The Last Visit (The Adventures of Elder Elder and Elder Benjamin)

The Last Visit

March 8, 1990 (Thursday)

Today, the plan was to go to the hospital one last time, partly for our last checkup, and also delivering the 6^th discussion to Cho In-jae in Bed #2. Next week, he’d be discharged, and then baptized the week after that. Our first this year!

We went to the hospital and our checkup proceeded quickly. The doctor said we were just fine, and there was no more need for followups. Great news!

And then we headed to the stairs that led to Room 249, but we heard a commotion off to our left … in the general waiting room. Elder Benjamin said, “We’re ahead of schedule, so let’s check it out.”

A woman in her 50’s ran around amok, moaning and screaming many times, “Aigo (아이고),” the ultimate exclamation of grief and disbelief. She wore a hanbok (한복), the traditional garment worn at most major events. Hers was a red top sprinkled with yellow, and a wide blue skirt. Tears ran down her face, makeup smearing, and we had a hard time understanding what she was saying.

One by one, she ran up to individuals to get their attention, uttering what sounded like gibberish to us. We knew it was real words, but mostly slurred, and mostly outside of our missionary vocabulary. Something about her son who had just died — her only son who had no kids — end of a line, and so on.

The others watching seemed to share a mixture of empathy and uncomfortableness. Keep in mind that most of them were there to see their own loved ones, and she was indeed bordering on the crazy side, flailing her arms and grabbing some by their shoulders.

When she came to us, we had no idea what to say. I said meekly, “Sorry (죄송합니다),” not knowing if that was the appropriate form, as Koreans were very particular about using the right suffixes and words in every situation. But she didn’t seem fazed. She looked briefly into our eyes, and then moved on to the next person. 

It was sad, though. I wondered: did this happen every day at the hospital? Was it normal to dress up and go crazy? It also helped me to realize the importance of using “Aigo” in a proper way. We missionaries said it a lot whenever we saw something crazy or unbelievable, and we were told often not to make light of that word.

After a few minutes, she ran off. Where to, we didn’t know. And every one else seemed to relax. 

“Well, that was interesting,” said Elder Benjamin. “We’re going to have to tell In-jae about this. So, what do you say, tongbanja? Are you ready to teach the last discussion?”

“Let’s go.” We then went upstairs.

However, Bed #2 was completely empty. We asked Bed #1 where In-Jae was, and he answered, “He had an emergency operation. A bad infection caused him to get very sick. And then they came back to take away his stuff.”

“What?” I said. Surely he couldn’t be dead.

And then Elder Benjamin said, “Wait. Oh no, this is terrible. That old lady — now I know what she was saying. ‘In-jae.’ I thought it was a word I didn’t know, but it was his name!”

I said, “Oh yeah, I remember now. ‘In-jae.’ How did we miss that? That’s his mom? That’s impossible! He was about to be released.”

“Yes,” said Elder Benjamin. “He was going to be baptized. He was ready. Now he’s … gone?”

Then I noticed something in the trash can. “Look, a Mormon Gyeong.”

“Let me see.” Elder Benjamin opened the front cover. “Yep — it’s my handwriting and our number in there. This belonged to In-jae. Look — you can see how far he got.” He held the book loosely and sure enough, we saw a section of pages randomly spaced out on one side, while the rest of the book looked crisp. “Let’s see. He was in Alma. Good for him!”

“What is that?” asked the guy in Bed #1. 

I answered, “A Mormon Gyeong. It belonged to In-jae. Would you like it?”

“Sure,” he said, grabbing the book eagerly. “It’s boring in here, and that looks interesting.”

“Great,” said Elder Benjamin. “If you have any questions, just call the number at the front of the book, and we’ll come back.”

“So,” asked Bed #1, “You are Jesus Church? What’s going to happen to In-jae now that he’s dead?”

“He is in the spirit world now,” said Elder Benjamin. “He can continue existing and learning. He could even be hear now watching us talk about him.”

The man looked around, a little spooked. “Cool. He can’t haunt us, though, can he?”

“No, why would he do that? I wouldn’t worry about him. He’ll be okay.”

And then we left the hospital. Outside, Elder Benjamin said, “That’s so sad.”

“Yes,” I said. “Why do the strangest things keep happening to our investigators? He died so young, and people cared about him. His life was going to turn around. And now he’s gone. It looks like we’re back to zero baptisms again. The Zone Leaders are not going to be happy with us.”

“Yes — it’s weird, but In-jae’s okay. He was just needed in heaven. Now that he’s been preparing himself, they were ready for him. He’s going to be put to work right away. He’s serving a special mission in heaven. I can feel it. It’s not about us or punishing us. It’s all part of God’s Plan. We helped to prepare him, and we should be happy. We helped to save his spirit, even though he didn’t get baptized. We have done well. He’ll be okay, and our work will continue.”

Next Adventure: The Cake and Gidgiddoni

Political Neutrality as Doctrine

Well, this is interesting. I've discovered anew that political neutrality is discussed at length in our Doctrine & Covenants 134. Sure, I slightly remember it being there, but in light of recent political developments, this section has garnered much more attention in this year's assigned reading. I recommend reading the entire section, which is only 1000 words. Go ahead, open it up, and read it side by side in this analysis.

Also note: as being in the Doctrine and Covenants, this is more than just a church-wide policy, but rather it is part of our canon of scripture. In other words, it has been adopted as doctrine, and will remain so until the section is removed.

Here's a quick summary of what it teaches, in the order of which it appears:

• God instituted governments for our benefit. [1]
• We will be judged (in part) in accordance to how we have acted in relation to our laws. [1]
• A peaceful government requires the "free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life." [2]
• Ideally, the voice of the people should uphold leaders that "will administer the law in equity and justice." [3]
• Religion is also instituted of God. [4]
• No human law should interfere with free worship. [4]
• Exception: Unless such worship "infringes upon the rights and liberties of others." [4]
• Humans are amenable only to God. [4]
• While civil magistrates restrains crime and punishes, they should not "suppress the freedom of the soul." [4]
• We should all sustain and uphold our respective governments. [5]
• Sedition and rebellion are bad and should be punished. [5]
• We should honor each of our leaders in their positions, so as to avoid anarchy and terror. [6]
• We must also follow divine laws, where we answer only to our Maker (and not to our governments in spiritual matters). [6]
• General discussion on the separation of government and religion. [7-8]
• If we mingle government and religion, one particular religion may be fostered over others. [9]
• Religions have to right to determine fellowship, rules for good standing, and enact certain punishments such as excommunication. [10]
• Exceptions: churches should not interfere with property or life -- no physical punishments. [10]
• We are justified in defending ourselves, our property, and our government against unlawful assaults in cases where "immediate appeal cannot be made to the laws, and relief afforded." [11]
• Preaching the gospel to others should always be allowed. [12]
• Exception: slaves are exempted from being preached to. [12 -- yeah, it's really in there.]

Discussion

It is clear that our Church espouses in our doctrine the idea of political neutrality. Or in other words: the separation of church and state, an idea that very likely came directly from the US Constitution and its Amendments. This is consistent with D&C 101:77-80, which mentions that God "established the Constitution of this land." Also, the Book of Mormon describes a time when judges oversaw the government while a prophet oversaw the religious matters -- again, as separate entities. 

To bring this to the hear and now, I'd like to compare this doctrine with the recent rising of Christian Nationalism, which has instilled itself in many of the various Christian denominations, including my own. Many of my LDS friends have repeated to me the idea that our nation was built on Christian principles, and we should strive to instill these ideas back into our government, seeing how "liberals" had removed them along the way.

These tend to be the same people who claim that we need to protect ourselves from Sharia Law, which Muslims would try to enact on us should they gain power. And I can't help but notice the hypocrisy. Sharia Law is bad, while Christian Law is okay?

In either case, D&C 134:9 is clear. No one religion should be chosen over another one, as such would infringe on the freedoms of other religions. You may be interested to read one of my earlier articles: Do You Believe in Religious Tolerance? Take the test and find out if you really believe in and understand freedom of religion.

What is entirely absent from D&C 134 is the idea that government exists only to instill Christian principles. Rather, it clearly states the opposite. Government is for civil law, and religion is for spiritual law. Render to Caesar that which belongs to Caesar, and render to God that which belongs to God.

My Church understands this concept quite well, realizing our own past when Joseph Smith and his people were met with much persecution. Had the Constitution not been in place, it would have been very difficult for Joseph to establish this "true" church in 1830. Our church exists ONLY because the First Amendment allows it. If we can't uphold this principle for other religions and denominations, then what good are we but hypocrites?

I hope you've enjoyed this discussion. What are your thoughts on D&C 134?

The Fancy Dinner (The Adventures of Elder Elder and Elder Benjamin)

 

The Fancy Dinner

February 23, 1990 (Friday)

Ho-sung had good news for us, and he wanted to celebrate.

