Gospel Story Finder

A true story: As a boy working in my father’s drugstore, I was rewarded for work and given a model plane in its box. The name of the plane was the Grumman Hellcat. As I assembled the parts, I looked on the colorful images on the outside of the model box, where it was fighting Japanese Zeros in World War II.

Later in my life, while serving as mission president in Oregon, I visited the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum and was surprised and excited to see the real Hellcat preserved in just the way it looked in 1942 and flight-ready. All the memories flowed back. Inscribed on the plaque on the adjacent stanchion to the plane was a brief history.

Two things caught my eye: how successful the Hellcat was and the motto of the Grumman Corporation. Prior to this airplane being commissioned, we were doing poorly in aerial dogfights in the Pacific theater. But a tenacious and resourceful aeronautical engineering team at Grumman changed all of that. The Hellcat achieved a 19 to 1 success ratio; for every 19 planes it downed, 1 Hellcat was lost. The key to success was Leo Grumman’s motto: “Keep it simple. Build it strong. Make it work.”

Simple, strong, and fast, it was very successful. These three maxims are there for the taking: Keep it simple, build it strong, and make it work. What can I do to simplify my life? What can I do daily now to strengthen my faith and trust in God? I can do the hard thing.

I’m from Hawaii. I’m also a receiver and running back for my high school football team.
Our team once played in a tournament on Saturday and Sunday. I had already decided I was not going to play sports on Sundays. Four teammates were injured on Saturday, so there was a lot of pressure to play on Sunday. But I didn’t play. Instead, I wanted to go to church and take the sacrament. So my cousin brought me to church.
College recruiters come to see how you perform in football tournaments. I knew I would miss opportunities by not playing on Sunday. But I also knew that Heavenly Father would bless me for my commitment. After the tournament, I was grateful that two colleges contacted me. But I was most grateful for the spirit I felt when I chose to keep the Sabbath day holy.

Dear Brother Cooper,
My name is J. Jovita Pérez Acosta. I was baptized on 1 December 1965 in Tulancingo. I always thought I would very much like to thank you for bringing the gospel into my life.
When you taught me the gospel, I was 12 years old and was spending the summer in Tulancingo. I remember clearly the day I heard the history of Joseph Smith. I felt it was true, and that same night I knelt for the first time and prayed as you had taught me. On that occasion I learned how to talk with my Heavenly Father.
My mother was angry with my father because of my baptism, and they sent me to a Catholic boarding school. There were no members of the Church in all the area. I didn’t even have a Book of Mormon. But I continued to pray, and the seed you planted in my heart began to germinate.
One day while analyzing my religious situation, I felt that Heavenly Father was not pleased with me. I was confused. I told Him I wanted to belong to His Church. I asked that He help me be a good daughter to Him. A little while after this, I felt compelled to write to the [LDS] Church school in México City to ask to be enrolled there. I was accepted. It was then that my testimony began to form.
Seven years later my three younger sisters joined the Church, and they also went to live at the Church school. My mother had us attend her church during the summers; but even so, we read the scriptures, and we began to have family home evening. Ten years after my baptism, my mother and my youngest brother were baptized. A year later my father was baptized. We were the first member family in our town and in all the towns roundabout. The nearest meetinghouse was four hours away. My parents would travel every two weeks to go to Church services there.
During this period I became very ill and went to live for some months with my parents. We had family home evening every week. My mother would invite almost everyone around, and about 30 attended.
One day I called the mission home in México City to ask that missionaries be sent, and this was how the first branch was born in all that region. My father was the branch president, and my mother was the Relief Society president. Now there are many branches in the other towns, and they have been formed into two districts.
My youngest sister converted the man who is now her husband, and they both served missions. He is a bishop in Ciudad Juárez, and they have five children. Two of my nephews and a niece have also served missions. My oldest son returned last year from his mission, and my daughter is currently serving in Washington, D.C. My youngest son leaves next month to serve a mission in México.
In all, my parents have 26 grandchildren who are members of the Church. As you can see, one of the little seeds you planted many years ago has been transformed into a tree, and it is giving fruit and producing seeds for new trees. Isn’t it glorious? When my oldest son left for his mission, I told him that all he had to do was plant with love in the vineyard of the Lord. Perhaps he would never see the tree grow and produce fruit, but the Lord would.
The gospel has given me much happiness, and without it, I don’t know what my life would be. I know that Jesus Christ is my Redeemer and that His work will move forward, blessing the families of the earth.
Your sister in the faith,Jovita Pérez

