Donna greeted two ladies who came to the VC today and played for them the Christus message (a wonderful 90 second message using the Savior's own words from the scriptures). Afterwards she brought them to our large theatre to see our 5-minute Laie history video. Before showing the video I gave a brief intro about when the first missionaries came to Hawaii (1850), followed by the translation of the Book of Mormon into Hawaiian by George Q. Cannon and Jonathan Napela which lead to over 4,000 Hawaiians being baptized.
After the video one of the ladies wanted to see the first edition Hawaiian Book of Mormon. How could the Book of Mormon help them, she asked, if they could not read? What makes your church different from other Christian religions? Her questions led to our Prophet's corner and a discussion about Priesthood authority, restoration, and prophets. This was followed by more exhibits and discussions. We ended up in God's Plan for His Family. She then told me that she had come to the VC because the day before they had been to the PCC and had been so impressed by the young people she met there...they were happy, clean, with a refreshing conviction of the gospel...that she wanted to learn more about our beliefs. She said that she had felt that same feeling during her entire visit in the VC and that seeing "God's Plan" was the capstone of her emotions. I want to know more about your beliefs, she told me, because of what she had experienced over these two days.
A couple of years ago she felt prompted by God to quit her job and go back to school to become a hospice nurse. So she followed the prompting and is now half way through her nursing college courses. Who knows, she said, perhaps her vacation to Hawaii (taken on a last-minute whim) was another prompting so she could come to the PCC and VC and learn about the Church. The missionaries will deliver her a Book of Mormon and share the gospel message when she returns to South Carolina from her vacation.