Daniel Bowen

English 2010
Memoir Draft

A Life Changed

I was walking down the street on a cold December evening in Olympia, Washington. It
was exactly 6:55 when my companion, Randall Sutton, and I made our way up to another house
and knocked our frozen fingers on the hard wood door. We had a name tag bearing the name of
ourselves and the title: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We were dressed in
our usual shirt and tie with big jackets to hide us from the cold. As we knocked on the door I was
reflecting on the past doors we had been knocking on. For almost 2 hours we had been trying to
share our message with this neighborhood and had absolutely no success. People would tell us
that it was too cold outside to be talking to us or that they weren't interested. In most cases we
would get the door slammed in our face. While I was at this door reflecting and thinking about
how the night was almost over and how I could go home soon, the door opened up. The
feelings of lack of desire and discouragement quickly left me as my companion and I introduced
ourselves to Anita Noah.

We explained to her that we were Missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Day Saints and that we had a message we wanted to share with her. She was hesitant
but I think she felt bad for us being out in the cold. So she let us into her warm home. She sat us
down and immediately had some questions for us. I guess she realized that she should take the
opportunity to figure out who we were while we were sitting in her home. We had some small
talk and told her a little about ourselves. I went first and told her my reasoning for being on a two

year mission. I shared my feelings and bore my testimony about things that have affected my
life. Randall did the same but it was directed towards himself. Anita then expressed herself and
talked about her religious beliefs and how she has always been searching for more in her life so
that she could find more happiness and peace. Before we went on, Anita asked us in an abrupt
manner, Ive heard a lot about the Book of Mormon, why would I need it when I have the Bible.

From what I shared and from what Randall shared, we both talked about the Book of
Mormon and how it has changed our lives. It must have sparked a question that she has had.
She asked in such a humble and caring way. She truly wanted to know why she would need the
Book of Mormon. She wasn't trying to argue or be mean in anyway. She asked with true intent
and an open heart. She quoted a scripture from the book of Revelation in the New Testament,
which let us know that she knew her scriptures and was well educated in religious things. In
Revelation 22:18 it says For I testify unto every man that hearth the words of the prophecy of
this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are
written in this book. She was saying, that because the book of Revelation is the last book in the
bible, according to that scripture whoever adds scripture to it, God will add unto them plagues.
That sounds pretty bad and makes sense why you wouldn't want more scripture added on. In
the most respectful manner and in a way that wasn't threatening we told her what we thought
about that scripture.

My companion and I told her that we believed that John (the author of Revelation) was
specifically talking about the book of Revelation. We brought up a scripture in Deuteronomy 4:2
That says, Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish
ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command
you. We went on to tell her that Deuteronomy is the 5th book in the Bible. If the verse in

Deuteronomy worked the same way that she thinks the book of Revelation works in using that
verse, than everything past Deuteronomy wouldn't be scripture. We talked about how it was
specifically directed toward the book of Deuteronomy. We further explained that chronologically
the book of Revelation wasn't the last book written in the Bible. It was actually St. John. We
asked her to read the last chapter and last verse in the book of St. John. So the last verse in the
Bible chronologically. In Chapter 21 verse 25 it says And there are also many other things
Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself
could not contain the books that should be written. Amen. Now this leaves the world wide open
for further scripture and teachings of Jesus Christ.

We again expressed our love for the Book of Mormon. We told her that it teaches more
of Jesus Christ and that she can come even closer to him and find that peace and happiness
she was looking for through this book and the Bible together. We ended off the night with her by
reading one more scripture in the Book of Mormon. In 2 Nephi 33:10 a Prophet by the name of
Nephi is talking to the world and says And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye
ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these
words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they
are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they
should do good. After we read that scripture something changed immediately in her. She had a
desire to read the Book of Mormon. She believed in Christ and had faith in him. She wanted to
further her knowledge and this was just the answer she was looking for. We gave her a copy of
her own and encouraged her to read it everyday along side the Bible.

Anita did just that, she read the Book of Mormon every single day. She would express to
us every time we came over how happy and grateful she was for us and how glad she was for

letting us in that cold night. She let us know her life had changed and that she had come to a
knowledge of Jesus Christ all over again. She didn't even understand or could comprehend that
this is what she was looking for. Her peace and happiness outweighed any trial or hardship she
went through because of the power that the Book of Mormon brought into her life. She started to
understand the Bible more as well. Her joy was full and would have us come over to her cute,
comfortable home frequently to read scriptures with her. It was so amazing to watch this change
in her life.

Now looking back today at that experience I had in Washington, I can't help but smile.
Someone that I had come to love had their life changed for the better. All because she came
closer to Jesus Christ. She had more hope and a better attitude about the things going on that
in the past would have made her upset. I realized that not only did her life change, but so did
mine. She helped me realize the power that can come from The Book of Mormon and the Bible
together. Together they testify of Christ and can make one happy. This experience helped
solidify my testimony in the essential need of these two books and how they go hand in hand to
bringing someone peace and happiness. Now I am the one grateful for Anita Noah.

Citations:
The Holy Bible, The Old and New Testaments, King James Version. Published in 1999 by the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, print.
The Book of Mormon, Salt Lake City, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1989,
print.