I Testify of God’s Love

Elder Araujo and I get a referral from the El Centro elders. All the info they give us is a name and an address and that he's a member. Before we were able to contact him at his home, he came to church. He stayed for sacrament meeting in English and stayed all the way through for Spanish too. A total of 5 and a half hours probably. We were able to set up an appointment to go visit him. We went by Monday night. As we entered his apartment my heart sunk down to my feet. There was nothing...Nothing but a tiny kitchen table a one wooden chair, and a tiny old TV. I asked him where he slept, he pointed to the bedroom, and that he sleeps on the floor. Elder Araujo and I sat down on the floor and we had a prayer.

To listen to his story I was just astonished. This man was supposedly once a successful soccer player in Mexico. He was injured and that ended his career. Sometime after his mental health failed. He had no place to live. He would hop on trains and go wherever the trains would take him. Begging for food, a place to sleep for who knows how many years. Turns out this Hermano has schizophrenia.

After we left, Elder Araujo and I felt just horrible. This man had almost nothing. We went home and got a bunch of clothes we didn't use, food we weren't going to eat and some furniture that we didn't need and gave it to this Hermano.

Elder Fisher and I were on exchanges one day, and we went to teach this brother. We were notified of some problems that he's been having and we needed to teach him the Law of Chastity. We taught him clearly and simply. He understood everything. And we told him what he needed to try to stop doing. Then all of a sudden he just burst out crying. Amidst his sobbing he mumbled out how he's crazy. And that he KNOWS and recognizes that he's crazy. “Estoy loco, estoy loco" I remember him repeating.

Never had a felt the love of God so strongly in my life. The room was just thick and dense of the spirit. It was almost like...tangible. Here was this schizophrenic man. Who has serious mental problems. However he was striving to live the gospel and change his life. But can you imagine being crazy...and KNOWING you're crazy?! Despite all the problems this man faced and faces in life, God loves him more than I can ever comprehend. He's special! He's a son of God. He has mansions waiting for him in the next life.

I testify of God’s love. Especially for this Hermano. God loves me, God loves you. Nos vemos en el reino celestial.

Elder Lewis