Yvonne’s friend Salohy wouldn’t stop inviting Yvonne to come to some church meetings until Yvonne finally agreed to come.

“Well, OK, just this once!” Yvonne said. “Then maybe you’ll stop bothering me!”

That evening Salohy’s eyes sparkled as she walked toward the meeting hall with her friend Yvonne. There were lots of children there that night, many of them were friends that Salohy had invited. The songs were lively, and Yvonne had a good time. She enjoyed the stories, too. They were exciting, just as Salohy had said.

“I really enjoyed that meeting,” Yvonne said on the way home. “I’m sorry I said they were boring and stupid.”

“That’s OK,” Salohy said. “I knew you’d like it. Will you come again tomorrow night?”

“Well, I don’t know,” Yvonne hesitated. “You see, I didn’t tell my mom where I was going tonight. When I get back she’s going to be mad that I went to that meeting. She probably won’t let me go with you anymore.”

“Do you want me to go home with you and explain everything to your parents?” Salohy asked. “If they get mad at you I’ll say it’s my fault.”

“OK,” Yvonne said. “I think it might help if you come home with me. I really should have told my mother where I was going, but I didn’t think it would be for very long. I didn’t think I would like it either, but I did.”

“Where Have You Been?”

It was dark when the girls reached Yvonne’s home. Already the stars were twinkling in the night sky. Her mother and father were sitting there waiting for her. “Where have you been?” Father asked. “Why didn’t you tell us where you were going?”

“We were worried about you!” her mother said. “I called for you to come inside and you didn’t come!”

Yvonne hung her head. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I know I should have told you where I was going, but I didn’t think I would be gone very long.”

“But where were you?” father repeated.

“She was with me,” Salohy answered. “It’s my fault I guess because I asked her to go with me to a meeting in the big hall down the street. You know, the big military hall?”

“What kind of meeting?” Mother inquired.

“They were having a meeting—a prayer meeting,” Salohy said. “Lots of children were there.” “The teacher told us exciting Bible stories. We really learned a lot about Jesus. It was good.”

“Did you enjoy it?” Mother asked Yvonne.

“Oh, yes! Very much!” she replied. “At first I didn’t want to go. I thought it would be boring. But it was so good that now I want to go every night. Do you think I could? Please! I really do want to go again.”

To be continued.