A Broken Promise

Tuesday, August 8, 2006

As I looked west down Young Street I saw the familiar blue Lincoln Continental turn the corner and approach the Temple Lot. I looked nervously across the street at the restored, nineteenth century two-story duplex where Elder Black, the senior missionary who had been assigned as my companion that day, had gone home for lunch. It was raining that day and we hadn't had any visitors to the site so leaving me there alone for a while was no big deal.

Well, not for him. I felt as though Satan would pull me into a chasm in the Earth for being without my companion. The senior missionaries were a little more relaxed about the whole deal.

Besides, he was only going to be a few minutes because we were expecting important company. Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was in Nauvoo for the day and the mission president, President Burgess, would be bringing Elder Scott to the Temple Lot any minute now. The last thing I wanted was to be caught alone, without my companion.

Elder Scott stepped out of the car as President Burgess approached me. "Elder Dunn, where's your companion?"

"He walked across the street to grab some lunch. I expected him back by now."

"No matter. Elder Scott here will be your companion for the next thirty minutes or so. He'd like a tour of the temple grounds. I'll be back to pick him up when you're done."

My heart was stuck in my throat. Here I was, seventeen years old, alone with an Apostle of God for half an hour. The tour itself only took about fifteen minutes and that was if there was a large group with lots of questions. It was just him and me. What would I do for the rest of the time?

I stumbled through the tour of the site the best I could. I glanced at my watch as I neared the end of the script. Twelve minutes had passed. Fetch! 45 seconds later, the tour was complete. Where the flipping heck was Elder Black?

"Well, Elder Dunn. You really seem to know all about the temple site."

"Thanks." Of course, everything I knew was from the pre-approved script I had been provided. I guess I had followed it well.

"So tell me about yourself, Elder Dunn. Are you a full-time missionary?"

I wasn't. In fact, I was surprised he had asked. I didn't look old enough to be a full-time, nineteen-year-old missionary until my late twenties. "No, sir. I'm a service missionary. I'm here for the summer as a youth performer. I'm in the shows at the Visitors' Center."

"I see. Do you plan on serving a full-time mission, son?"

"I do. In fact, I have written a letter to the First Presidency asking permission to stay here and complete a 2 year mission now instead of waiting another year and a half."

"Interesting. I would guess that you'll not be able to do that. But make me this promise...", He took hold of my hand and brought me in close to him, "... When the time comes, promise me that you will serve a full-time mission."

I didn't hesitate, "I promise." I was sure he could see into my soul. He knew all my sins in that moment. I was embarassed.

"Good. If there's some reason why you can't or won't go when that time comes, promise me you'll call me first? You'll come to my office and we'll talk about it?"

"I promise."

We chatted about my experiences in Nauvoo that summer, my family, the weather and that sort of thing until the mission president returned. We shook hands again, he looked me right in the eye again.

"Remember your promise, Elder Dunn."

By the time my nineteenth birthday came along, Donna and I were dating. We were also, umm, well, into each other. I didn't ever go on a full-time mission. I also never called Elder Scott to explain why not.

I often wonder if he remembers our afternoon together in Nauvoo in the summer of 1991. I wonder if he knows I didn't go on a mission. I wonder if I called him now if he would still meet with me. I wonder what he would say about my resignation from the LDS church last November.

Maybe I should call his office and see if he's still willing to chat.

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Permanent Link: A Broken Promise
Filed under: Mormonism

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