Not Allergic to Girls--and Missionary Material

Last night at the grocery store Daniel told me, "I'm not allergic to girls, so we can get one." It was totally out of the blue and I just had to laugh. Today he brought home a stocking he'd made (sewn together out of yarn and construction paper). I asked him where we should hang it up and he said we could have a baby girl tonight and she could use the stocking. I told him he should talk to Nathan about it. He told me that he'd already talked me into it and so I should talk Daddy into it. So there you have it. We have a stocking all ready and Daniel is not allergic. The stars are all aligned.

Next door our neighbors are replacing the siding on their house. Daniel and Liam were both concerned that the workers were smoking and said so. It's a little embarrassing to hear them speak the truth a little too loudly in front of strangers. But how do you explain that to kids when you try to teach them what's right? Daniel was watching them out the back door when he told me "I really want to be a missionary right now! I can tell them what Jesus says so they won't smoke." Then he told me he was scared. Right off my heart melted because Daniel has told me he doesn't want to serve a mission because it's too scary. Then I wondered what to tell him. Of course I want him to share the gospel, but I'm not sure that it would be safe under these circumstances. I tried to explain to Daniel that the best way to be a missionary is to do what's right and others will see your example. Then I told him that it's usually best to first make someone your friend, then to share the Book of Mormon with them, and then, as they learn about Jesus and His church, they will learn what He says is good for our bodies. I hope I didn't impede a prompting he felt, but maybe it was a cast your pearls before swine?