A Chance to Teach

Recently I learned of two valiant young women who, as they lived the commandments and radiated the joy of the gospel, stood as witnesses of God.
This is the story as told by a senior missionary at the MTC.

She said that years earlier she was at home one day ironing, watching a soap opera, and smoking a cigarette when there was a knock at the door.
When she opened it, there were two men in white shirts and ties, and one of them introduced himself as her bishop.
He said that as he was praying, he had felt inspired to ask her to teach Young Women.
She told him that she had been baptized at age 10 but had never been active.
He seemed undeterred as he showed her the manual and explained where they met on Wednesday night.
Then she emphatically said, "I can't teach 16-year-olds; I'm inactive, and besides I smoke."
Then he said, "You won't be inactive anymore, and you have until Wednesday to quit smoking."
Then he left.

She said, "I remember shouting in the air in anger, but then I couldn't resist the urge to read the manual.
In fact, I was so curious, I read it from cover to cover and then memorized every word of that lesson.

"By Wednesday I was still not going to go, but I found myself driving to church, scared to death.
I had never been scared of anything before.
I had grown up in the slums, been in detention once myself, and rescued my father from the 'drunk tank.'
And all of a sudden there I was at Mutual being introduced as the new Laurel adviser.
I sat before two Laurels and gave the lesson word for word, even the parts that said 'Now ask them ..' I left immediately after the lesson and cried all the way home.

"A few days later there was another knock at the door, and I thought, 'Good.
It's the bishop here to retrieve his manual.'
I opened the door, and standing there were those two lovely Laurels, one with flowers, the others with cookies.
They invited me to go to church with them on Sunday, which I did.
I liked those girls.
They began by teaching me about the Church, the ward, the class.
They taught me how to sew, read scriptures, and smile.

"Together we started teaching the other girls in the class who weren't coming.
We taught them wherever we could find them--in cars, in bowling alleys, and on porches.
Within six months, 14 of them were coming, and in a year all 16 girls on the roll were active.
We laughed and cried together.
We learned to pray, study the gospel, and serve others."

These two valiant young women stood as witnesses for truth and righteousness, for goodness and the joy of the gospel.

-Susan W. Tanner -Stand as a Witness -April 2008 General Conference

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi