wonders beyond the ken

Wonderful thing:

Patrick is a wonderful thing.  He was baptized July 5.  We visited him today at his house, which he shares with other Africans.  They are all waiting for their official documents of residence.  They live in a lovely neighborhood in a house rented by the government.  They keep it very clean.

Patrick is a happy young man.  He is a dedicated young man.  He told us how he asked a lady why she drinks beer if she is a Christian, and invited her come to his church to feel the spirit there.  He was dismayed when she told him she doesn't believe in any of that.

I've never been to Africa.  In the last few months, three young African men have joined the church in our ward, and one in Florence.  It is clear that they come from a culture that values real Christianity.  They take it seriously in a way that is rare in the Western world.

Don't get me wrong - there are plenty of problems!  From what I've seen, most young Africans who escape the realities of life in west Africa don't really fare much better here - Italy has too many problems of its own.   I see an awful lot of them begging or selling stuff on the streets.  I hear of worse.

Young men like Patrick, though, with the light shining in their eyes and the gratitude flowing from their fingers, and the will to come and partake...young men like Patrick will work wonders.  It was a privilege to meet with him.  It was a privilege to hear his friend Stephen, who is taking the missionary discussions, pray.  I felt like he has a spiritual maturity that I am just barely acquainted with.

I don't know how things will go for them.  I think God has this.  Patrick will probably be baptizing Stephen in the next few weeks.  That's a wonderful thing.

fun thing:

A few days ago we bid Francesca farewell.  Her fiance' Agostino has been serving as a missionary in the Rome mission for a couple of months now.  She enters the Provo MTC tomorrow.  She'll be serving in the Colorado Ft. Collins Mission!  Give 'em heaven, Francy!