This is a continuation of a fictionalized account of my mission in France and Belgium during the early 1970s. Though many of the people, events and circumstances are true, it is a fictional account of what I would have liked to have happened during that time.
Gary
Part XV - More Lessons For Paul
We scheduled a couple more visits with Paul before his baptism. On Wednesday night, we would show him a display Elder M had inherited from an earlier companion that showed what Mormon life was about. Then on Friday, we wanted to spend some time with him so he wouldn't get cold feet before the baptism. We invited him to our house that night for a supper and a review of all the lessons. On Saturday, Elder Simpson would interview him for baptism and then we would have the service at the Liege Chapel with me baptizing again and Elder M. confirming him. It looked like a good plan for the week.
Meanwhile, Paul remained with us for the rest of P Day and we were glad for his companionship. He took us to a great little cafe down river that had a great fusball game which the three of us played for several hours. Paul was a lot better on it than either of us but he was kind and let us win a few. Late in the afternoon, we rode our bikes up to the top of the hill and played Frisbee in a beautiful city park. Of course we had to teach Paul what it was but he soon got the hang of it. We just threw it around for a while then played some Frisbee golf. Towards evening, the three of us went into town and saw a movie in Liege. It was one of those silly French comedies where farce rules the day. We arrived back at our apartment around 10:00pm. We asked Paul if he'd like to come up for a moment before going home. Once in the apartment, we had some Orangina and bread and cheese and just chatted.
After an hour or so of talk, Elder M. asked Paul if he would like to join us in prayer before he left. We knelt down by my bed. Paul was in the middle of us. Elder M. grabbed my hand then helped Paul place his hands on ours. With the three of us united physically, we prayed that Paul would continue to feel the spirit of the Gospel in his heart and continue to hunger and thirst after righteous things. When Elder M. was through with the prayer, Paul asked if he couldn't pray as well. So we remained on our knees as he asked Heavenly Father for knowledge and faith in his new religion. The Paul thanked Heavenly Father for bringing Elder M. and me into his life at that time. When Paul finished, the three of us remained kneeling, listening individually for the spirit in our lives. I was just thankful to be a part of such a loving relationship. Finally, we stood up and had a group hug.
When Paul left, he was on a spiritual high. We could hear him in the street singing Greek songs and dancing with the spirit like Greeks at a National Day festival. Elder M. and I looked at each other, each with a big grin and got ready for bed.
We weren't planning on seeing Paul on Tuesday. We had a lot of other appointments and some tracting to catch up on as well as a discussion that evening. When we returned from the discussion, we found a box in front of our door. It contained some Greek pastries, a Nicoise salad, some bread and a bottle of Orangina and a note which said: "Elders, here is some nourishment for your bodies. You have nourished my soul. Paul"
It didn't take us long to dig into some really good food for once.
On Wednesday, we went to Paul's house that evening and showed him the display Elder M had. It was taken from the book "The Mormons" and had a lot of pictures. I thought it was a little silly because it showed how Mormons were in Utah which had precious little to do with how they were in Belgium. But Paul really liked the pictures of Utah and the U.S. and all the Temples. When he found out that the nearest Temple to him was either in London or Zollikofen, Switzerland, he was eager to make the trip and suggested we all go together.
Thursday came and we were busy in Liege with the Liege Elders and Sisters. We didn't see Paul at all that day.
Friday, we had invited Paul to our apartment for dinner that evening and a review of all the lessons before his baptism. When he didn't show at 6:00pm like we planned, we got a little nervous. We waited until 7:00pm then decided to go find him. We rode over to his apartment and knocked on the door. He wasn't there or at least didn't answer the door. We waited for awhile then rode our bikes around the neighborhood looking for our friend. We rode up and down the river road even going to the cafe where we played fusball. Still no sign of Paul. Finally, around 9:30pm, we returned to our apartment. As we stumbled up the steps with our bikes, Paul was waiting for us. He was sitting on the floor at the far end of the landing in the dark. We always kept our bikes on the landing and by the time we locked them up, Paul had stepped forward from the shadow.
He looked a mess. His hair was disheveled and his clothes were dirty. He appeared with red eyes and had some bruises around his arms and face. We quickly brought him inside. He hadn't yet said a word but collapsed on my bed and started to cry again and turned over on his stomach hiding his head. We didn't know what to do. I went and heated up some water and Elder M. sat down on the bed and held Mike while his wept. I brought a pan of hot water and some washrags and soap over and the two of us helped Paul sit up and take off his shirt. There were large bruises on his side. It looked like someone had beaten him with a blunt object. Then we removed his pants as well and there were more bruises on his thigh and calf. Paul was moaning and, as we gently began to wash him off, he was really tender by those bruises. It didn't appear to Elder M. or me that anything was broken. We had some first aid supplies and applied a disinfectant to the broken skin on his face and arms. That stung and he recoiled some from that. Finally, we got him washed off and bandaged. We covered him with a blanket and he calmed down some. I got him some warm milk and some bread and cheese.
We asked Paul what happened to him. He hesitated and turned his head away. He looked like he felt shame and didn't want to explain anything to us. He began to cry again and both of us put our arms around him. What could possibly be wrong?
Elder M said as gently and sincerely as he could, "Paul, please, we can tell you're in pain. You can tell us anything. We're here to help you. We are your friends, your brothers. Please let us know what we can do."
Paul turned his head and wiped at his tears. "I cannot be baptized tomorrow. I... I..."
His voice trailed off and he started to cry
Elder M. and I looked at each other then I said, "What has happened that makes you say that? You're ready for baptism. You believe what we've said is true. Why do you not want to be baptized?"
