¿Qué es lo que vieron en las alturas?

10 May 2010

I’m serving in downtown L.A.

That skyline that once looked so nondescript is now my skyline. I love driving down the palm-lined blvds, trying to share the gospel through apartment call boxes, and looking up at the reflection of the old cathedral in the mirrored windows of the next door high-rise.

We met "Mary" on our way from a referral on the other edge of town. Twenty or so, and very stylishly dressed, she was sitting outside a complex, balanced on the wall of the parking garage. She leaned way down to shake my hand as I extended it up and I started a conversation with her.

She was smiley & friendly and we talked about LA, her home in Singapore, her work and school, and then our work and the church. Hna Gregersen and I actually taught her the whole first lesson right there (the 1st and thus far only time I have taught a whole lesson to anyone). When I got to Joseph Smith’s first vision, I suddenly realized that I only knew his account in Spanish! I tried translating it back into English – praying that my fumbling Spanglish would not drive away the Spirit, “I saw a columna—er column of light above the brightness of the sun, exactly above my head. . . “

As I finished Joseph’s account, "Mary" leaned forward, her eyes wide, “What did He say?!”

I was taken aback for a moment – the story of Joseph Smith had never really struck me with such excitement as now glowed in her face. But then, I felt it too: God spoke to a real live boy on the earth – not just in a dream, or as a thought or feeling, but God, in glory and majesty. Yes! – we all want to know – What did He say?!

We know what he said and I showed "Mary" the number she could call for a book of Mormon to learn for herself. Not only did God speak then, but he continues to speak today!

What a marvelous work.