Vasile loves Book of Mormon Stories

This little boy's name is Vasile and he lives in the city of Iasi. President Ashby and I went to Iasi this past weekend to do Zone Conference and to attend their Branch Conference. On Saturday night the Branch held a Joseph Smith birthday activity where they showed the movie "The Work and The Glory", gave popcorn to everyone and talked about the prophet Joseph. It was a great evening but one of the things that really touched me was when Vasile and his three little brothers came to the activity.

Vasile is 12 years old, he has twin brothers that are 10 and a little brother 5 years old. They came in and sat down with their popcorn and were glued to the movie. I first put on The Jungle Book while we were waiting for all the Branch members to come and the boys thoroughly enjoyed the cartoon show. I expected to see their parents any minute and meet them. They never came. I finally asked the missionaries where the parents were.
“oh, their parents are not members. The boys come on their own.”
“You mean they know abut your activites and come to them?”
“No, they come to everything, to church, to the baptim’s and all the activities.”
“You’re kidding,” I said. “Have you ever met their parent’s?”
“No, we tried recently but when we came to the door the boys looked at us and said their parent’s were busy and didn’t want us to come in.”
“But they let them come to church?”
“Yes, and they come to everything. They love to be here. We have started a Primary for them and they love learning the Book of Mormon Stories.


The next day was Sunday. John and I were the main speakers. Vasile sat on the front row and listened to every word we said. His little brothers weren’t there but after Sacrament meeting they all walked into the church and went to Primary. I wanted to get a photo of all of them but as soon as church was over the little brothers left before I could catch them. Vasile stayed because there was a baptism right after church.

I went up to him and said, “Vasile, are you a member?”
He looked at me and said, “No, but I will be! I’m going to get baptized some day.”
I was so touched by the earnest look in his eyes. I asked him why he didn’t leave with his little brothers and he said he couldn’t. He had to stay and watch the baptism.

Vasile had on his best clothes…this long sleeve red shirt. I asked him if he had a white shirt and tie and he looked down at his feet and said no. I then asked him when his Birthday was and he told me it was in January. I told him that we were buying him a new white shirt and tie for church for his birthday. His eyes lit up and he said, Thank you!
The sister missionaries, Sisters Homer and Olsen, are taking him to the store on Preparation day to get his birthday present.

A young man who works in the Orphanage in Iasi told me that he see’s one of Vasile’s little brothers out begging on a street corner every morning from 7 AM until the afternoon. He said that even when it is cold the boy only has on shorts and a Tee shirt and his face is very dirty. (It snowed in Iasi this weekend!) However, at the activity, the little boy was in warm clothes. I hate how parents make their children beg from such a young age and on.

I wanted to tell you this story to show you how devoted even a little child can be. How the spirit can touch anyone, any age. We take the church so much for granted at home but in a land where most people don’t even know what the word Mormon is, when the spirit touches hearts, the people want to be where they can have that feeling with them as often as possible. Vasile and his brothers feel this. They don’t really know what it is that makes them love the church, but, they know it is good and they come all that they can.
Sometimes I wish others at home could feel the difference it is to live in a country or a place where there is such a lack of spirit. It makes you appreciate how much we all have and how the Lord has really blessed us. We have a good spirit around us all the time in our homes….so much so that we often take it for granted.

What makes such a young boy like Vasile so dedicated and determined? I’m not sure but I do pray that Vasile will someday have the blessing of baptism in his life. He really wants it. But even if he has to wait, one day he will remember the feelings he had and the love he felt and when the time is right hopefully he and his little brothers will have the opportunity to accept baptism and the blessings of the Atonement in their lives.