Another day another dollar. I've probably made that joke before. It's funny because I don't get paid. Some people seem to think I do. I bear testimony to the opposite. Although, as Bill Hunt once told me, "In the service of the Lord, the pay is terrible, but the retirement plan is out of this world."
Thus is the story of Elder Simcox in Bergamo.
Two thoughts today:
We had a wonderful member-present lesson last night. Frank has been investigating the church for about four months now. He's developed great relationships with many members, including several outside of our branch. In fact, he went to a member's house for Easter dinner and the member isn't even part of our branch! Last night we had dinner at a member's house followed by a lesson. His son John also came along. John has begun to attend church in the past few weeks and last night was our first official lesson with him. There were so many good factors that helped play in to him having a good experience. The members treated him almost like their own son and they bore testimony at just the right time. Frank, even though he is still not baptized, exhorted him several times to read the Book of Mormon and take lessons from us, both of which he happily agreed to. At the end of the night, he expressed his desire to one day be baptized in the Church. I am so happy to see that father and son are now together in their desire to become members of the Church. John's only concern was that he didn't have the capacity to serve a two year mission. To his great relief we replied that he's not expected to, and besides he's a few years too old anyway. Hehe. I wish that was the only concern blocking every investigator from baptism. That'd be an easy one to clear up.
I don't know if I've ever written about our investigator from Bangladesh. I should do that. His name, we'll say, is Arthur. (I'm getting more creative, don't you love it?). He was found on the street by another couple of Elders who serve in the towns outside of Bergamo. He's been in Italy for about six years. His Italian's not perfect, but he speaks decently well and understands even better. Of course, my Italian's far from perfect too. He was raised Muslim, but more for culture than for anything else. At first, to be honest, we didn't take him very seriously, at least I didn't. That was a mistake on my part for which I've repented. During our first lesson we thought that he didn't understand much. Still we set up another appointment to at least show him around the church. There, we found out that he understands much more than we thought he did and he was very excited to see a copy of the Book of Mormon in his own language (Bengali). We offered him the baptismal invite, to which he replied without hesitation, "Yes! When?" Thinking he didn't understand, I being still a bit faithless, re-explained what baptism meant and added "You'll become a Christian." He replied again firmly, "Yes! I want to become a Christian! When?" That was about three weeks ago. Since then he's been attending church, reading the Book of Mormon, praying (even out loud in his own language, which he does so beautifully), and preparing himself for baptism. It's so great. It's a bit different though teaching-wise. My whole mission, I've been accustomed to teaching people who come from a Christian background, or at least a Christian society. He comes from neither. He's the first person I've seriously taught who has almost no knowledge of the doctrines that Christians think of as a natural part of life. Last week we taught him the Ten Commandments and he had never before heard of them in his life. At the end of the lesson though, he stated "I already live these anyway!" Interesting that truth is the same no matter where you go.
That's a great thing I've learned in the mission. Truth is absolute. There's no such thing as true for one person and false for another. There is only true or false. In addition, opinion does not change truth. I can say my whole life "I'm an elephant!" But the truth remains that I'm not. Truth is not relative. Morality is not dependent. Eternal laws are unchanging. For that, we are repeatedly exhorted in the scriptures: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him" (James 1:5). God is the source of all truth. He has not left us in the dark, but instead wants us to know the absolute, unchanging truth. He gives to all who ask Him. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Creator of the Universe, and yet His entire work and glory is our immortality and eternal life. What a beautiful concept.
Until next week: Anziano Simcox
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