The story of the chewing gum
I used to like to chew gum.
Initially it came in packages of five sticks. I would first only chew
one stick of gum. As time went on I would add an extra stick until I
ended up chewing all five sticks at the same time. They next came out
with packs of 15 sticks. I followed the same procedure until I was
chewing all fifteen sticks at the same time. That was quite a mouthful. I
would prefer Wrigley’s spearmint or double mint gum. I also like to
chew bubble gum.
When I was on my mission to Germany as a young
man they did not have chewing gum. One day my companion Elder Crandall
had a friend come to visit him. He brought a large pack of chewing gum. I
was delighted and wanted to savor the gum, so I only used one stick at a
time.
We were teaching the Jensen family the gospel and at some
point we taught them the lesson on the Word of Wisdom. I was chewing
gum at that lesson. At a later lesson Herr Jensen told his wife that
Herr Gee didn’t keep the Word of Wisdom because I was chewing tobacco.
When I found that out I had to explain about American chewing gum. I
told them that I had never chewed tobacco.
I then realized that
appearance mattered. I resolved never to chew gum again, because I
didn’t want to give people a false impression. I didn’t want people to
think that I did not keep the Word of Wisdom.
“Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).