“Let’s do something Friday night — just you and Elder Benjamin,” he had said excitedly on the phone a couple of days ago. “I’ll meet you downtown at 6PM where bus 5A drops you off at the center stop.” We knew the spot — a favorite location for demonstrations and tear gas, which seldom happened in the evening hours.

When I had asked, “Where are we going?” he answered, “It’s a surprise.”

So at around 5:30PM, we got on bus 5A.

Elder Benjamin asked me on the way, “You have no idea what the great news is and where we’re going?”

“Nope,” I said. “But I hope it’s something exciting to do on this gloomy day.” Outside, overcast clouds slowly darkened while the sun set behind them.

“I’m sure it’ll be exciting,” said Elder Benjamin. “He’s never let us down.”

“I hope it isn’t sut pul kalbi again. It’s always that with him. Trying to show off how rich he is.”

“Chin up. This will be fun.”

When we got to the city center stop, Ho-sung was already waiting for us, wearing a suit like us. He gave us both a hug as we let off the bus.

Elder Benjamin said, “You’re quite happy today. What’s going on?”

“See that building over there?” he said, pointing at the tallest one. “That’s where we’re going.”

“Whoa,” I couldn’t help saying. “What are we doing in there?”

“You’ll see.”

We followed him into the building. He talked with a security guard, and then another guard showed us into the elevator, pushed a code into a keypad, hit the top floor button for us, and directed us to enter. And then he left us to rise up alone.

“You know these guys?” I asked. “What’s up at the top?”

“You’ll see,” he said again. “Are you hungry?”

“You betcha,” said Elder Benjamin.

The elevator door opened to a large circular restaurant with windows along the full length overlooking the city below.

“No way!” we said. The room was decked out with chandeliers, nice carpet, fancy tables and place settings. And everything smelled clean. We did not feel underdressed in our suits.

“Yes,” said Ho-sung. “Welcome to one of the most expensive restaurants in Taegu. The Sky Cafe. And look — the whole restaurant rotates.”

“Wow!” said Elder Benjamin. “What are we celebrating?”

“Let’s sit down,” said Ho-sung. A host led us to a seat by the window. And Ho-sung let us both take the two seats at the end. As I looked out, the city rotated below us slowly, city lights sparkling. The whole space and scene were peaceful.

“Check out the menus,” said Ho-sung.

I opened mine. It was quite fancy with pictures and professional typesetting, showing no prices, and it had an American section.

“American food?” asked Elder Benjamin.

“Yes,” said Ho-sung. “Tonight, we are eating American. I think they do a remarkable job, and you can tell me how it tastes.”

One thing to understand: actual bonafide American food was rare in Korea. Several places offered imitations, but in most cases it was quite terrible. The main issue: cheese was rare and expensive. Also, bread was just different. For example, several places on the street would sell something called “pizza,” but it was just terrible. I have no idea what they used to imitate the cheese, and it was common to put seafood toppings on it. Yuck! Koreans seemed to like it, but not me — it was too close and yet too far from food I had loved from home.

Times that we ate real American food were rare and cherished. Once in Seoul, someone took us to an actual American chain pizza place for some deep dish, and yes — that was real. In Pusan, I saw an actual Dairy Queen and grabbed some quite expensive, yet real ice cream. Every Thanksgiving, we missionaries would be invited to the local American military bases for actual American cooking with much thanks to their commissary. 

It was always fun to eat American, but for the most part, we had to stay focused on our missionary duties and stay within budget, which meant we had to learn how to also love the local cuisine: kimchee, rice, ramyon, and other wonderful Korean staples.

I did see pizza on the menu in this rotating restaurant, but I couldn’t bring myself to order it. Instead, I went with steak and mashed potatoes. And Elder Benjamin went with chicken.

It was indeed impressive. I told Ho-sung that my food tasted very American, though the mashed potatoes had a certain spice I couldn’t place that made it taste different. Elder Benjamin loved his chicken, too. He went on and on about how great the restaurant was — the food was great and so was the view.

And then Elder Benjamin asked, “So what are we celebrating here?”

“Oh yes,” said Ho-sung. “Soo-jung said yes today. We’re engaged!” He held up a hand and showed us a ring. “She has one that looks just like this. She wants to get married and move to America with me. This is so exciting! She said yes!”

“Great news,” said Elder Benjamin.

“Cool,” I said.

