One Invitation. Generations of Blessings.

It’s been 65 years since two young missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints knocked on my parents’ door in Abbeyview, Dunfermline in 1961.

A few weeks later, my father joined the Church, followed by mother.

That simple invitation to come to church and follow Jesus Christ, together with the decisions my parents made, has influenced our family for generations.

Young missionaries have been serving here in Dunfermline since the 1950s, and over those years, many lives and families have been touched by their service and message. They actually first came in the 1840’s!

Today, there are more than 90,000 missionaries serving around the world, following the example of Jesus Christ, by going about “doing good” – Acts 10:38.

On Friday evening, we thoroughly enjoyed having two of them around for dinner. Leo Yase from the Philippines and Ryan Cutler from Utah.

Ryan is actually the first American missionary we’ve had for over a year! Recently, they’ve come from places such as the Philippines, Vanuatu, Tahiti and Australia. Quite a wonderful mix of countries and cultures!

Like those who came before them, these two young men are serving far from home, inviting others to come to church and follow Jesus Christ, just as two young missionaries did with my parents all those years ago.

They may not knock on as many doors as they used to, but through online conversations and chatting with people around town, it’s lovely to see new faces joining our congregation on St Leonard’s Place each week.

Having served a mission in London from 1983 to 1985, and then alongside Monic as mission leaders in Belgium and the Netherlands between 2021 and 2024, I’ve had the privilege of working with hundreds of wonderful young missionaries from all over the world.

I’ve seen their dedication, their determination, their sacrifices and the challenges they sometimes face. They’re ordinary young people, far from home, doing their best to share something they genuinely believe can make a difference in people’s lives.

And I have a very personal reason to appreciate what they do.

I will always be eternally grateful for those two young missionaries who knocked on my parents’ door all those years ago. They could never have imagined the impact that simple invitation would have on our family, not just then, but for generations to come.

Leo and Ryan may only be in Dunfermline for a short time…

But an invitation to church takes only a moment to offer, and the faith, kindness and hope behind it can change someone’s life forever.

I know… Because 65 years later, I’m still grateful that someone knocked on our door.

When two disciples asked Jesus where He was staying, His response was wonderfully simple: “Come and see.” (John 1:39)

No pressure, simply an invitation.

And who knows what might happen when you choose to accept it too?