Upon arrival, I was sick to my stomach and shook the entire night. I was nervous to be in an entirely foreign country, scared that I wouldn't have a successful mission, and worried that I wouldn't be able to learn Portuguese.
I got my trainer and the firs transfer came and went. Nothing too spectacular happened.
On my second transfer, I was moved to another area--the farthest North I could go. I met up with a new companion; a jock from BYU. We were together for one transfer and he left. The next two transfers I served with Elder Jacobs--and everything changed.
The day he came, I immediately recognized him. He was another elder I had met at the MTC. He was only one transfer "older" than I was in the mission. We were both very young and very inexperienced--but full of the desire to preach the gospel.
The first couple weeks were normal. We worked hard, didn't teach any lessons, or make any progress with investigators. Europe is tough.
However, I noticed that Elder Jacobs started getting a little more--how shall I say it?--comfortable with me.
In our tiny little apartment on a farm, our room had bunk beds. At night, I would drape my hand over the side. One night, as my hand was draped over the side and we were talking, I felt Elder Jacobs grab my hand. I didn't stop talking. He held it tightly, and then started moving his hand up and down my arm. He didn't stop until we both fell asleep. This little "hand game" went on for about two weeks.
One day, a P-Day if I remember correctly, I was writing a letter on my desk. Elder Jacobs came up behind me, wrapped his arms around me, and laid his head on my shoulder. He stayed there until I finished writing my last sentence. I turned my head toward him. His lips were inches from my own. We didn't move. We didn't speak. I was scared that something was going to happen. Yet, I didn't pull away.Elder Jacobs laughed and got up.
The next week, Elder Jacobs was transferred.
*****
After the mission, he was the first one I met up with when I went to BYU. We hung out and went on a blind double date. Life happened, and our friendship slowly dwindled to nothing. However, the last time I saw him, something interesting happened.
He was with his fiance and I had taken them both out to dinner. I knew that our friendship was ending. We chatted and reminisced about serving together; the hardships and the joys.
When I took them back to his apartment, we said our goodbyes and gave each other an embrace. It wasn't a normal hug, but a hug that conveyed the love that two brothers share for each other. We nervously shook hands for the last time and then--that's when it happened.
He held tightly onto my hand (his fiance was inside) and rose it slowly to his lips and gave it a sweet, tender kiss. He smiled and said, "See you later," and walked away.
That was the last time I saw Elder Jacobs. He is now happily married.
~End Part 3
You hope he's happily married....
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