“So, eat up,” said Ho-sung. “Enjoy it. Wait till you see dessert!”

Yes — that was also great. I went with cheesecake, and Elder Benjamin ordered apple pie topped with ice cream. These memories of home cooking were indeed quite enjoyable.

Toward the end of the fun, Elder Benjamin asked, “So how is Soo-jung doing with the missionaries?”

Ho-sung answered, “Oh, she loves Sister Anderson and Sister King. She’s met with them once, and she’s looking forward to seeing them again.”

“Wonderful!” said Elder Benjamin. “Now that you’re engaged, what do you think about inviting her to come to church with you?”

After a night of smiles, Ho-sung’s disappeared slowly. “Oh, I don’t think we’re ready for that, yet. She still thinks the Church is weird, and I don’t want to scare her away.”

“That’s why you should invite her to church. Then she’ll see how normal we all are. It’ll speed up her discussions, and then you can baptize her yourself.”

“Maybe. But I’m still so busy with work. We’re not in a hurry, and it would just be weird. She’s not attending another church right now — not even Buddhist. She’s basically agnostic, and I’ll know when the time comes. I’m working toward it. We’re just not ready yet.”

“Sounds good,” I said. “That’s great news about you being engaged. Life is great, and it’s going to get better.”

The night finished off with some more small talk, enjoying the rest of our desserts, and taking in the night city views as we rotated. When the time came, it was difficult to get up and leave. It was a magical space and it was time to return to the real world, and time for this place to become nothing but a pleasant memory.

Next Adventure: Lost in Taegu

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

What's in a name? Today, I will talk to those who are not of my faith and explain the name of our church. At first it seems to be long -- quite a mouthful. But under analysis, one may find it isn't that long at all, and a perfect name for this church.

We are a "Church"

That is, we are an organization of gathering and worshipping. This is similar to all other churches, which all have different structures and different worshipping styles. The purpose is to provide places of meeting together to worship, to teach and preach, and to provide a community where members can help each other, and also provide services to the surrounding community as well. A church is a construct -- something we can join and unify with.

"Jesus Christ" is the center of our Church 

That is, He is the one we worship, praise, and follow. Consider the following commentary from 3 Nephi 27:8-10.

And how be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses’ name then it be Moses’ church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel.

Verily I say unto you, that ye are built upon my gospel; therefore ye shall call whatsoever things ye do call, in my name; therefore if ye call upon the Father, for the church, if it be in my name the Father will hear you;

And if it so be that the church is built upon my gospel then will the Father show forth his own works in it.

In contrast, you may notice that many other denominations rather go by the name of a man (Lutherans) or a doctrine in which they may stand out (Seventh-day Adventists), a convenient monicker describing the history of the church (Baptists or Methodists), or even some other ominous name (Catholic meaning "Universal"). 

Likewise, you can compare with other Restoration movement denominations who also take on the name of Christ: Disciples of Christ, Church of Christ, Community of Christ, and so on. Thus capturing the idea of: yes, it's important to have Christ central in the name of our church, so we can all remember our main purpose in worshipping.

There are also the Jehovah's Witnesses, a similar naming convention, as Jehovah does indeed seem to be the center of their church, but it's worth pointing out that as per their doctrine, Jesus is separate from Jehovah, and it is the latter they worship. The name of their church successfully captures what their center is.

With this in mind, it is technically incorrect to call my church the "Mormon Church" or call the members "Mormons," because the ancient prophet named Mormon is not the center of our church doctrine and it never has been. Mormon was simply an abridger of the extra set of scripture that we've received called the Book of Mormon, which is meant to be a companion of the Holy Bible, which I'll save for a later discussion.

We are the "Latter-day Saints"

The last bit of the name clarifies the people the Church was created for. Our current epoch is referred to as the "Last Days" or "Latter Days" (think Revelations), and the "Saints" are the members of this church. In other words, I am a Latter-day Saint because I am a member and I live in the Last Days.

This is a subtle, yet important distinction. In reality, there is only ONE Church of Christ. However, this particular manifestation is unique to this current time. While this Church is the same church that Christ created in his time, it is somewhat different in some aspects of its organization. And this is dealing mostly with temporal or mortal concerns. The Early Church had its own mission and goals, and the Latter-day version has different temporal needs and goals, such as reaching a much larger audience. The doctrines may be the same, but there are slight differences in the organization, built to withstand a church of millions (or perhaps billions) of members.

