Because I Was Real

I liked Zone Conference. I loved the topic of being real. The day after zone conference on splits S. Franklin and I went to contact Collette. She's a potential from several years ago. We went to contact her and she was about to close the door as soon as she saw my name tag. But I was totally bold... and followed the spirit. I opened the screen door (by taking it out of her hand... oops!) and introduced myself. S. Franklin introduced herself.

Collette introduced herself and told us she didn't have time-- she was doing bills and taxes. We all moaned and groaned about money, then I asked if I could help her in anyway to make her life easier. She laughed and said I was sweet but there was nothing I could do. S. Franklin is amazing and began talking to her about all the things she has to do as a mother, and Collette began talking about her daughter. She soon invited us in to see the project her daughter is working on for her Ph.D..

I was real, no scripted conversation or alterior motive. She straight up told me she thought our doctrine was a bunch of hooie, and she didn't believe it. We were soon seated around her kitchen table. I shared passages from the Book of Mormon that she reminded me of, and she told me how sweet I was to share them. She shared how hard her life has been, especially lately, and how she hurts. She hurts from all the medical and health problems. But more from a spot in her heart, that just isn't satisfied with what she's doing in life. We all shed tears together.

I gave her a gift, The Book of Mormon. She accepted it only because she knew I cared about her. She looked me in the eyes and asked if I knew it was true. I bore a simple real testimony of its truth. She said God had sent me to her. She said God must know I'm a good person and that she needed me to help her fill her heart. That was an amazing hour. Because I was real, I had spent the time and energy of heart to find out for myself about the Gospel, we were all blessed by the spirit during that hour.