MY "CONVERSATION" WITH THE UBER DRIVER

When I have to get around Mexico City alone, I use an Uber.  (I could write a whole post about driving here - suffice it is to say - it is way, way, way beyond my comfort level! And too, Uber's are very inexpensive to use here in Mexico City.)

Recently I was going alone to a stake activity in our mission, so I ordered an Uber and hopped in.  (FYI  --- I am learning Spanish, but I would never describe myself as someone that "speaks" Spanish.)  As I got into the Uber,  the driver looked at the address that came up on his phone  and it said "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints".  He asked me in Spanish "Usted es Mormon?"  (You are Mormon?)  I answered "yes" and he said told me he was too!  (Remember, this is all in Spanish - and I am just learning...)  Then he looked at my name tag and asked if I was President Mann's wife.  How fun is that - he lives in our own mission! (FYI - our home and the mission office are in different missions than our mission, but that is another story.)

He went on to tell me that his name was Pablo Gonzales Hernandez.  (This was all pretty easy for me to understand....)  But with a 45 minute ride ahead of me...I began to worry...and you might only understand this if you have been in a foreign country where you kind of speak the language...and know that you have 45 minutes alone with another person who is very excited and very talkative, but does not speak your native language.  How was I going to keep up listening, let alone answering questions for 45 minutes?   Terror!

Soon, I realized my fears were unfounded.  This gentlemen talked with great enthusiasm the entire 45 minute ride, and I was blessed to grasp enough of his words and ALL of his enthusiasm and love for the Gospel!!

Pablo who is a convert, learned about the church when he was 23 years old.  He was very impressed with the Church's emphasis on eternal families and the law of chastity.  He joined the church soon after.

At age 26,  his bishop said he should consider going on a full-time mission.  He was the only  member of his family and did not have money to prepare to go or pay for his mission, but he followed his bishop's counsel and applied to go on a mission.  He received his call to leave in 3 months.  He worked as hard has he could, but there was no way he could earn enough money.    The ward members worked together to provide supplies for his mission - although his clothes, shoes and suitcases were all used, they were all lovingly provided by his ward family.

He worried and worried about the money to pay his way.  The bishop just kept telling him to get ready and go and things would work out.  To this day, he does not know exactly how, but he stated "God paid for my mission".

Pablo talked on and on about how much he loved the Gospel and how much he loved serving the Lord as a full-time missionary.  He said when he arrived at the mission, he saw many other elders with nicer clothing and owned cameras.   At first he felt bad - but he soon forgot about himself and fell in love with the people and the work he was doing.  All he wanted to do was to Preach the Gospel.

He went on to tell about completing his mission and he said he cried when his mission president told him on the last day that the Lord had accepted his sacrifice and that he would continue to help many people after his mission.  (Pablo actually cried as he told me this.)

He showed me photos of his children that he carried all the time in his Uber - his son, "Moroni" and his daughter (I can't remember her name).  He talked about his ward, and how much he loves to serve and how enthusiastic he is to have the blessings of the Gospel in his life everyday.

He also told me how he shares the Gospel  every day with his clients in his car.  He said one woman he shared the gospel with is close to being baptized.

What a missionary!  What an inspiration to me!

As we pulled up to the stake center, Pablo's face was glowing!  I thanked him for the ride, but more, I thanked him for his wonderful example and enthusiasm.  It had been my privilege to ride with a true disciple of Jesus Christ!