Also, note that it would be incorrect to call us the "Latter-day Saint Church" (or "LDS Church" for short), because that would be like saying it's the "Member Church." On the other hand, it would be correct to call me a "Latter-day Saint," because I am indeed a member.

Bringing it together

And thus we can see that our name is a conglomeration of three parts: 

Church (organization) + Jesus Christ (the center) + Latter-day Saints (the members and timing)

The official name comes from modern-day revelation back in 1838 in D&C 115:4-6 ...

For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Verily I say unto you all: Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations; And that the gathering together upon the land of Zion, and upon her stakes, may be for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth.

But tell me again: why do you still call yourself the "Mormon" Mel?

A good question. I have my reasons, including the results of a very successful PR campaign on the part of Presidents Hinckley and Monson. 

President Nelson (who had died this past month) did an excellent job of reminding us what our Church has always been about: Jesus Christ. But I was already there -- always. I try to do my job in helping people understand the name of our Church, but I'm also maximizing the chances of being heard by outsiders. You can read more about this particular discussion here.

Thanks for reading and let me know -- what do you think about this discussion?

The Goodbye (The Adventures of Elder Elder and Elder Benjamin)

The Goodbye

February 18, 1990 (Sunday)

Once a week — every Sunday before church, Elder Benjamin and I did the required companion inventory. This is when we went over our investigators and planned discussions, discussed our own issues, and planned out the week. Part of this included Elder Benjamin telling me repeatedly how much of a great companion I was.

As for investigators, we had three at the top of our list. In-jae was our newest one. Just the day before, he had told us he wanted to get baptized as soon as he left the hospital. Of all our investigators, he was our golden one. All we would have to do would be to continue meeting him once a week, go through the discussions, and then he’d be ready. Since he had nowhere to go, we could go in at any time.

Ho-sung, the rich inactive member, was still meeting us and feeding us, but always impromptu, and always on his schedule. He still wasn’t coming to church, so how could we move him along? He had said he wanted to take us somewhere nice this next week, but when — we had no idea. Hopefully our schedule would be open at the time. His girlfriend had met with the sisters once, so it was worth keeping Ho-sung in our sights.

Bo-yeon, the college student, still met with us about once a week, but still no commitment. He enjoyed talking with us, but he was still too busy to worry about baptism. Concentrating on his studies was much more important. Today was his last day before leaving to America to attend a study-abroad opportunity. So, we would have one last-ditch effort today to try to get a baptismal commitment. Plant the seed, so that he would continue to see missionaries over there.

Somewhere in there, I said, “No matter what happens, we know he’s not going to be baptized today. The zone leaders aren’t going to be happy that we missed this opportunity before he left.”

And then Elder Benjamin reminded me, “What the zone leaders want isn’t important. Today we concentrate on saving Bo-yeon’s soul. It’s up to him as to when he’ll get baptized, so it doesn’t matter who gets the credit. All that matters is Bo-yeon’s own future.”

After making our weekly plans, we joined the other two elders and we went to 10AM church. First came Sunday School, and Bo-yeon wasn’t there. It was a shame, as they were covering the Plan of Salvation, which fit perfectly with the 4^th Discussion we were planning to give later that day — if he showed up.

At around 11AM, our priesthood meeting began, and Bo-yeon arrived at 11:15. He found us and sat next to us. “Hey, Elders. Sorry I’m late. Had a lot of packing to finish up. What did I miss?”

“Nothing much,” said Elder Benjamin. “Let’s enjoy our last day together.”

Sacrament meeting started a little before noon, and at 1PM, church was all over. While Elders Johnston and Riley went home for lunch, we stayed at the church to socialize with Bo-yeon. We went down to the ping-pong room one last time, and he taught us a couple more moves, and yes, as usual, he schooled us two different ways.

“I’m going to miss you,” I said after playing.

And Bo-yeon replied, “Yes. We’re friends for life. I’ll always remember you guys.”

At 2PM, the other elders came back switched with us. While Elder Benjamin and I went home for lunch, Elders Johnston and Riley had wanted one last chance to interview him and perhaps get a baptismal commitment. I wished them luck, already knowing what the outcome was going to be. Though, Elder Benjamin reminded me, “You need to have more faith. Maybe the others will say something just the right way and get him to commit. It doesn’t matter who gets the credit.”

When we got back to the church at 3PM, Elder Johnston reported quickly that it was a good discussion, but no commitment. I flashed a smile at Elder Benjamin as if to say, “I told you so,” and he responded with a more optimistic smile.

