“The Most Precious Thing I Have,” New Era, Mar. 2015, 21
The Most Precious Thing I Have
Mariana Santos lives in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
At our multistake youth conference, we all received a Book of Mormon and were invited to give it to someone. I wanted to give mine to my favorite pop singer.
When I found out he was giving a concert in my city, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity. Each of his concerts has a random drawing that selects 15 fans to go backstage and meet him. It’s nearly impossible to be selected, but I entered anyway.
A few weeks before the concert, I wrote my testimony in a Book of Mormon and prayed. I explained to Heavenly Father that the odds were against me and that I needed His help.
As soon as I said “amen,” my cell phone rang with a call from the singer’s office. I had been selected!
Backstage on the day of the concert, I presented the singer with the book. He opened it and read my testimony: “I spent a lot of time thinking of a valuable, useful present for you. I realized that I needed to give you something that was valuable because of what it contained and not because of its price. This is the Book of Mormon; it is the most precious thing I have. It will be for you too if you read it.”
He gave me a hug and said he would read it. I couldn’t hold back my tears!
It’s a rare experience to give a Book of Mormon to a famous person. But sharing the book should be a common experience. I could have given it to a school friend, a neighbor, or anyone else.
Giving a Book of Mormon, bearing our testimony, speaking about the Church, and being an example are our duties. We should never be ashamed to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.