Elder David y Hna. Pam Johnson

Monday, August 24, 2009 (FHE with other Senior Couples)

Today was one of those stressful days at work. You know… when everything that can go wrong, does! Things like; packages at the bus depot didn’t arrive on time which cost us 2 wasted hours, problems with Elders’ apartments, problems getting baptism records from the zones, unsuccessful errands for the mission president eating up the whole morning, petty cash that wouldn’t balance (we are $400.00 short!) and had Sister Johnson’s stomach tied in knots, etc! Well….

T hank goodness for Family Home Evening. Tonight Sister Johnson and I went to the regular FHE that is held at the MTC on the temple grounds for all of the Senior Couples. We missed last week’s because of our travel in from “El Campo”. But this week we were sure glad we were able to attend. Not only is it a wonderful chance to meet with other English speaking couples and have relaxing, nerve soothing conversations, as well as get advice, etc. But this week they had wonderful speakers lined up for us….

At the very beginning of FHE the Bro. i n charge told us the meeting would begin with a special musical number by some Elders from the MTC. Little did he or any of us know what was in store for us. About a dozen English speaking Elders from the US came in and sang “I Believe in Christ” acapella and in 4 part harmony! Wow, the music and the presence of the spirit were so strong that it touched each of us down to the inner most part of our souls. I bathed myself in the music and the beauty of the moment. I didn’t want it to end. When it was over I thought to myself… well, it can’t get any better than this! But then… we were introduced to the rest of the FHE.

Tonight’s featured guests were Elder Gary J. Coleman of the 70 and his wife Sister Judy Coleman. Elder Coleman is the 1st counselor in the Caribbean Area Presidency. They both gave wonderful, inspiring talks. Sister Coleman talked about the importance of personal scripture study, personal prayer and living as a Christian. It was a wonderful talk. I said to myself, it can’t get any better than this…. But then Elder Coleman spoke.

Elder Coleman spoke for about 40 minutes and his talk was his testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Wow, what a story he had to tell. I know I can’t do it justice here so I will only tell one part of his story. He spoke of his conversion to the gospel as a 21 year old college student in 1963. He told of being an altar boy in his own church since we was 13 years old. How he had never missed Catholic Mass on Sunday in his whole life! He said he had been invited to an LDS meeting by some college friends. So Sunday after Mass he drove over to the rented Grange Hall to see what Mormons were all about. He said that the first time he heard his friend tell him the story of Joseph Smith; the spirit testified to him that is was true.

Next his friend gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon and asked him to read and follow the 28 or so passages that were underlined. The very last passage he read was the promise in Moroni 10:4-5 that says: “… if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the trust of all things.”

Elder Coleman said that all of the prayers he kne w were memorized and spoken by rote. But that night he knelt down and in a prayer unlike any he had said as a Catholic, he asked his Heavenly Father if the Book of Mormon was true. He said he will never forget that moment. He was given an unforgettable, undeniable and unmistakable answer to his prayer that touched his being from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. The only question he had next was, “How can I be baptized into this church?”

Elder Coleman’s talk covered much more that I can’t take time to tell now but it was a great talk. The spirit touched each of us so much that we all had tears in our eyes. The whole evening was food for the soul that Sister Johnson and I needed so very badly after a tough day at the office. I sure hope our schedule will allow us to attend more of these FHE’s in the future.