Moment #530. English BoM & Bible placement. Thu, Mar 2, 2006.

03/02/2006. Last Monday the Spirit had sent me on a local delivery trip in which I made placements at one gas station, but chickened out and disobeyed the Spirit at two other gas stations.

I haven't gone to Institute classes for several months. Those classes generally got me in tune with the Spirit to the degree that I could sometimes receive promptings of where to stop along the way home and make a book placement.

I wasn't planning on taking the Institute class that started tonight, but remembering the correspondence of going to class and enjoying the Spirit convinced me to go again.

Tonight, on my way home from class, I decided to repent and go to the one gas station I was at Monday, to see if I could still offer an employee there an English Book of Mormon. The idea that I was supposed to give him a Book of Mormon came in four ways Monday night. One, I was prompted to stop there as I drove past; two, he gave off spiritual light; three, the Spirit told me specifically as I walked away from the counter; and four, when I disobeyed, the Spirit withdrew and I could feel it.

After I agonized over it for the rest of that little trip, and decided to go back that night, the Spirit finally let me know it was okay to go back another night. Sometimes the Spirit seems to let us stew over things so we can feel the consequences of our actions.

So tonight, Thursday, after class I started the drive from church to the gas station in question. But along the way, I was "tugged" into another gas station. There was something I had to do there. As I pulled into a parking space, I saw that a Chinese restaurant across the street had re-opened. I'll have to go back there to eat sometime, I thought. I didn't see any opportunities for a book placement while I purchased some hot chocolate, so maybe the message of the re-opened Chinese restaurant was the purpose of being tugged.

Driving North to my destination station, I noticed a gas station that I hadn't seen before. It might have been new or re-opened. I noticed a stenciled sign indicating that it was part of a local chain that employs a lot of African immigrants. I made a mental note to come back that night.

Still driving North I stopped at another gas station, trying to see if I could make an opportunity, bought some 2-liters that were on sale, but didn't see any opportunities.

I finally got to the gas station where I disobeyed the Spirit Monday night. The same man was on duty. He only spoke English, so I knew this was going to be a little painful on my part since I don't find it easy to make English book placements. But man, I had really stung from the guilt Monday night, and this guy was giving off spiritual light, so I was sure that the Lord wanted this man to have a Book of Mormon, and that he would be receptive. But still, I was scared and had butterflies in my stomach.

I bought a newspaper, but there were some people behind me in line, so talking to him would not have been smooth. After paying, I hung around in the store for a few seconds, saw that they had some 2-liter pop on sale, and bought some more 2-liters. I paid, and there was still some people behind me, so I stepped back, and hung around again.

Finally, there were no other customers in line. I went back up to the counter, and assumed he recognized me from Monday night. I think I started talking about why the reason I ask people where they are from and what languages they speak is that my church has books in many foreign languages, and that I like to give away the books.

And ya know what? Once I started talking, things went smoothly. There were no brilliant flashes of inspiration or grand outpourings of the Spirit, but the Lord's promise came true: I opened my mouth, and it was filled.

I asked if he had heard about the Mormons or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I casually offered a Book of Mormon, and he casually accepted my offer, with no hint of reluctance or annoyance. I asked if he had a Bible, and he indicated no, so I offered a Bible too, and he accepted.

I said I'd get them from my car, and I brought in an LDS softcover English Bible and a hard-cover English Book of Mormon. I took the info flyer out of the Book of Mormon, and showed him the list of 103 languages on the back. He started looking at it. I also pointed out the number of the mission office on the front, and said he could call them if he wanted more information.

He expressed sincere appreciation for the gifts. He was genuinely happy to receive them. Wow. The Lord really does know who is ready to receive the Book of Mormon.

But this wasn't my last moment of awe and wonder this evening.