I was born in the Church, but my family are members because of missionary work.

My great-great grandparents were born in Germany. Grandpa Schreiner had been raised on a farm but moved to the city, worked hard, and was considered upper middle class. They had one child who died very young of a heart problem. Then they had another child who had the same heart problem. She was a “blue baby.”

Grandma was very worried about this baby dying, because Grandpa wouldn’t let it get christened. He did not believe in any church. Grandma had been taught her little baby would not go to heaven if it was not baptized. Then Grandma’s midwife told her she had been talking to a man named Konrad Hoffman. He belonged to a church which believed that, according to the Bible, babies didn’t need to be baptized. She said they also believed in the laying on of hands for the healing of the sick. Grandma was interested in this church and invited Brother Hoffman to their home. Grandpa was very upset. He said it was OK if she went to the meetings, but he didn’t want any religious people in his home. He said if they came to his home he’d throw them down the stairs.

That evening Brother Hoffman showed up. He was a short little crippled hunchback, very humble and kind. Grandpa didn’t have the heart to throw him down the stairs, so he let him in.

Brother Hoffman gave the baby a blessing. She was healed almost immediately. Brother Hoffman gave Grandma and Grandpa pamphlets about the church. Grandma went to church meetings and loved them. She especially enjoyed the singing, because, being German, she and Grandpa just loved good music. She invited the missionaries to their home. Grandpa was upset again. Kind, crippled Brother Hoffman was one thing. Missionaries were another. Grandpa was threatening to throw them down the stairs again.

Now, Grandpa was five feet tall. Elder Rueckert was a Utah boy, well over six feet tall. Grandpa didn’t dare throw him anywhere. So he let him in.

But he gave him a bad time and told him he couldn’t take anything about religion seriously. Elder Rueckert said, “Mr. Schreiner, you don't have to believe what I tell you. But I challenge you to get on your knees as the Prophet Joseph Smith did, and the Lord will give you the answer.”

Grandpa did that. He went into his room and quietly prayed. He said, “As I arose to my feet it was as daylight had entered into my heart. The worldly spirit which had confused me had dissipated. It was as if an electric light had been turned on. In place of darkness, there was light. I now had a testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel, and was ready to be baptized.”

He had to wait for Grandma to be ready, and then they were both baptized. He was a faithful, active member his whole life.

My parents have served missions, my uncles have served missions, and my cousins have served missions. They have learned lots of languages, like Japanese, German, Portuguese, and Afrikaans. Several people have even gone to English-speaking missions in America, England, and Australia. But wherever they go, they find the same thing that Grandpa Schreiner found. Missionaries don't convert people. They give people information, and then people can make a choice to listen or not listen, to pray or not pray, to accept the Spirit or not. I know it is important for me to know the Gospel well and serve a full-time mission so I can give people the same chance my Grandfather had. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.