An Oil Change Leads to a Gospel Discussion! 15 November 2016

Because of changes in my schedule, I was on the early shift, so I had wanted to get the oil changed in the car.  Yesterday was so busy that I had not made an appointment, but during my lunch hour I did get an appointment for 5.  Mission conference ran a little over, but the shop was only a ten minute drive away, so I made it in plenty of time.  Free WiFi was advertised, but I decided instead to make some phone calls while I waited [and watched--the shop has a big window into the bays, and my car was the closest].  I did make several calls, but only one person answered--the friend who drove with me out to Utah.  We had no trouble finding 30-some minutes of things to talk about.

When the young man came to let me know that the car was in good shape, but I might want to get new tires before the snow came [we are due for a storm tomorrow night], I told him I just would not drive in the bad weather.  Then as I was paying  I mentioned that I was on a mission. He mentioned that he went on a mission to Mexico, and I told him that my grandson-in-law went to Mexico on his mission.  The young man had gone for a month on a building project, and I told him my grandson-in-law and my granddaughter went to Mexico this last spring to help with a library.

He seemed to think that was pretty neat.  He also asked if I lived close to the library, and I told him I lived just 3 regular city blocks away, and about a block farther from the temple and to where I went to church.  Then he asked about the temple.  I explained that the temple was not where our regular Sunday worship was held, but we did special  ceremonies there.  He seemed to be interested so I said maybe he was familiar with the Bible--and he confirmed that.  So I told him about 1 Corinthians 15:29 where baptism for the dead is spoken of, and how traditional Christians did not know what to make of that passage.  

He asked how we did baptisms for dead people--and seemed satisfied with the answer that when we get baptized for ourselves that is done in a font in a regular chapel, but in the temple we are baptized as proxies in a font resting on the backs of 12 oxen, as is described in the Old Testament.

I told him that there are several ceremonies performed in the temple, and the most special ones were the sealing ordinances--because Heavenly Father wants all his children back, and our job is to seal the whole family of Adam back together.

I got to tell him also that I was a convert who had not wanted anything to do with God or with Mormonism from the time I was in my mid-teens until the Lord brought me to a place where I would listen.

He said he grew up in the area, and many of his friends and some extended family were members, and he was curious.  I suggested that when he reached a point of being more than curious he could find out more.  I left him a Mormon.org pass-along card.  I hope he actually does choose to find out more.  

Mission Conference was about the Church History Library.  It is a good thing that I get to go again tomorrow, because I must admit to dozing off. The Elijah Choir sang a stirring anthem "How Wondrous and Great" to end the meeting.