Later in my mission, I served with an agency that provided cultural orientation and English classes for Asian refugees who were planning to settle in the United States. This experience expanded my perspective to include many people who were not of my faith.
After one lesson on how to use and clean household appliances, we had some extra time. I began to drill the students, asking questions through their translator. I would ask, “What is your address?” and they would answer. At one point, the young translator became impatient and began speaking harshly to an old Cambodian woman who could not remember the answer. The woman’s lips began to quiver, her eyes twitched a few times, and then she began to cry. Though I did not know what the translator had said, I could feel the woman’s dejection.
At that moment, I thought of what the Savior would have done if he had been there. I picked up her worn hand. As I held it, she began to tell me through the translator about some of her experiences in Cambodia. Then three other women who were sitting nearby began to cry. Together they told about their children and grandchildren who had starved, and about others who had been taken into the jungle to be killed.
Suffering was all these women had ever known. With little opportunity for education, a Cambodian woman’s sole duty is to manage the home and family. These women had seen their most precious gifts—their families—slaughtered and tortured before their very eyes.
I cried with them, and then I tried to tell them through the translator: “I want you to know how much I love you. I know I can never completely understand how much you have suffered. But with all my heart I know that someday you will have peace, and all the things you never have possessed will be given to you.”
After class, I couldn’t wait to get home to ask the Lord: “When will all the peoples of the world be able to be fully of one mind and one heart, with no poor among us?” I picked up my scriptures and found the word poor in the concordance. Two scriptures I had always loved now comforted me: “Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God.” (D&C 101:16.) And the more well-known scripture, “And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.” (Moses 7:18.)
The Spirit poured into my soul. My students and I had neither language nor faith in common. But my whole desire was to be one with those women and all the others who are poor in worldly possessions, yet so rich in purity and meekness.
I will never forget that day. It taught me what serving the Master really means—a reciprocal exchange in loving and learning from those we serve.

Marci’s Relief Society experience was positive from day one. Any doubts she had about leaving the secure nest of her Laurel class flew when, on her first day in Relief Society, she was spotlighted. Relief Society President Liz Douglas had contacted Marci’s mother and found out all sorts of fun, interesting things about her. Sister Douglas then presented a rose to Marci and presented Marci to the rest of the sisters in Relief Society. Everyone there welcomed Marci with open arms, and she immediately felt the strong bonds of sisterhood.

Jackie Harrison Skaff just graduated last June and got her first job to teach this summer in a local high school, famous for its tough, rowdy students. A haole from Alaska, in her first teaching job after college, in a classroom full of local kids, Jackie was filled with anxiety. Would they accept her? Could she love them, help them? When the class roll was sent to her, she pored over the different multi-ethnic names and then humbly knelt and prayed over each name, pronouncing it the best she could before the Lord and asking Him to help her love that child and to know what he or she needed. The result was marvelous miracles. When she walked into the class, there was instant rapport. And love has prevailed ever since.

