A Miserable Day Becomes a Wonderful Day

Elder Pugsley tells of this experience early in his mission: “I had been out of the MTC and in the mission field for only five days. It was snowing and blowing all day long. I never thought that I would be that cold in Africa. I didn’t have anything very warm to wear because I hadn’t thought I would need warm clothes in Africa. All of our appointments fell through that day, so we ended up tracting all day. We only got in one house and only for a brief discussion. Since it was so miserable and we were having so little success, we called the missionaries who had the car to pick us up early.

We felt prompted to tract until our ride arrived. At the last house we had planned to visit, a young family welcomed us into their home. The family told us that they had been praying for direction in their lives and we were the answer to their prayers. Because we knocked on that one last door on that freezing cold day, the Gospel was brought to a wonderful family who are now all members of the restored Church.”

Addendum

President Bowden relates this experience: On 30 January 2007, Sister Bowden and I and the Assistants to the President traveled to Botshabelo where I was scheduled to interview two men to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood. As I interviewed Brother Mokgoetsi, I asked him how he first became acquainted with the Church. He told me that quite late one very cold and snowy night, there was a knock at their door. He said to his wife, "Who could possibly be out on a night like this." When they answered the door, they found three young men who introduced themselves as missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He told me the message the missionaries brought into their home that night was an answer to their prayers.

Brother and Sister Mokgoetsi have become stalwarts in the small, but growing congregation in Botshabelo. Their family has been blessed with the Gospel and the Church in Boshabelo has been blessed with strong members because Elders Chavez, Pugsley and Gideme knocked on just one more door on a cold and windy winter's evening.