President Thomas S. Monson
“We will have opportunities throughout our lives to share
our beliefs, although we don’t always know when we will be called upon to do
so. Such an opportunity came to me in 1957, when I worked in the publishing
business and was asked to go to Dallas, Texas, [USA,] sometimes called ‘the
city of churches,’ to address a business convention. Following the conclusion
of the convention, I took a sightseeing bus ride through the city’s suburbs. As
we passed the various churches, our driver would comment, ‘On the left you see
the Methodist church’ or ‘There on the right is the Catholic cathedral.’
“As we passed a beautiful red brick building situated upon a
hill, the driver exclaimed, ‘That building is where the Mormons meet.’ A lady
in the rear of the bus called out, ‘Driver, can you tell us something more
about the Mormons?’
“The driver pulled the bus over to the side of the road,
turned around in his seat, and replied, ‘Lady, all I know about the Mormons is
that they meet in that red brick building. Is there anyone on this bus who
knows anything more about the Mormons?’”
“I waited for someone to respond. I gazed at the expression
on each person’s face for some sign of recognition, some desire to comment.
Nothing. I realized it was up to me to do as the Apostle Peter suggested, to
‘be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the
hope that is in you.’ I also realized the truth of the adage ‘When the time for
decision arrives, the time for preparation is past.’
“For the next 15 or so minutes, I had the privilege of
sharing with those on the bus my testimony concerning the Church and our
beliefs. I was grateful for my testimony and grateful that I was prepared to
share it” (“Dare to Stand Alone,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 67).