"No, that is not what I said. I want to be baptized. I do know it is true what you have taught me. But... Well, I'm just can't be baptized. Not after what has happened tonight."
"Well," Elder M. said, "Maybe you should tell us what happened and let us judge whether you can be baptized or not."
Paul looked at us both, seeking some level of understanding from us. We encouraged him with our eyes and held his hand. He began, "I was with some of my friends today. We used to drink a lot together and play around. They've been good pals. They are also Greek but from the north near Thessaloniki. I was excited to tell them about you and the Church. They couldn't believe that I would leave the Orthodox Church and find some American Church. The more we talked, the angrier they got. They were drinking Ouzo and the alcohol took away their fear. They started to hit me and make fun of me and my new religion. We were in my apartment and they found my Book of Mormon and made fun of it and tore it up. They then grabbed me from behind and stripped me naked and tied me to a chair. They tried to get me to renounce the truth I had found. I didn't see why they cared. They never cared for the Holy Mother Church any more than I did. But they were fierce and I could see the fear in their eyes. They began to beat on my bare leg and then they would put a cigarette on my..."
He stopped and couldn't continue as he gasped for air and tried to keep tears back. After a few seconds, he tried again.
"They put a cigarette on my... my penis. I screamed. They seemed to think it was funny and then put it on my testicles and on my butt. 'Why,' I asked. 'Why are you doing this to me? We've been friends and now this...' They just mocked me and said we could no longer be friends if I joined the American Church."
Elder M. interjected, "So you don't want to be baptized because your friends will mock you more?"
"No, no, that's not it at all. I still want to be baptized but I can't be now."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because, after they burned my genitals with their cigarette," and by this time Paul was barely whispering, "they undressed and... and... they... put their cocks on my face and told me to suck them." Paul broke down into tears again, turning his head in shame. Then he continued still facing away from our eyes. "Then they turned me over and both of them took a turn and fucked my ass."
There was dead silence in the room. Elder M. and I were both stunned at the brutality shown Paul over his testimony. We let him calm down then Elder M. gently turned his Paul's head towards him and looked him in the eye and carefully said, "Paul, listen to me. None of this disqualifies you from baptism. You were forced to do these things. If anything, you are even more qualified because you have withstood the adversary and held on to your testimony. This makes you one of the bravest men I know, Paul. Please believe me. You are worthy to be baptized."
Paul looked both of us in the eye and then put his head down and continued to whimper. Eventually, he looked up and said, "But, what I haven't told you is that these friends and I...." Paul really hesitated here then forged ahead. "We have spent many nights together doing similar things. Elders, I have never told a single soul this but I tell you and I beg you to understand. I am a homosexual."
He could have exploded an atomic bomb in the room and it wouldn't have had any greater effect. I immediately began to worry about Elder M.'s reaction. I was fine with Paul's announcement, of course. It made me feel even closer to Paul than I was before. I looked over to Elder M. to see if I could get a clue of his reaction.
Elder M. was unfazed by the announcement. He was totally focused on Paul and his needs and Paul could have said he was a gorilla and Millett would have been just as focused. I was so thankful for his response.
"Paul," Elder M. said. "The Lord is only interested in your willingness to live a worthy life. He doesn't care what you've done. That will be wiped away by baptism tomorrow. He only wants you to covenant that you are willing to keep the commandments as we have explained them to you. Let me show you something in the Book of Mormon."
Elder M. reached over and got his Triple Combination and opened it to Ether, chapter 12 and read, "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."
My companion continued, "I know you are humble. I know you are willing to keep the commandments. The Lord loves you as you are. Somehow, you'll overcome your sexual feelings and receive all His blessings. I don't know how but I do know that as long as you are willing to keep the commandments, you are worthy to be baptized."
"But, I have done vile things with men. How can the Lord overlook those things?"
"He died on the cross for you. He accepted all your sins and he paid for them. Tomorrow, when you enter the waters of baptism, you will be a new man, free from those sins, ready to live a new life."
Paul was very quiet, trying to accept the enormity of our Savior's sacrifice for all of us. Elder M. suggested we pray and asked me to say the prayer. To this day, I really don't remember what I said. I didn't speak. It was one of those very rare times when I was only an instrument and the Lord spoke to this brave man through me promising him life everlasting and forgiveness for his sins.
After the prayer, we all three remained on the bed in splendid solitude.
Paul was the first to speak. "Well, I guess I better get home and rest if I'm going to be baptized tomorrow."
We all laughed and hugged each other. Elder M. then said, "No, why don't you stay with us tonight. You can have my bed and I'll bunk with Elder Roark. I don't want you to meet up with your friends again...just in case."
"I'd like that," Paul said looking for approval from me as well. "Hey, that's great. We'd love to have you with us," I responded. "Cool," Elder M. said and jumped up and started to get ready for bed. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm tired and the sooner I get to bed, the sooner we can get you baptized tomorrow."
I got up and started to get undressed as well. Paul moved over to Elder M.'s bed. We all took turns in the water closet down the hall. Paul was feeling a lot better now. He was stripped down to his dark blue briefs again. Elder M. and I were in our garments. After prayer, we all hugged each other several times. We weren't very tired but needed to get into bed. Elder M. and I got into my twin bed. I was next to the wall and then Elder M. scooted in front of me. There was no extra room in this bed. We were spooned together no matter what we wanted. I had my arm around Elder M.'s chest and we shared the same pillow.
There was no way I was going to be able to lay like that and not become aroused. Slowly, my dick came up and filled it's spot against Elder M.'s butt. There's no doubt he felt it.
Elder M. said before closing his eyes, "Elder, remind me tomorrow that we need to buy some bananas!"