Now a final example. C.O. Woody was an executive at a large power company. The company's executives asked me and some colleagues to interview employees and managers, and design a leadership program to help them improve. Everywhere I went, people's response was "Oh, C.O. helped us do that"."C.O. was the person that directed that, he will be the one to figure it out in the future." My last appointment of the day was with C.O. Woody. As I sat down and I said something like, "C.O. you are a legend around here. How do you work with these people?" C.O. was very self effacing and gave some general answers about working hard and getting other people involved. I finally pushed him a little and he said, "Well look around the office and tell me what you see." The walls were filled with pictures of his family, groups he had worked with, workers at plants he had visited. He explained, "A couple of years ago, I had a heart attack but the good Lord gave me another chance. As I was lying in the hospital recovering I decided when I came back to work I was going to treat everyone like family." We talked a bit and I think I understood what he was saying. But I finally really understood later in the lunch room. Mildred, and that is the best I can remember her name, was doing her job of cleaning tables and straightening up the area. She was looking radiant. I had seen her before so I knew a bit of her history as a single mom just trying to make it through, and I said, "Mildred, must be a good day," She said "great day, I am finally graduating." So I said "congratulations on finishing High School". And she said. "No, college". College? And then she told me how years before she was moping around the cafeteria doing her job, when C.O. asked her what was up. She explained the challenges she was facing and she reported he said something like, "Tell you what, we will support you to start taking classes at the community college. You keep going and keep your grades up and we will help you get a degree that will qualify you for a better paying job." C.O. held people to high expectations, helped them and held them accountable. Mildred was graduating and moving on. Can you think of anything Mildred would not do for C.O. Woody? Of course the answer is, Mildred would devote her full energy and creativity to helping C.O. Woody. He treated everyone that way, and they responded with high energy and high performance. The Lord's way of leading really works.

I wish you could accompany the General Authorities some time on an assignment to reorganize a stake. It has been my experience on a number of occasions to assist in these reorganizations. It never fails to be a remarkable experience. Some time ago, late on Sunday night, returning after the reorganization of a stake with Elder Marion G. Romney, we were riding along silently, too weary I suppose to be interested in conversation, when he said, “Boyd, this gospel is true!” (An interesting statement from a member of the Twelve.) And then he added, “You couldn’t go through what we have been through in the last forty-eight hours without knowing that for sure.”

I then rehearsed in my mind the events of the previous hours; the interviews we had held, the decisions made. We had interviewed the priesthood leadership of the stake and invited each of them to make suggestions with reference to a new stake president. Virtually all of them mentioned the same man. They indicated him to be an ideal man for a stake president with appropriate experience, a fine family, sensible and sound, worthy in every way. Near the end of our interviewing, with just two or three left, we interviewed this man and we found him equal to all of the estimates that had been made of him during the day. As he left the room at the conclusion of the interview, Brother Romney said, “Well, what do you think?”

I answered that it was my feeling that we had not seen the new president yet.

This confirmed the feelings of Brother Romney who then said, “Perhaps we should get some more men in here. It may be that the new president is not among the present priesthood leadership of the stake.” Then he said, “But suppose we interview the remaining few before we take that course.”

There was another interview held, as ordinary as all of the others had been during the day—the same questions, same answers—but at the conclusion of this interview, Brother Romney said, “Well, now how do you feel?”

“As far as I am concerned,” I said, “we can quit interviewing.” Again this confirmed Brother Romney, for the feeling had come that this was the man that the Lord had set His hand upon to preside over that stake.

Now, how did we know? Because we knew, both of us—together, at once, without any doubt. In reality our assignment was not to choose a stake president, but rather to find the man that the Lord had chosen. The Lord speaks in an unmistakable way. Men are called by prophecy.

Sometimes I find myself under obligations of work requiring quiet and seclusion. … My favorite retreat is an upper room in the tower of a large building. … The room is somewhat difficult of access and relatively secure against human intrusion. …
I am not always without visitors, however, especially in summertime; for, when I sit with windows open, flying insects occasionally find entrance and share the place with me. …
A wild bee from the neighboring hills once flew into the room, and at intervals during an hour or more I caught the pleasing hum of its flight. The little creature realized that it was a prisoner, yet all its efforts to find the exit through the partly opened casement failed. When ready to close up the room and leave, I threw the window wide and tried at first to guide and then to drive the bee to liberty and safety, knowing well that if left in the room it would die as other insects there entrapped had perished in the dry atmosphere of the enclosure. The more I tried to drive it out, the more determinedly did it oppose and resist my efforts. Its erstwhile peaceful hum developed into an angry roar; its darting flight became hostile and threatening.
Then it caught me off my guard and stung my hand—the hand that would have guided it to freedom. At last it alighted on a pendant attached to the ceiling, beyond my reach of help or injury. The sharp pain of its unkind sting aroused in me rather pity than anger. I knew the inevitable penalty of its mistaken opposition and defiance, and I had to leave the creature to its fate. Three days later I returned to the room and found the dried, lifeless body of the bee on the writing table. It had paid for its stubbornness with its life.
To the bee’s shortsightedness and selfish misunderstanding I was a foe, a persistent persecutor, a mortal enemy bent on its destruction; while in truth I was its friend, offering it ransom of the life it had put in forfeit through its own error, striving to redeem it, in spite of itself, from the prison house of death and restore it to the outer air of liberty.