The other two elders left to do missionary activities elsewhere, and then it was our turn with Bo-yeon. The 4^th Discussion, which would also be our last discussion. We found a room, closed the door and sat at a table.

Elder Benjamin said, “Bo-yeon, it looks like this is it. Are you ready for America?”

“You know it,” he said, his face full of excitement. “Tomorrow, I’ll be on my way.”

“You’ll enjoy San Francisco. It’s a beautiful place, but very busy and different.”

“I can’t wait!”

We proceeded to teach the 4^th Discussion covering the spiritual world, our mortal existence, the three degrees of exaltation, chastity, and the Word of Wisdom. For many, this was a favorite of all our discussions, as it covered the fact that we are the angels in heaven, and how we will all be resurrected at the end. Though, most investigators expressed surprise toward the end of the discussion about what they wouldn’t be allowed to consume anymore.

When we got to that part, Bo-yeon said, “I understand not smoking. I hate the stuff. But no tea and coffee? Really? Coffee keeps me going for school. And everyone drinks tea here.”

“Yes,” I said. “But it’s only black tea that’s forbidden. We can still drink all the other teas.” Elder Benjamin pulled out a graphic showing black tea in the forbidden column, and several other teas: lemon, peanut, and other selected herbal teas in the OK column. I said, “And yes, many drink black tea. It’s also that way in the South, where I come from. But the promises of health and energy are sure. I think you’ll find that you will end up having an advantage over those who don’t follow the Word of Wisdom. It could help you concentrate more in school.”

“And don’t forget all these other foods you’re encouraged to eat,” said Elder Benjamin as he showed his graphic on good foods, including several fruits, vegetables, and meats. “This is the source of our health, and what keeps us going.”

“Okay. I’m willing to try it out. It’s a little strange, but I think I can cut off the black tea and coffee.”

“And one more thing,” said Elder Benjamin. “You’re going to be busy in the US, and we’re not going to be there for you. It’s going to be very hard to remember what we’ve taught you, and you’ll be tempted to believe that none of this important.”

“But it is important,” said Bo-yeon. “I’ve enjoyed our weekly meetings and your friendship. I’ll never forget any of this.”

Elder Benjamin replied, “There is one way to ensure that you can finish what you started. There are two more discussions left, and then comes baptism. If you would simply set a date for baptism now, then you’ll have the resolve that you’ll need to see it all through. Find the missionaries in America, and finish things up.”

“We’ll have to see. It’s going to be tough enough speaking and listening to English the whole time. And I have a full schedule. I’ll do what I can.”

“Oh,” said Elder Benjamin. “I feel impressed to tell you … did we ever tell the story about how we found you?”

“You said the Spirit led you to me.”

“That’s correct. We had an appointment with someone in your apartment. It was a trap, and we were surrounded by all these religious scholars from your school. And we fought with them until the Spirit told us it was time to leave. Someone else needed our help. We were already tired when we had left that apartment, and we wanted to go home, but the Spirit told us that you needed our help. So, we pushed on until we found you.”

“Wow. Is that so?”

“Yes,” said Elder Benjamin. “That’s why I believe it’s important for you to finish what you started. It’s a journey, but it’s worth it. We weren’t just helping you in the short term, but showing a whole new life where you can enjoy eternal happiness. Teaching a man to fish, and changing their life for good. So, what do you think? Four weeks? Do you think you could get baptized in March?”

Bo-yeon paused and said, “I just can’t do that right now. Too much going on. I can’t commit to anything until I have more information. Don’t worry about me. You’ve already saved my life and have given me purpose. I’ll be okay. And when I’m ready, I’ll get baptized.”

We wrapped up the discussion and then it was time to part ways. We stood outside of the church building as the orange sun hang low in the sky. Bo-yeon said to us, “Thank you for everything. I will always remember you and the fun times we had together. Hiking on Christmas, our English lessons, the ping pong, and our fun discussions. It was all worth it.”

“Do well,” I said. “Show those Americans what you’re made of.”

“And stay strong,” said Elder Benjamin. “You’ll have a great time.”

“I know,” said Bo-yeon. “Someday we’ll meet again.” And then he walked off. 

We waved as we walked the other way back to our apartment.

“The zone leaders will give us heck,” said Elder Benjamin, “but I feel that things are going to work out for him. We’ve done our part. You heard what he said. We saved his life, and now the Spirit resides with him. Eventually he’ll get there. He’ll make the right decisions.”

Next Adventure: The Fancy Dinner