‘I work for God!’
by Jerry Lombardo
Prologue
When I was first introduced to my Church, [The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints] I did not take it very seriously at all. I’d been involved in my own personal study and search for some time and was still ‘in the middle of it’; however, I’d just looked up an old friend and he was more than a little excited for me to go with him to a church meeting close by … .
I hadn’t seen my friend for almost ten years; we were very excited and happy to see each other. He was on his way to an afternoon church meeting (it was Sunday) and pleaded with me to come; it was all spur of the moment and not at all in my plans – but I decided to go.
I was not driving a car at the time, so I had rode over on a new, small, electric scooter that I’d just gotten (2006). When it was time to leave the little scooter in the parking lot – I realized that would be a poor decision because of the neighborhood and begged off actually going into the building – promising I would at another time…
My old friend had told me that he’d been Ordained to a Priesthood. I was shocked – my friend and I used to run the streets together. Nothing I am pleased to share … we were ‘broken’ … but here we both were a decade later – changed in our natures.
I was leaving, he had to get inside … but before I did, I took a second to blurt out to my long lost friend … ” this is great!” “I work for God too!”.
I was a man who’d begun a change just a decade earlier – broken hearted and with a contrite spirit – at 40 years old … set on a path that would change … everything for me.
I’ll never forget my first ‘meeting’ few days after that Sunday with Missionaries*. My friend hadn’t even told me this was an LDS Church [not that ‘that’ would have mattered – I didn’t really know what that meant].
*Missionary Elders Tingey and McKay plus one of their mentors and Leaders – President Dallas W. Jones.
To be honest, I remember sensing that my friend was being a little evasive with me about who the meeting was with – but I went along anyway;
One day, I told my friend I was going to stop by; unbeknownst to me at the time, he quickly called to set up an introduction and meeting. When I arrived, he explained to me that some people from his church were going to stop by too … and he’d love for me to meet and talk with them.
I thought ‘why not?’, and agreed.
I remember sitting on the steps of my friends house, smoking a cigarette, and all of a sudden – like the FBI – two new vehicles pulled up and out came [collectively] a group of young men in suits and ‘an older guy’ in the second car – also in a suit, tie, but without his jacket on. And they weren’t carrying guns … but Scriptures.
The fact that I was sitting in a literal ghetto area – and considering my surroundings – I remember how fascinated I was as these (obviously) out of place guys all filed up, smiling, looking me in the eyes and shaking my hand …. And there was a ‘feeling’ that came with them.
I really couldn’t, at the time, – explain the feeling – but as out of place as they were – they seemed to bring their own ‘comfort zone’ with them which they had now extended to me. It was an amazing feeling.
I don’t remember what we talked about; but I do remember some of the feelings. I sat there, very arrogantly, smoking and acting like a Bible Scholar [I was not!]. It was if I were engaging in a sort of contest to demonstrate that I, ‘sincerely’, understood God, His Word, and that I was, indeed, ‘saved’ already.
I kept telling them, I know God … ‘I’m just fine …’. They kept smiling and teaching.
I was convinced of a few things: These guys were sharp, sincere, intelligent, and at the least, entitled to explain their beliefs and positions to me further. I just had this feeling … .
At that time, I had been actively studying different churches and religions – I was disappointed by each and had found nothing near to the spirituality that these young men clearly had – so (I concluded) they were worth some of my time.
I also knew that my friend was quite determined to open my mind to what these folks had to say; and I knew he was much better today than when we were together nine years prior ‘in the world’; he was a different man – so my curiosity was ‘piqued’ and I decided to give this interesting group of people my attention and some of my time.
Allow me to tell you now – no one – especially me – could ever have predicted the events and activities that followed (and continue!). The events and changes that followed over the next years will bring smiles to my face for all time forward.
I began to pen a book about it … never published it … I think I’ll publish it here … Chapter by Chapter.
I Work For God by Jerry Lombardo
Just know that the final chapters are still being written 😉 until it’s time for me to ‘go’.
End Prologue
Coming soon … a second book
#Before I Go … .
by Jerry Lombardo