I have seen Wally around the apartment grounds always waving to people with a happy face. I was glad when I opened my door this morning, that it was Wally who took our maintenance order to fix our lightbulbs. We started talking a little bit about his workday and the different people that he meets. I told him that we moved from Utah and he said his brother just moved there. He said that was where the Mormon's live. And I said I was one.
He said
"I knew it! I knew because of how happy and educated you were."
He has had a few friends that were part of the church and always thought they were so pleasant. He kept using the term educated.
He began to share with me that when he lived in Guatemala as a teenager, missionaries came to try to "enroll" him in the church but he wasn't interested. He really enjoyed the "blue book" (book of mormon) though. He then shared with me a story that brought me to tears. He has a LDS friend that invited him and his wife to church. They arrived earlier than the friend but decided to just still go in. He said that nobody said a word to them. The only reason they looked at him was probably because what he was wearing
"wasn't what they were wearing." He wasn't too offended he said, but was just mostly so embarrassed. I couldn't believe it. It made me think of how many times that I have seen visitors and I totally didn't even give them a second look. What if that could have been an amazing experience for him and his wife? I felt so sad for him.
Wally told me some of the things that he knew about our church. One of which was how my husband and I were "specially connected" when we got married. Of course he meant being sealed. I pointed to our picture of Shaun and I walking out of the temple doors and how that is where it happened with the right priesthood power. He seemed disappointed saying, "that looks like just a door. Where's the castle?" Then we looked up pictures of the temple on my computer to show him that castle-like look.
He said he had heard of "the smith boy" and asked me to tell him a little bit more. To be honest I was so overwhelmed with having such an amazing opportunity to share my testimony that I was so nervous. I began talking about who Joseph Smith was and the grove etc. We got out the bible
(I admit, I suggested us to get it out because I TOTALLY FORGOT which exact scripture it was) and shared with him the scripture in James that Joseph Smith read. It made me so grateful for missionaries and jealous at the same time. Bearing my testimony to my new friend was so incredible. This is what missionaries feel daily. I'm so excited for my sister Kristine to experience that.
We started talking about his family and I learned that his other brother was murdered by a man in Guatemala 11 years ago. His brother left his young family behind and that just didn't make sense in his mind. Seeing him get so emotional when I told him that I believed he will see his brother again was so touching.
Wally: Even my Mom?!
Me: Yes!
Wally: What? I'll be like, hey mommy make me a hot meal!"
He was intrigued that we believed that the deceased get to still have a chance to accept the gospel and how we do baptisms for the dead. He was a bit confused thinking,
"well how do I do it? Is he just sitting around waiting for me to do it??" I so enjoyed his innocence.
Wally has such a good spirit. He is so kind and respectful. He was excited to meet Shaun next time and speak spanish with him. Wally stood out to me ever since I moved here. I know it was for a reason that he came to fix my lightbulb and how the two appointments after me got canceled so he could talk to me for a
couple hours. He left with a conference talk that I had laying around from one of my YW lessons I had taught that Sunday about the purpose of life on earth. And he asked for a "blue book." He told me that he would try to look passed his embarrassment and to let him know if there is a church near by that he could visit. We're going to see if we can find a spanish branch where SJ can go with him and his family.
I'm so very grateful for my testimony and knowing the things that I know for certain. I'm grateful for people like Wally who are forgiving of others actions, that have an open heart to simply listen, and people who are able to see the difference between me and the other neighbors that he helps. Even if nothing happens from this, it still will probably be one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I needed someone to testify to. And Wally helped me with that.
