TJ Humphries, Highland 11th Ward
I bought a Honda 350 motorcycle the summer before I went to college in 1975. I needed it to drive to work and to play on for the summer. When I left for college in the fall, I made a deal with my father to sell him the motorcycle for college money so that I would have more money to use while going to school. I planned to buy it back in the spring after college let out for the next summer. While I was away at college, my younger sister Shari, was riding it in the spring and let a handsome boy take it for a ride around the block. Of course he got in an accident and totaled the bike. Fortunately, he was alright, but Dad was out the money for the motorcycle, since he still owned it and I was out one of my passions, which was motorcycle riding.
When I got home from college in the spring, I found out more about what happened and more details about the accident. I discovered a local boy named Steve Byrd was the one involved in the accident that totaled the bike. At this point I had a decision to make. I could either hold a grudge against him or do the Christian thing and forgive him. I decided to follow the Savior and forgive him. Later that summer, I got to know him better and he became one of my best friends. In fact, he became interested in the Church and we were able to give him the missionary discussions and eventually, later that summer, he was baptized. Our friendship continued and he eventually went on a mission.
One of the lessons I learned from this experience is that God’s ways are greater than ours and we don’t know how things will turn out. However, when we follow His counsel, good things can happen. Even from bad experiences, like my motorcycle being totaled. However, if we remain faithful and do the right thing, then God can work through us and that bad experiences can actually become a blessing to us. Like my finding a good friend and his life being blessed by being baptized.