Two acclaimed British composers whose recent composition reached Classic FM’s top five selections have been commissioned to write the finale for the highly anticipated ‘Lamb of God’ concert at Manchester’s renowned Bridgewater Hall. The collaboration brings together Sam Petchey, from the Staines Stake, a distinguished military musician whose service included performing at Buckingham Palace, and Abby Twigger, from the Aberdeen Stake, a talented composer and vocalist, whose combined artistic vision will culminate in a powerful new piece titled ‘Awake My Soul’ for the 100-person choir and full orchestra.
The composers’ previous work, ‘The Lamb’, garnered national recognition when it was selected as one of five winners in the Making Music Classic FM carol competition and aired on Classic FM in December 2023. The carol also reached the semi-final of the UK Songwriting Contest and was shortlisted in the Sir David Willcocks Carol Composer Competition, demonstrating the duo’s exceptional musical talent.
Their collaboration came about after Abby started writing music again, following the birth of their fifth child, when she heard about Sam’s professional musical experience from a fellow member in his ward. Sam helped Abby record the songs she had written and they worked together on other compositions, even from opposite ends of the United Kingdom. They have since released a full CD of original Christmas songs, which has also been printed as sheet music for others to use.
In 2024 they were commissioned to arrange ‘The Lamb’ again – this time for a big charity fundraiser, featuring NHS Grampian Hospitals’ Choir, a string orchestra and brass quintet, for performance on 15th December at Music Hall Aberdeen. That same month the solo voice and piano recording of the carol was included on UCB 2, United Christian Broadcaster’s playlist and was played throughout the month.
"For me, music is a fast track to the spirit," shares Sister Twigger, whose background includes music studies at Brigham Young University and performances at Magdalene College, University of Cambridge. Abby is married to Ben, they have 5 children, and she is currently serving as stake Young Women president in the Aberdeen Stake. Her collaboration with Brother Petchey, who brings extensive experience from the Royal Corps of Army Music and the Royal Northern College of Music, has already produced numerous successful sacred works, including a cantata celebrating women of faith. Sam is married to Vicky, they have 4 children and he loves writing sacred music.
The performances of ‘Lamb of God’ at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester showcased their newest composition alongside other sacred music, continuing their commitment to creating uplifting, spiritually enriching musical experiences for audiences across the United Kingdom.

“I quietly observed the woman sitting next to me on my 7:00 a.m. flight home. She had ordered an alcoholic drink before the plane had taken off, and when she asked me if I was married, my negative judgments of her began piling up.
“‘Yes, I have four children and four grandchildren,’ I answered with some pride.
“She then told me something that changed everything. Her husband had passed away the previous day after being in a coma for five days. Though she was an emergency physician, she had been unable to save him after he collapsed while on vacation.
“I was ashamed that my quick judgments were so far off the mark. What could I say to her? As I gathered my composure, I felt Heavenly Father pour out His Spirit so I could minister to this woman and share some of the precious truths of the gospel.
“I learned that though she didn’t attend any church, she believed in Jesus Christ and read the Bible. When I asked if she knew about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she replied that she knew very little. I shared with her a general conference message by Elder Richard G. Scott (1928–2015) titled, ‘The Eternal Blessings of Marriage,’ and then testified of eternal families and how Heavenly Father knows and loves each of us individually. I found that she was going to Hawaii, USA, where she had grown up, and I encouraged her to visit the Laie Hawaii Temple.
“We parted in the Salt Lake City, Utah, airport. I am so grateful that the Lord was able to use me, in spite of my faults, to reach a sister in need of love and comfort.”
John Tippetts, Utah, USA

