Alex Boye

Tuesday night we had a joint RS Mtg with 2 other wards.  We had arranged to have Alex Boye come as the speaker (singer).  I was a bit nervous, as I have heard mixed reviews about his talk, but I must say he was outstanding.  He talked about the power of music, did some singing and then shared his conversion story.
He grew up in London, England.  He was a 16 year old kid, living with an acholic uncle because his parents were divorced and gone or died (don't remember).....He worked at McDonalds and his boss (a large black man) was a member of the church.  Alex was very testy, always getting into trouble, yelling at customers, fighting with other employees.  He was just an angry young man.
His boss, for some reason, continued to put up with this always suggesting that he come to church with him or to a church activity which only made Alex more angry.
One day the boss asked him if he would like to meet some American girls......this caught his fancy.  American girls were about the best thing going..........so that night when he returned home from work, there were 2 sister missionaries waiting for him.  He invited them in.....called all his friends to share the big news that 2 cute American girls were in his house.  Soon the house was full of his friends and his status soared!
He continued to invite them just to get to know AMERICAN GIRLS.  One day they told him about life after death.  That was too much and he challenged them......How do you know?  Have you ever died and come back? 
And then one of these sisters looked him in the eye and said, "I am 21 years old and I have left my family, my friends, my cute car, my school, my warm house, a mother who takes care of me, and everything else that is dear to me and I have come here for 18 months because I want to share what I know.  And one of those things is that I know there is life after death!"
He weeps as he recounts this powerful moment of testimony from a young 21 year old girl.  Within weeks he was baptized but when his uncle found out, he packed up this belongings, threw them on the street and told him never to come back.  Poor Alex was confused and devasted.  Here he had embraced the gospel and this was his blessing?????  He was 16 years old and did not know he had a ward family with a bishop who could help him so he wandered the streets, homeless and hungry and cold.  He finally found an old abandoned car that he crawled inside and began to read from his little B of M.  Answers came thru the scriptures  Over time things got better.  He then served a mission, now lives here, is married and has one child.
His music was beautiful!  I am hoping that when we return he will still be here and we can have him for a family fireside!
Anyway, I thought of Bryant who is now testifying of truths that only come by the spirit.  I thot of Peter and Nick who have set the standard of missionary work in this family.  I love missionaries and am so grateful to be in a family who loves and lives missionary work.  I feel blessed!