Missionary Focus:
Every Member

by William Harper Stoneman

For many years I operated a small grocery store on the avenues in Salt Lake City. One day a salesman called on me, and I noted that he spoke with an accent not common to the West. I felt I should ask him the Golden Questions, but l couldn’t muster the courage.

Some time later he returned again to put up a display. I didn’t let the opportunity to share the gospel pass a second time, and I received a most interesting reply.

The salesman said, “It’s rather interesting that you should ask those questions. A few nights ago I was at the airport in Salt Lake City and it was extremely crowded. I hadn’t been there very long when your ‘boss’ came in. The only empty seat was right next to me, and there I was smoking a cigarette. As he sat by me I turned away from him and blew the smoke in the opposite direction. He then put his arm around me and said, ‘Never mind, young man. We know that not all of the people in the state of Utah are members of the Church.’”

Then the salesman told me that the man, President David O. McKay, my “boss,” had asked him basically the same questions that l had.

President McKay started the program “Every Member a Missionary” and set the example himself, as do all of our leaders today.

Illustrated by James Christensen