They aren’t great basketball players, but they are determined, I thought as I watched the opposing team run up and down the court.
They were younger, less experienced, and shorter than our basketball team, but they kept on trying, even when it was clear that they didn’t have a chance of winning.
Randy, a boy with sandy-blond hair, played like he didn’t know what the score was. Although he rarely had possession of the ball, he chased it up and down the court like the whole game depended on him.
When his teammates did pass him the ball, he would carry it four steps, stop, bounce it, and pass it to another player. But the referees didn’t call traveling, and no one complained. Randy, who is mentally handicapped, was doing his best.
With seconds left on the clock, he got the ball and his teammates yelled for him to shoot. Concentrating so hard that his tongue hung out of his mouth, he shot—and missed. One of our players rebounded the ball, hesitated, and then tossed the ball to Randy.
“Shoot the ball!” our player yelled, and members of both teams joined in the cheer.
The ball went up, hit the rim, and bounced off. Again, Randy was given the ball, and again he missed. Time had run out, but the buzzer didn’t sound, and the referees stayed at half court. Everyone yelled for him to try again. This time the ball arched and swished the net, and the last two points of the game belonged to Randy.
The crowd went wild and the members of both teams surrounded Randy to congratulate him. He jumped up and down like he’d won the game. And I realized that he had.
And so had every player in that game. They had been true sportsmen: fair and generous. That night no one went home feeling angry or disappointed. There was no bragging or teasing—only fun, good feelings, and winners.

Years ago, when our children were teenagers, we purchased a ski boat. A little while after we bought the boat, my two sons and I decided to venture out in it just before sunset. Out on the water, the motor suddenly spluttered for a few seconds and then cut out. The fuel gage stated we still had a quarter tank, but a quick investigation revealed that we had in fact run out of fuel. We made contact with our family onshore who arranged for a rescue party to come to our aid. We had been let down by a faulty fuel gage.
Unlike the faulty fuel gage, the old ship Zion will never let us down. Remaining on the old ship Zion, or active in and staying true to the gospel, will result in increased faith, happiness and growth.

For instance, I was speaking to the missionaries at the Language Training Mission, when I suddenly felt impressed to testify of the intrinsic worth of each person there. There was no need to compare oneself with another, that the Lord knew and loved each one as a separate person and had special guidance and power to give in helping each one move on to the next step, etc., etc. Afterwards, several asked me to bear that exact testimony again and to give more explanation, almost as if they desperately wanted to believe it. One was almost overcome with a feeling of relief and joy.

