Future Missionary

One of the patients I examined before spring break was an 18 year old. He came in because he needed more contacts before his trip. In the process of the exam and getting to know a patient, I found he was a LDS member. And the way he said it to me, I knew he was apprehensive and defensive about telling me. For those not in the know, LDS stands for Latter-day Saints or sometimes more affectionately known to the general public as Mormons. So yes all those thoughts that are running in your head right now as you read the word "Mormon" is why this particular individual was not keen on divulging that piece of info. Misconceptions.

I decided to play into his apprehension and asked him some pointed questions about certain practices of his faith. He was perplexed as to how I would know some of this stuff. After a amusing myself for a moment, I told him I was just kidding around with my questions since I already knew the answers.

Little did he realize my best friend is a LDS member, and to make him more comfortable I told him as much. So this peaked his curiosity, and he asked me what my religion was. It probably seemed strange to him how a Catholic would have a LDS as a good friend, and probably even more so vice versa. I told him it was a long story, and he wasn't paying me enough for that Reading Rainbow moment.

So through the course of the exam we talked about him heading off to Idaho last year to work on a farm, quite a random and impulsive desire on his part. And then there were his various jobs since he is not attending school. He advised me not to take a job in delivering newspaper. To which I replied I didn't foresee any need for me to change my current occupation in the near future. It seems he was working all these jobs to save up money for his mission trip that will be starting this summer.

In the end it was one of the more pleasant conversation I've had with a patient in a while. He was amazed I knew so much about his faith, and I could tell he was quite inquisitive when he said he wish he knew more about other religions. So I told him to look it up and better yet to ask people about their practices and faith. Just not me since I had another patient waiting.

At the end I decided to do something I have never done for a stranger in my office, I told him he need not pay for the exam and to save the money for his missionary trip (I just hope word doesn't get out about me being a softie). I surprised him with this gesture, hoping this future missionary learns that help can come in the most unexpected of times and places. Lessons at an early age can do more to shape a person, and building a person's faith in the world at large can be a challenge. Besides he came across as a good kid. To be 18 year old and wide-eyed to the world again. Granted that comes with the insecurities about the future and yourself. Maybe being 30 isn't so bad after all.