The title of the fireside was "Living as a Christian in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia". Brother and Sister Vera were the speakers and they shared their experience of living there for five years. I only caught the last 30 mins of the fireside, but I was deeply moved.
Brother and Sister Vera shared their experience with the church. There are many people who want nothing to do with Christianity. Spies, police, neighbors that will turn in neighbors. They had to be very careful about everything they said and did in Saudi Arabia.
With the church, they did not keep any written records. If they had to write down someone's name/list, it was all done in code and people's names/family names/rolls etc were done with initials only.
Before he and his wife would go to church they would look outside and try to make sure they were not being followed. Sister Vera's daily conversations with her 2 and I believe 4 year olds was teaching them that although they loved Jesus even if their friends asked them what they did on Sunday, they could never say His name out loud or tell any of their friends about church and what they learned/did. This comment alone seemed crazy! But the more I heard of what they had to do living in a non-freedom of religion area... my thoughts were so full.
Brother Vera also shared that many of his co-workers were good Muslims who sought to do right things. Accustom to their religion his Muslim friends were to pray five times a day. On a particular outing with a co-worker (I believe it was the noon) prayers came up. His friend told Bro Vera to just drive quickly to work where he could go and partake of the prayer. Normaly everyone is to stop and go to specified areas for prayer.
As they rounded the corner in their car, the Prayer Police (yes you read that right) made them stop their car and motioned for them to show their identification cards. These are cards that let the police know if one is muslin/citizen or not. Brother Vera showed his card and was "okay" because he was a foreigner. But when his co-worker showed his card and that he was Muslim/thus not praying when he was suppose to-- the police took him right there on the spot and put him in jail for 24 hours. At this point in the story Brother Vera shared how if Satan would have had His way in the pre-exsistance--that would be exactly how his plan would have been. Go to jail if not found doing the exact thing you were commanded to do.
The more Brother and Sister Vera shared, the more my heart swelled for the country that I live in. For the freedoms sought and fought for--based on religious freedom!!
When Bro. Vera came back to the states, just after a short while he was in Home Depot and heard a man discussing on his cell phone about, "...we will meet up for Elders Quorum and do church...". Without thinking Brother Vera lunged for the guy's phone and was ready to knock it to the floor while asking the man if he was crazy saying such things out loud. Right before he actually grabbed the phone, he finally remembered that he was in America and it was okay to "speak" openly about religeous things. Sister Vera's daughter came and quietly pulled her aside and whispered if it would be okay to talk about Jesus with her cousin. Sister Vera then shared that because they were in America now, she could talk openly about Jesus all the time!
Brother and Sister Vera then testified of the freedoms we so readily take forgranted here... in a country that was fought for on the ground of/for religious freedom! I left the meeting with deep gratitude for this country. And also a little remorse at my own lack of gratitude/what I take for granted so often. Since the fireside I have listened to how many times I have had a religious any type of talk in the open... I was out to lunch with one of my old young woman at Subway and our conversation was quite divine. The spirit rushed about us as we both shared our thoughts about God and what he had done for each of us in the last three years. As we shared I couldn't help but look around the resterant and all the customers coming in and out who might happen to hear our conversation. I thought about how I would see no police shipping me off to jail... what freedoms I take for granted.
I LOVE the picture of George Washington kneeling down. As a curtisy of mom and dad needing a wall for it to hang on--this picture resides in my bedroom. As I took this shot, I found it profound that in the reflection of the glass--the pool of bethesda with the Savior is shown in the exact place George Washington is kneeling down to! And reflecting on his back is the picture of the 2nd coming.
Our founding fathers were men of great faith and devotion to the most High God. They fought for the cause that I so easily take for granted... freedom of religion and freedom to live my life the way I feel best. Amen to some of the best blood shed, such a high price given, so I can talk about Jesus Christ, church, the Holy Ghost-- openly. No one takes me to jail when I am not caught saying a prayer when I should have/should be. Oh the merciful plan of our great God! In providing a nation where we have freedom of religion and speech.
The title of liberty:
This is America to me! Oh so much to be thankful for. Bless thanksgiving and the reason why we celebrate!In memory of our God,
our religion,
and freedom,
and our peace,
our wives,
and our children... (Alma 46:12)
I am grateful for Heavenly Father's Great plan of happiness which allows
me the opportunity to choose to follow Him and His
perfect plan for me... a plan that included a
Savior, an atonement, repentance, grace,
forgiveness love and redemption.
God bless/ed America!
perfect plan for me... a plan that included a
Savior, an atonement, repentance, grace,
forgiveness love and redemption.
God bless/ed America!
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