Growing up, I had a lot of ambitions. I saw people my age already making money and finding success on social media. I wanted to be just like them.
When I was attending university and learning to be on my own, money became my top priority. All I cared about was qualifying for scholarships, saving up, and preparing for my future career in illustration.
Even my social media feeds were filled with messages about productivity, investing, and side hustles to help me earn some extra funds. I worried that if I didn’t take every opportunity to be smart with my money, I wouldn’t be financially secure.
I embraced this culture, thinking it would make me happy and successful. I always justified my focus on money by telling myself that one day, when I had more money, I could donate more to charities and be a better person that way.
I didn’t notice it at the time, but as my obsession with money took over my priorities, I started losing joy in my life. I became increasingly jealous, especially of those who seemed to have more than enough money.
I started to want more success on social media, in my career, and even with how other people perceived me. But it seemed like the more I chased success, the less successful I felt—and the more I was distant from Heavenly Father.
After about a year of feeling like this, I was listening to a talk by President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency. I felt my heart sink as I heard him describe exactly what kind of person I was turning into:
“Even today some who profess Christianity are more attracted to the things of the world—the things that sustain life on earth but give no nourishment toward eternal life.”
I’d thought I could prioritize both God and money at the same time, but President Oaks’s words and this insight in Matthew 6:24 proved to be true: “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
When my mind was focused on material things, I found it harder to see the appeal of the gospel. I didn’t understand how going to church and reading the scriptures could help me with my ambitions.
While furthering education and gaining a steady income are worthy pursuits, I was prioritizing them too much. I was obsessed. I realized that I would be miserable until I learned to change my mindset.
I prayed to Heavenly Father and asked Him if He could help me start focusing on what matters most. I began by reading the scriptures. As I was studying verses that I thought I’d read countless times before, these familiar stories started catching my attention. I felt the Holy Ghost communicating with me!
One story that resonated with me was that of the rich young man. Jesus told him: “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me” (Matthew 19:21).
When I read this scripture story, I felt prompted to stop and think about how it applied to me. At first, it didn’t seem like I had anything in common with the rich young ruler—he already had his riches and wasn’t willing to part with them. I, on the other hand, wasn’t rich yet, and I thought my efforts to get more money were righteous.
But I soon realized I would struggle to give my money away, just like the rich young ruler. Especially considering I was already struggling to let go of my pursuit for more money.
I wanted to put Heavenly Father first in my life again. I decided to open my journal, write how I was feeling, and look back at my previous entries to better understand what had started my obsession.
As I did this, I became more aware of how backward my priorities had been. As I noticed in one entry, “I keep thinking about how I can profit from everything instead of thinking about how I can become better or help others.”
Eventually, by studying the scriptures, listening to the Spirit, and journaling, I began to change.
It has been amazing to feel the promise in Proverbs 3:5–6 come true in my life:
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
I still strive to develop my talents and work hard on my education and art career. Seeking financial security to provide for ourselves and our families is a righteous desire. However, we need to be careful not to let our pursuit of success and money become more important than anything else.
These days, I don’t care whether I become famous or make a ton of money through my craft. I’ve realized that living a life where I get to love—and feel love from—Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, my family, and art is enough for me. I’m no longer easily upset by unexpected expenses or other people’s successes. Instead, I am more devoted to the gospel of Jesus Christ because it continues to save me from a life of greed, comparison, and constant discontent. And when I start to forget, the scriptures and prophets always remind me what matters most in life.
The scriptures and prophets always remind me what matters most in life.
President Russell M. Nelson taught:
“While the world insists that power, possessions, popularity, and pleasures of the flesh bring happiness, they do not! They cannot!
“The truth is that it is much more exhausting to seek happiness where you can never find it! However, when you yoke yourself to Jesus Christ and do the spiritual work required to overcome the world, He, and He alone, does have the power to lift you above the pull of this world.”
The changes the Savior has helped me make in my soul have been miraculous. I know now that success isn’t about proving how amazing I am or tying my worth to how much money I make; it’s about feeling gratitude for the opportunity to experience mortality and seeing the amazing blessings Heavenly Father has always provided me with. I know if I put Him first, everything else will fall into place.

Of course, Shawn’s basketball prowess has not gone unnoticed. He has attracted national attention since he was in the ninth grade. His family’s ability to look for the positive really helped while college recruiters visited around Castle Dale trying to persuade Shawn to consider goint to their colleges. Shawn’s dad, Reiner, says, “We were told the recruiting process could become unpleasant. We sat down as a family and said, let’s not let it get that way. Let’s do this from a positive angle. Let’s enjoy it. It was an incredible experience, and the family enjoyed every minute of it.”

One of our grandsons, when he was five years old, became confused when his family moved into a new ward. He thought the meetings were over and went outside. When he realized he was alone and could not find the family or their car, he knelt down and prayed for help. Just a few minutes later, one of the counselors in the Primary presidency came out and asked him if he was lost. A Primary teacher had called to her from the door of a classroom and said that someone was missing. The teacher asked the counselor to find out who it was. The counselor felt impressed to look outside and went straight to our grandson. Later, the teacher and counselor both commented on how strong their impressions were that he needed help. We were thankful that his parents and Primary teachers had taught him that Heavenly Father loves him and had taught him to always pray for help.

