Micah Wilder - Passport to Heaven: The True Story of a Zealous Mormon Missionary Who Discovers the Jesus He Never Knew

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

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Photo of Micah Wilder provided by Micah Wilder

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The conversations in this book were reconstructed from the authors memory and diligently kept journals at the time the events occured.

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Passport to Heaven

Copyright 2021 by Micah Wilder

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97408

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

ISBN 978-0-7369-8287-0 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-8288-7 (eBook)

ISBN 978-0-7369-8551-2 (eAudio)

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A testimony of the gospel of the grace of God,
to the eternal glory of Christ Jesus the Savior.

I love this book. It has all the elements that make a great story, including conflict, drama, and courage. But there are three aspects, in particular, that set Passport to Heaven apart. These are the reasons I believe you will love this book too.

First, it is enjoyable to read. Having not read anything by Micah Wilder before, I didnt know what to expect. But I was pleasantly surprised! Micah is a wonderful writer. While this book includes theological reflections, they are presented through the lens of Micahs life story. He recounts conversations and experiences with remarkable detail and shares them with intrigue. If you enjoy a good story, this book is for you.

Second, it is inspiring to read. While I was familiar with Micahs story, I had no idea about all the costly challenges he had faced along the way. From the first moment he began to question the faith of his childhood, Micah endured some considerable trials from which he could have taken the easy way out. He could have folded. He could have chosen the safe route. He could have gone with the script that other people had for his life. But he didnt. And along the way, he offers some lessons that inspired me to think about my willingness to follow truth even when it is costly to do so. I am confident these lessons will do the same for you.

Third, it is charitable . We live in polarized times. Sadly, there is often minimal kindness toward people who see the world differently. And yet this book is different. Micah engages some ideas that are deeply held by people. These ideas shape the direction of peoples lives. And while Micah states his beliefs with conviction, he always exudes love and kindness toward others. He doesnt set up strawman arguments, nor does he cast others in an unnecessarily negative light. Rather, he engages both people and ideas with charity. This is refreshing.

A ton more could be said about why I love Passport to Heaven . As I was reading it, I frequently shared some of the stories and insights with my family. Having grown up in a religious home, I could personally relate to so many of Micahs stories. And yet, whether you grew up in a religious home or no, you will relate deeply to his story as well. You are going to thoroughly enjoy it.

Because I am a professor, blogger, and podcaster, I read somewhere between 100-150 books each year. But this is a book I am going to remember and recommend for a long time.

As I said at the beginning, I love this book. I am grateful for all the effort Micah invested in writing it, and I appreciate the humility with which he shares what he has to say.

I am confident you will too.

Sean McDowell

Author, speaker, associate professor

T hough muffled and almost inaudible, Lucas soft-spoken voice crept its way to my ears from the other side of the door: You have a call, Elder Wilder.

Bemused by his uncharacteristic boldness, I slid back the shower curtain just enough to stick my head out and away from the droning pitter-patter of the freezing cold water. I listened intently for a moment, hoping he would tell whoever was on the phone that I was temporarily indisposed. But I could see from the shadow fretfully shifting under the door that he was still there.

After a few seconds of painful shivering calm, I surrendered to the fate that I was about to be seriously inconvenienced.

Whata call? I exclaimed through the rumbling of the shower. Okay, just a minute!

Since I had known Lucas, my timid mission companion had never even been brave enough to answer the phone, let alone appeal through a closed door. What luck that he had waited until I was fully compromised to seize an interest in whatever foolishness was taking place in the world.

I couldnt be frustrated with him, though, because Lucas wasby any metricno ordinary missionary. My slightly stout, blond-haired, teddy-bear of a roommate was the most childlike and innocent adult I had ever come to know. In our short three weeks together, I had grown accustomed to his many eccentricities that pervaded our daily missionary life. His anticsslightly embarrassing to me at timestested my patience and yet simultaneously grew my love for him.

Although Lucas loathed getting out of bed at daybreak (due to his affinity for staying up until ungodly hours of the night doing puzzles in his cartoon pajamas), mornings for me had always been anticipated with eagerness. I thrived on arising early and going through my morning rituals while relishing the only moments of true privacy that I was offered in life. It was during these times that, as I robotically prepared for the day, I could legitimately be lost in my own private thoughts.