Just That One Phrase

In my mom's box of papers, I came across this letter sent to my aunt, marked "Save - Special for Kathi Someday" in my grandmother's handwriting. My mom's note, dated 18 May 2011, when she was planning to send it to her sister, includes "It's too bad there is a missing page." It looks like Kathi's friend came by bus from Long Beach to visit her in San Jose, when they were about 16. I guess we'll never know who sent the letter, but I wanted to record it for my grandchildren, so they can know that a simple invitation to church can have a profound influence on their friends. (These two pictures of my aunt are probably too young and too old for the age when this story took place, but they're the pictures that I have, and what good is a blog post without a picture or two?)

Long Beach, California

September 20, 1962

Dear Kathi,

I don’t know just where to begin or exactly the right words to tell you what is in my heart.

Thanks to you, I am the happiest person in the world. Just that one phrase you said a year and a half ago, “You ought to come to Mutual” has changed my entire life. The Lord has blessed me so many ways, but I’ll tell you the latest. On my bus ride home, I met and sat with an L.D.S. woman who talked to me from the time she got on until we got off in Long Beach. That wasn’t a coincidence.

When I got back to Long Beach I phoned my Mutual teacher and asked her how I could meet the missionaries. I met them the very next Sunday and started my lessons right then and there.

The next Tuesday at Mutual I had my second lesson and I started to read the Book of Mormon over again. The next day in school, my socials teacher talked on the history of the American Indians. I knew then that this was the Lord’s way of showing me that the things I read were true. That wasn’t a coincidence.

The next Sunday (last Sunday) I had my third missionary lesson, and the missionaries (Elder Scholl and Elder Syram) said that they were coming to my house to ask my parents to give their permission for me to be baptized.

Tonight they came, my parents consented, and on Saturday, September 29, at 5:30 PM I am going to be baptized and confirmed into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Just that one phrase, “You ought to come to Mutual,” and now I thank you from the depths of my heart for your wonderful kindness and that one phrase. The Lord will surely bless you for your wonderful work.