One day I visited a church three blocks from our house. When I rang the doorbell, the custodian answered. I told him I had two teenage sons who needed to belong to a youth group. “Do you have Boy Scouts?” I asked. He said yes.
Then I asked him if his church was based on the Bible. Again he said yes—it was based on the Bible and the Book of Mormon. He invited me to Church services the following Sunday. My 13-year-old son, Marcelo, was traveling with friends, so I invited my other son, Sergio, who was 15, to accompany me. He came, although reluctantly.
When we entered the chapel, several members greeted us in a friendly manner. An older man quickly introduced us to the missionaries, and they started teaching us the discussions that day. When Marcelo returned from his trip, he joined us in the discussions. The Spirit touched our hearts, and on 16 February 1980 my sons and I became members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My wife, Isabel, was baptized one month later.

A few weeks ago while in Idaho reorganizing a stake presidency, I not only met some outstanding priesthood leaders and set three of them apart as a new stake presidency, but I also met a very special young lady I will not soon forget. The newly called presidency, one of whom was serving as a bishop at the time, asked if I could interview a prospective bishop so if he were cleared he could be installed the following Sunday after conference. The appointment was made. I sat in a private office with a well-groomed, attractive couple.
After a few words of greeting and introductions, I looked at her and said, “Tell me about your husband.” She hesitated and finally said, “Elder Ashton, I really don’t know him very well.” Since this was a most unusual response, I promptly said, “Please tell me about that.” She responded with, “We have only been married three weeks.”
This young couple, both in their early thirties, he an attorney and she a schoolteacher by profession, were still honeymooning, and their deep, newly found love for each other was most evident. When I said, “I want to talk to the two of you about your husband becoming a bishop,” she said, “Some nights ago I had a dream indicating Randy would be a bishop. I just hoped it wouldn’t come too soon.” She continued with, “Even though we are newlyweds [and incidentally, they told me the reason they had waited until their thirties to marry was because they had spent a long time finding each other] if you are impressed to call Randy to be a bishop, he will be a good one, and I will help him.”
What a beautiful attitude. What sustaining support. Her commitment to her husband, Church, and self was made long before I asked my questions. She had resolved to choose the good part, reminding me of the meaningful statement made about Mary in Luke 10:42: “One thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

But sometimes the pressure of always being the example—of always being the “good” guy, especially when there are those around you trying to make you slip up, can become overwhelming. That’s what happened to Ryan when he was traveling with his marching band. “Sometimes I get made fun of a lot because I don’t swear or tell dirty jokes. I’ve actually had people say they were going to get me to crack before the end of the band season.”

At one point about two years ago during an extended band competition, the harassment got so bad that Ryan reached a breaking point. “I was crying on the bus. I just couldn’t handle it anymore. I didn’t want to be there anymore. I wanted to go home.” When the bus arrived back at the school where the band was staying, Ryan told a friend he was going for a walk and left to find a quiet place to pray.

“I found this spot behind the school, and when I knelt down and started to pray, I broke down. I’ve never cried so hard in my life. I just didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how to get through this. I must have prayed for a good 30 minutes where I was literally pouring out my soul. It was really the first night where I felt as if Heavenly Father was near to me. When I felt that, I’ve never felt so much at peace in my life, and I knew right then that I would get through this.

“Before I prayed I was like, ‘I can’t take it,’ and afterward it was one of the most calm and peaceful feelings I’ve ever felt. Then there were tears of joy and tears of happiness. What I felt was truly the gift of the Holy Ghost helping me get through what I was going through.”

Ryan says that as he felt the loving presence of his Father in Heaven, everything changed. Ryan had felt alone and insignificant; now he felt loved and empowered. “I’m a son of God,” Ryan said to himself. “I’m a priesthood holder—a priest in the Aaronic Priesthood. That night I really felt like I was someone important to my Heavenly Father.”

The competition circuit continued for another week, and those who had been badgering Ryan stopped. He’d weathered the storm, his testimony now strengthened, his reputation intact. Plus he’d had a few opportunities to share the gospel with others.