When Jeffrey Lam was six years old, he and his family fled their home country on a fishing boat. They were looking for a better life. But they had no idea what changes were coming.
The family of six was on a 45-foot trawler, with another 250 people. After days of aimless sailing, they ran out of food, fresh water, and fuel. Children were crying from hunger and thirst and adults were crying from despair. With no land in sight there was even discussion of jumping overboard and sacrificing their lives.
Miraculously, a battleship appeared on the horizon. The sailors provided food, water, and fuel to the stranded, but most importantly they gave them directions and hope.
After months of living in a refugee camp, the family was offered an opportunity to emigrate to Australia.
Twelve years later, Jeffrey was befriended by someone he worked with that introduced him to Christianity. For the first time in his life, he read the Bible, and he felt real love and hope through Jesus Christ.
He refers to the next few years as happy, but aimless. He travelled, visited family, and became part of multiple Christian congregations. But never felt he had spiritual direction.
In 1992, he was working as a security guard in a building that was being renovated. One day he was assigned to operate the elevator when two young men in white shirts with name badges entered. Their name tags said The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They had their backs to him, so he hesitated, but he felt compelled to ask what they knew about Jesus Christ.
The next day he had the first of many meetings with the young men who were missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ. As he learned, read, and studied The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, he found light and clarity.
As he combined Book of Mormon and Bible teachings he felt a new excitement for life. He felt real love grow in his heart.
Now Jeffrey’s life is filled with work, parenting, and service. He loves sharing meals with the missionaries, spending time talking about the gospel, and learning at church and the temple.
As Jeffrey reflects on his life, he is grateful that he was guided by sailors to find land, then again by a friend to find God, and finally by the missionaries to find the gospel. We are guided daily by Jesus Christ, if we will listen to the direction He provides.
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