Good-bye to Elders
From 9:30 am until 3:30 pm we were spiritually fed, emotionally uplifted and socially refreshed. There were talks and testimonies and musical numbers and an outpouring of love and joy as we mingled with missionaries, young and old. And we enjoyed a nice lunch together as well.
The three handsome and mighty elders pictured here will be finishing their respective missions before the next zone conference, so they left us with their parting thoughts and bore their testimonies to us for the last time. We love them! There will be huge voids where their spirits stride.
- Elder Stevens (L) is from California, learned several languages on his mission, and this huge body(and spirit) will return to play football at the University of Utah.
- Elder Walsh (C) is from Arizona, served as our very capable district leader, has a dry wit, and a wonderful way of getting into homes and hearts, and will attend university in Orem or Provo.
- Elder Pearson (R) is from near Price, Utah, raised in a Catholic home, went to college, and as luck would have it, got five returned missionaries as roommates. He'll return home to play basketball at the College of Eastern Utah and convert his family.
We received marvelous counsel, as we always do, from President Bennion and his wife, Marjorie. They have an impressive understanding and genuine love of missionaries and of missionary work. It is a work of art to observe how the young elders and sisters grow and develop under their leadership and tutelage.
An Amazing Conversion Story
Robert De Rosa was a speaker in the morning session of Zone Conference. We were hoping he would tell his conversion story. He did. I will recount it briefly. Robert grew up without much church. Sunday was just about like any other day.
He was apparently an intelligent, inquisitive student. In college he and his friends were heavy into the age of questioning - leaving "no stone unturned, when some would have been better left unturned." Robert said that their differences included their behavior and appearance - Zen-ism to Buddhism with shoulder-length hair and long moustaches.
Several years after graduation, one of Robert's friends, Sal, joined the army and met members of the LDS Church. Sal found the truth he had been searching for and joined the church. Although Robert respected his friend, he was not moved to follow. He was, however, curious, and studied on his own - reading Mormon Doctrine by Bruce R. McConkie. In his words, "My pride kept me from joining the Church for over six years."
Another member friend invited him over for an evening where two missionaries where conveniently waiting there to give Robert the discussions. He felt "ambushed" by his friend and would not listen to the missionaries. Sometime later he was in this same friend's home when he heard a cassette tape playing of President Harold B. Lee. Robert shared with us - "The Spirit spoke, saying 'He's a prophet.' But I still resisted."
Robert's work took him on the road much of the time. On Sundays, when he was traveling, he would find an LDS ward to attend where he could go in "without any strings attached, then leave with no one knowing where to find me." One of those Sundays, he heard being read from the pulpit, President Spencer W. Kimball's Book of Mormon challenge. That was, to read three chapters on Sunday and three chapters one other day of the week. Robert thought..."I should try that. I haven't read the Book of Mormon yet."
Later, some friends were taking a short trip down to Washington D.C. and asked Robert to come along. They saw the national and historic sights and then went on the parkway toward the temple. He had never seen anything so stunning! It was as if the temple were floating "in the air." When they went through the visitor's center Robert signed his name and put his telephone number down, and wondered at the time why he had done such a thing! He stated "I had an awful feeling."
Months passed. He was now into 3rd Nephi and received no phone call. Then finally he got a call from the missionaries who said they had been trying to reach him for months. His first question was "How many lessons are there?" They told him ten. After the first lesson they asked him to pray about the Church. He did, and the answer was 'yes.' At the 3rd visit, they challenged him for baptism.
Robert called Sal and asked him to fast and pray with him. All things came together at the right time. After the Spirit had testified, through humble prayer that the Church was true, Robert made the decision to be baptized. As it happened, it was just one night before his roommate, who baptized him, was to leave for the mission field.
With tear-filled eyes, Robert, testified to us that his decision to be baptised was the most important decision in his life - those many years ago. We felt the powerful spirit of his conviction. Robert is now President Robert De Rosa, beloved president of the Plainview Stake, Long Island New York. He shared five thoughts that missionaries should remember when they meet people:
- Gain their trust
- Plant seeds for a future time
- Don't waste time on people who are not ready
- Challenge baptism when the spirit dictates
- Look beyond appearances
Robert and Vivian De Rosa are a lovely couple with three grown children. They have been stalwarts in the Church in New York for many years serving in various leadership capacities. President De Rosa is in his eighth year as president of our Plainview Stake. We are so blessed to know them.
Each year, President and Sister Bennion host a lovely event for all the sisters of the mission - "Finding the Treasure."
