A Grandfather's Influence

My fourth tour of the day was a great experience for me and the touree’s.  I thought I had a grandfather and his 16 year old grandson from West Jordan during the entire tour. Grandfather was a bearded guy who looked like a mountain man. He had stopped to show his grandson the fort. He has been through it with his own father several years ago when the fort was run down and empty. He shared many stories with me and his grandson as we did the tour. The grandson had lost a year of school because of poor grades. He is now working to make up the classes. He is learning to weld and to do some carpentry and some woodworking from his grandfather. He told me he had built a pipe bomb by going on the Internet which was news to the grandfather. I was able to share the gospel with them as we went through the rooms. At the Book of Mormon display I challenged the young man to set a goal to go on a mission. He has several friends who have gone. At the end of the tour, the grandfather sent the boy ahead of us and he shared with me that the young man  wasn’t actually his grandson but a neighbor he had befriended a couple of years ago. He pays the young man to help him with odd jobs. The boy lives with a dysfunctional family filled with negativity. This relationship is a bright spot in both their lives. Grandfather gave me a hug and thanked me for the tour. I was touched as well.