MY MISSIONARY MOMENT...WITH THE FEDEX GUY
We got the kindest message the other day that reminded me why we do what we do here at B.O.M.Socks HQ:
“Hey Derek! Just wanted to say thanks for the super-cool socks. Not only are they SO comfortable and quality made, but I love the message that they carry. After a long day of work where I encountered some not-so-fun situations, I took off my shoes and remembered that I had put on my Daniel and the Lions’ Den socks. The scripture reference right across the ankle (Daniel 6:27) reminded me that ‘He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions’… and He once again rescued me from a rough day and reminded me how good He is! Thanks for that reminder!” – Jon F.
Thank you, Jon! Messages like that are a big part of why we do this.
It also took me back to something I wrote in my journal from a few years ago. Some of you might remember this story, but I felt like it was worth sharing again.
“I have 73 BIG boxes for you…”
I got a text from FedEx telling me that a shipment of over 15,000 pairs of socks was coming on Monday.
Perfect. Plenty of time to prepare.
On Saturday morning, the FedEx guy calls and says, “Hey, I’ll be at your house in an hour.”
Gulp.
We scrambled to get things ready, and he rolled up around 11:00 a.m.—two days earlier than expected. Nice surprise!
He backed his truck up to the garage and said,
“I have 73 BIG boxes for you! … WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU DO, if I may ask?”
I chuckled and explained that I was a seminary and institute teacher for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and that I had a little side hustle selling religious-themed socks that share a gospel message.
He looked at me kind of sideways and said,
“I’m not too religious, but I’m guessing you are?”
Ha! You could say that. 😄
Then he asked, “Can I ask you a few questions?”
As we unloaded all 73 boxes together, he started asking some deep questions of the soul:
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“How do you know if your religion is the right one for you?”
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“How do I know if what I am doing is what God wants me to do?”
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“This world seems to focus so much on our identities. Is there more to it than that?”
OK, he’s making this almost too easy for me.
We had an awesome conversation about those eternal questions — identity, purpose, and how God speaks to us.
After about 30 minutes, I realized I’d never asked his name.
“Angel,” he said.
Of course it was. 😇
Angels bring good things, right?
I said, “Angel, are you OK if I send you a book that’s really helped me with the questions you’re asking? It’s given me a lot of clarity and balance in this crazy world and really helped me understand my identity as a child of God.”
He nodded.
Out came my phone. I opened the Gospel Library app, pulled up the Book of Mormon, and hit “Share.”
Within seconds, Angel had a copy of the Book of Mormon in his inbox.
I also asked if he appreciated comfortable socks.
“YES!” he said.
So I handed him a pair of our Philippians 4:13 Bible-themed socks. He loved them.
“What a cool, unexpected morning,” I wrote in my journal that day.
Why we do what we do
Stories like Jon’s and Angel’s are exactly why B.O.M.Socks exists.
They’re not just fun, comfortable socks (though we’re pretty proud of that part 😉).
They’re little conversation starters — sometimes quiet, sometimes bold — that point people back to Christ, scripture, and identity as children of God.
You never know when a verse on an ankle or a pattern on a sock might open a door.
Sometimes it’s at church.
Sometimes it’s at work.
And sometimes… it’s in your driveway with a FedEx guy named Angel and 73 boxes of socks.