and a challenge to keep working with her.

Natasha

I met Natasha on a trip from Santa Barbara to SLC on Thursday 11/20/08. She had the window sear and I the aisle. When I saw her she was doing things with a Blackberry in one hand and a cell phone in the other. I thought there is no way I’ll get to have a gospel discussion with her. After the plane took off I introduced my self and she said he name was Natasha. I said that it sounded like a Russian name and she said it was but her parents weren’t Russian but they liked the name. She asked me if I was going home before I had a chance to ask her. That’s one of my lines.
I didn’t expect that. She was going to the mid west to visit her husband’s family. I asked if she had spent any time in Utah and she said some time in Park City, but I wanted to go see the Temple. I told her I was a Mormon and then the correct name of the church. I asked her if she knew why we were called Mormon’s and she said no. Well I pulled out the Book of Mormon and we had a great discussion for about an hour. She wanted to know where she could get one of the books and of course I said I would give her this one. But you have it all marked up for you she said, no I replied I marked it up for you. I wrote in the front of the book her name and then three or four lines of testimony singed it and left my phone number. She said she would read it and call me. I actually think she will. The spirit was strong and she accepted everything I told her. I asked her if she had any questions and she said why God lets all of these bad things happen. This led right into a discussion on free agency and why we are here. The map showing where the Bible comes from and where the B of M comes from is very good at explaining why there are two books of scripture. God’s plan of happiness was also good. This made it easier to explain the plan of life. I told her about Ernie’s son Mathew and that Ernie has seen him in a dream before he was born and that he was a tall handsome red headed man and when Mathew was born he didn’t have a brain stem. I told her about their trials and the love they gave Mathew and about the bronze statue Ernie and his cousin did for him. It was just a great feeling to be able to find someone receptive to the gospel. I feel this was a golden person and all will be well with her.

The scriptures in the book were marked but nothing had been written on the side telling the subject of the scriptures. The marking on the side of the pages is very important telling the basic subject of the scripture.

Peter

sat next to a man named Peter Louisiana. We visited for a while during the conversation I asked him how many brothers and sisters he had. He said 8 in total. I said you must have come from a good Christian home. He said he did. I asked which church he went to and he said the Baptist church. I told him I went to the Mormon Church. I pulled a Book of Mormon out of my bag and said “We use the Book of Mormon. Do you know what the Book of Mormon is? He thought it was our bible. I used the world map to explain the difference between the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Then I said that the B of M doesn’t contradict the Bible rather it complimented the Bible. I then talked about the Plan of Salvation and read to him about the Spirit World and the Resurrection. I offered him the B of M and he willingly accepted it. The entire conversation did not last longer than 15 minutes.