Friday, November 13, 2009

Filipino family

On Wednesday a Filipino woman and two boys came to the VC to use the bathroom.  Afterwards she lingered by the Book of Mormon display.  Donna pointed her out to me and suggested that she seemed to be searching for something.  In talking to her I learned that she had been baptized about 10 years ago in the Phillipines but had lived in Honolulu for the last 8 years and had not attended church because she didn't know where the church was.  Her sons who were with her, ages 10 and 12, had not been baptized and, of course, had not grown up learning about the gospel.  I said, "we need to have our missionaries stop by your house and teach and baptize your sons, and show you where the church is."  She agreed and so I have send the referral via internet to the mission office.  Her name is Merlinda de Jesus.  I had a spare copy of the Book of Mormon in Tagalog and (contrary to our usual practice) gave it to the boys along with an English version.  I also gave them copies of Joseph Smith's story, both in English and Tagalog.  The 12-year-old son has only been in the USA 6 months and so his English is very limited.  If Donna had not been attentive to the Spirit, they could have easily walked out of the VC without saying a word.