Interfaith Relations

Elders Morgan, Bonney, and I pushed past the crowd inside the Orthodox church to try and find Elder Fronk, who was supposedly saving a seat for us. The chatter was incessant, yet it was drowned out by the Orthodox Chatting from the priest in the front of the room. Though the music was impressive, it was not the reason everyone was there.

We sit in the back row of at least 30 Orthodox Priests, prepping for a 3 hour meeting. Yes, we attracted looks, but I was surprised by the kindness everyone showed. It was a bit unusual.

After about an hour, the man of the event walks in. It's not everyday you see the Archbishop of the Orthodox church.

To put this in understandable terms, we basically got to see the "Pope" of the Orthodox church. We sat and heard the singing of the stories from the New Testament, and sat through their equivalent of a sustaining.

The sustaining was particular to me. One of the Priests was receiving a promotion, which was the purpose of Archbishop Bartholomew's visit, and as he was speaking, he exclaimed,

"ΑΞΙΟΣ!" ("worthy of")

Which the congregation replied, "ΑΞΙΟΣ!" unprompted. He said it a couple times has he continued his praise for this man. It was really interesting.

After the 3 hour meeting concluded, most people began to file out. We remained to find a couple of our friends, Father  Esavios, and the Arch Deacon of the local monastery. After we finally did, Father Esavios greeting me with a grand hug, he promoted us to line up along the red carpet leading out of the church.

"He'll exit this way," he basically said. And surely enough he did. And here were five Latter-day Saint missionaries standing along the side, in the zone of shaking his hand.

Though, we had the false assumption things would proceed as respectfully as is usual during general conference or whenever a general authority visits somewhere. It was simply not the case, which we realized as people rushed past us, one lady that the security was having a hard time keeping back, at Bartholomew's feet, speaking Greek faster than I could grasp. I assumed from her attitude, she was begging for forgiveness or confessing.

Regardless, as you'll see in the pictures, we get pretty easily pushed aside. It was quite a sight, to say the least.

I might have 16 days left of my mission, but things certainly aren't slowing down, it seems. I just couldn't believe that happened.

Let's just say, the longer you wait to write the email, the harder it becomes to write the thoughts that you would like to express and the events that occured. But since I am so close to the end, I am really trying to make the effort. Yet again, this email is really for me, so the better I make them, the better journal I have, haha!

We called this last week our "Interfaith Relations" week since we met with, not only Bartholomew, but SIX other faiths. Every time would happen, we would joke "I wonder who else we will meet!" Then a day later, we would meet someone new.

- Leader of the Orthodox Church
- Two Roman Catholic Priests
- 2nd generational Jehovah's Witness
- Apostolic Greek Christians
- Student Protestant Minister (She came to an activity at the church)
- American Jew

We were like little kids with too much stimulus-- "What do we do! Uh...." with eyes wide. I don't have a lot of time to write this, but I will mention, each of these had led into some form of conversation. Aside from Bartholomew, but we made friends with some of the Priests, so I would count it. The conversation with the Roman Catholic's was probably one of the most productive, since we spoke for nearly 30 minutes. He did call us a cult, which made me quickly realize that his "study" of us in his seminary was about all he had. Not much external study. Regardless, I did really enjoy the conversation.

I think about conference, where one of the speakers spoke of a time during Covid, the different leaders of the churches got together on Zoom to pray together.

In the way of general respect and Christ-like love in the presence of religions contemporaries, disputations demand to be set aside; differences acknowledged; dissonance out of the vicinity; and love to be shown for our fellow man.

"Let them worship how they may."

As we rode in a Taxi the other night, our driver asked us what we were doing here in Greece. I gladly explained that we were volunteers for our church, and we taught about Jesus Christ.

"What, the Greek's don't know Jesus Christ?" he scoffed.

"No, they do," I replied.

"So what are you actually doing here then?" he asked.

"We believe the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the Earth again. That's what we teach."

He got so offended by the truth we said, which wasn't much more than my last statement, he began to get, nearly physical as he jabbed my chest near my tag.

"You need to join the Orthodox church, how do think anything else is true?" to summerize his words.

"No," Elder Bonney replied boldly. "Because I have a testimony of the restoration. That is why I am here."

He was so upset by our unwillingness to raise our voices to feed his fire, he continued to raise his own so high it blinded his sight, and he missed the turn to our street.

He got out of the taxi with us once we stopped, went to his trunk and begin to paint something which I could understand the Greek, just not his point. Circular reasoning, which doesn't really do it for me.

Regardless, other than a testimony given, this conversation didn't amount to anything. Unfortunately mutual respect is locked behind a two-keyed door. The other might not be willing to turn his key, but at least you did your part.

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Last week was a hard week for us all, to be honest, and it was a remarkable flashback to the time I went home.

Sister Gamett, one of the sisters I've been serving with for her entire mission, aside one transfer, had to go home for medical.

It was a deeply emotional time for everyone. I have been known for saying, "I would not wish my experience upon my worst enemy."

And to watch someone, a good friend, go through the same thing was a lesson to me to understand what it means when Christ desires for us to place our burdens upon him. Because how greatly all of us wished we could for her. Yet God has a plan for each of us. Who are we to step in his way.

We had a final p-day and meal together the evening before she went home, and discussed stories. It was honestly a special moment for us all.

But I testify of the peace that God gives you as you follow his command. As I wrote of the overwhelming peace felt as I myself went home early from my mission, Sister Gamett confirmed as she shared to us all that she too had the same feeling.

I testify of his peace. It don't make sense why you feel peace in times of grief or pain. Yet, that is what He promises as we follow Him.

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Well, I could talk about this last P-day for a long time, but honestly-- just Google it. I'm too tired for context.

Basically, we visited King Phillip the Second's tomb, and it was one of the coolest things I've seen since I've been to Greece. It was awesome. I was shocked how much paint was still on everything. The entire history surrounding it is amazing. Alexander the Great would have been the person, being King Phillip II's son, to prepare this tomb. It's the equivalent of King Tut's Tomb to the Greeks. As we drove there, we listened to Alexander the Great's mutiny speech.

Anyways, I gotta go. But God loves you!

The weather is perfect here now.

Elder Dylan Hansen