By Jonathan H. Westover

I met Sean the first day of my mission in Seoul, Korea. He was 26 and a recent university graduate. His English was fantastic, and like most Koreans, he was very kind and excited to practice his English with an American.

After just a few minutes of getting to know him a little bit, I got the nerve to tell him a little bit more about the Church and ask him if he would like to meet again to discuss more. He said yes, and I was so excited to have made my first real contact and appointment in Korea - even if it was all done in English!

My companion and I started to meet regularly with Sean and teach him the discussions, and he seemed interested in the gospel message. Though he did not consider himself a very religious person, he believed strongly in the virtues of high moral living.

Additionally, he did not drink or smoke and he quickly accepted the basic tenets of the gospel. However, Sean had a difficult time initially with prayer and recognizing the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Several baptismal dates came and went and the weeks began to drag into months, and no real “progress” seemed to be made.

Eventually I returned home from my mission, but I continued to stay in contact with Sean. I moved to Provo, where I attended BYU and taught Korean at the MTC. Before long many of the missionaries I taught took their turns spreading the restored gospel in Korea and I was surprised to find that Sean met many of them and each of them played a very important role in helping him to stay somewhat involved with the Church.

The years continued to pass, and one evening my wife and I were enjoying the beautiful Christmas lights at Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Within a few minutes, the sister missionaries approached us and asked us if we knew anyone with whom we would like to share the gospel. At first I couldn’t think of anyone, but then I was prompted to tell them about Sean.

I did not hear much from Sean in regards to the referral over the next few months - only that he had met a new set of missionaries and that he was making some friends in the ward boundaries where he resided. I know that he had felt the spirit on many occasions in the years leading up to this point, and that he felt very strongly when he met with this new set of missionaries that it was time that he take the required step.

Before I knew it, I received word that Sean was baptized. Shortly thereafter, he was married and his new wife also was baptized. I know that they both received tremendous support from the local members. By this point, I had known Sean for six years, dating all the way back to that first meeting on my first day as a missionary in Korea. I cannot express how happy and excited I was for him and his new family.

Fortunately, the happy story did not end there. He decided to pursue his MBA and applied and was accepted to the program at BYU. After coming to BYU, Sean and his wife received great support from members of their new ward, and they made many new friends.

With their diligence in the gospel and the support and friendship of local members, Sean and his wife were sealed in the Provo Temple a year after they were baptized and had a beautiful girl born in the covenant just a few months after that. It was my family’s privileged to attend the baby blessing of his daughter and hear Sean share his testimony about the role of the restored gospel in his life and his family.

Sean and his conversion story have taught me a great deal about the blessings of the gospel and the importance of missionary work and fellowshipping. I was fortunate to play a small role in introducing him to the church, but really, it was the persistent and sincere efforts of countless elders in Korea, those wonderful sisters at Temple Square, and the local Korean members who fellowshipped him and his new wife, that helped to keep him close to the gospel until the time was right for him to get baptized. Additionally, the continued support of friends and priesthood leaders helped them to ultimately receive temple blessings and be sealed as a family.

Finally, I have learned that fellowshipping need not be scary or burdensome, but rather it is something that we can all do as we are simply living the gospel and trying to follow the example of the Savior in showing charity to those around us. Sean’s story is just one example of the many blessings that can come when we are aware of those around us and work together in the gospel.

Jonathon Westover is a member of the Maple Hills Ward, Tooele Valley View Stake.