My Flight With a Missionary

    

The Story 

     It's not often I interact with my fellow passengers on flights. However, a few weeks ago on a flight from Miami to Salt Lake I was taught something of interest by a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He may not even be aware of what I took away from the interaction, as not much was communicated with words. I have always like the montra "preach the gospel and if you have to use word" or the similar secular phrays "actions speak louder than words". This interaction I feels lands squarely in those categories.  

    It was just like any other flight. I had spent a week in Freeport Grand Bahamas, and was ready to get home. After an hour plane delay, I sat in the back of the plane second fow from the last. I watched from my window seat, as everyone made there way to their seats. Normally on long flights in hunker down and tune out my fellow passengers. noise cancelling headphones and entertainment on my ipad all queued up. I always wonder who fate will place in the seats next to me. I shouldn't have been surprised when a young missionary sat in the seat next to me. 

    I greeted him with I "hello elder" and he said he greeted me back. Not much else was said after that. I could feel his nerves and I knew those feeling all too well. As a former missionary myself, I knew what it was like to be on a plane leaving a life you had lived for two year, to head home and not know what lay ahead of you. His name badge also had the name of the church in spanish so i'm not sure how comfortable he was speaking english. I didn't push the issue I sat with him allowing myself to be available if her felt like talking.

    The flight took off and the missionary slept restlessly. As he was not a small young man, and being similarly large in stature myself I know the pain of trying to sleep on an airplane. I watched as he tossed and turned and tried. Trying every which way he could to get comfortable as to sleep, and pass the four hour flight more quickly. I felt for him, reflecting on my own return flight home. how sirreal it felt and questaning weather it was all real. I wanted to tell him it was going to be ok. No need to be nervous. But I waited for a the right moment. 

    About three hours into our journey, he reached into his small bag. The kind of bag missionaries are known to cary. Small lightweight, big enough for a copy of The Book of Mormon, and maybe some pamphlets about the church. As his hand came out of the bag her produced a miniature addition of The Book of Mormon, the size members of the armed forces would use in there rucksack. He thumbed the pages and reach up to turn on the over head light. As quickly as he turned it he just as quickly turned it off. The plane was dark, as it was an evening flight. I could tell he didn't want to disturb anyone, so her sat in the dark thumbing the pages of the small book.  

    Again I felt for him. he was doing his best to pass the time. I looked down at my phone and opened my Gospel Library app. I thought maybe he could use my phone and read anything he wanted. The app has everything from scriptures, to addresses from church leaders, and manuals. I slowly gestured to him that he could use my phone if he wanted. After all it was a lit screen that wouldn't bother anyone around. He could read all he wanted for the duration of the flight. Kindly he thanked me but declined my offer. still sitting in the dark thumbing his Book of Mormon. I watched and thought for a moment. How can I help him if he is unwilling to accept my offer. Then it came to me, give him light. I looked at my phone and turned on the flashlight function on my phone. I adjusted the brightness and held it low so it remaded between the seats and didn't create a glare for others. I slid it over the edge of the fold down trays, and held it over his hands. He quickly said thank you and opened the book and began to read the small text. We sat that way for probably fifteen minutes, when he again thanked me and close the book indicating that he had finished. I turned off the light and we returned to the quiet for the remainder of the fight. Nothing was said after we landed and disembarked. Going our separate ways I reflected on what had occurred wondering if there was a lesson for me to learn. 

The Lesson 

    While driving home I thought about the small quiet moment over and over. For the next several day it persisted to weigh on my thoughts. Understanding came gradually with flashes and lulls. Until the thoughts formed into a clear phrase. "You can not force the doctrine of Christ into anyones hands. Even if they are willing to receive it. You can however shine a light on it, that they may discover it for themselves".

As some who has a calling in the church to teach others, this thought carried profound weight. 

    No matter how much I shair, expound, or place the doctorein in front of those I teach, it will have no effect in there life unless they do the work themselves. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is gosple of individuals and personal relationships.   

"Brothers and sisters, if all you know about the gospel of Jesus Christ is what others have told you, you will never know enough. If all you know is what you have read in books written by others, you will never know enough. There is a need to pay an individual price to learn for yourselves. You cannot live on borrowed light. You have to go into the scriptures. You have to ask, seek, and knock. You have to have an individual, personal knowledge of these things. "
“That Ye May Believe”—Part 1
Elder David A. Bednar
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Institute of Religion Devotional, University of Utah, August 28, 2022