My first mission president passed away last week.

President Goodman had an immeasurable impact on my life. Before I left for Italy, I was given a blessing where I was told that my mission would bless me with a strong testimony of the Lord’s work and lay a foundation for the rest of my life. Presidente and Sorella Goodman were no small part of that promise.

This past week I have pondered the many lessons I learned during those years (see IT Runs in My Veins) . Many memories came flooding back. So much of who I am today is because of my mission and the leadership and love of this tremendous human being.

While there are many I could share, three experiences in particular and their accompanying lessons stand out to me.

Be Where Your Priesthood Leader Asks You to Be

On one occasion, I was serving as a counselor in a branch presidency. One Saturday, there were several all-day training meetings with district and branch leadership—not a meeting for missionaries. The branch president had requested I attend with him and we received permission from President Goodman for me to do so. When we arrived, someone approached me and, in a rather negative way, questioned why I was there—I was, after all, the only young full-time missionary present. I began to feel a little sheepish and out of place as this person told me I should be using my time differently. Yet, almost immediately, President Goodman appeared from behind and told the person he wanted me there. He then turned to me and told me he was glad I was there.

I’m not sure why this lesson has stuck with me, but I learn two things: One, I should not worry about being where my priesthood leader asks me to be, even if I am seemingly out of place. Two, as a leader who may ask people to be somewhere unfamiliar or in an assignment that may be new to them, I need to watch out for them and ensure they are reassured that I want them there.

When in Doubt, Testify

About halfway through my mission, I was given a new assignment for which I felt extremely inadequate. President Goodman must have sensed this and maybe a day or so into this assignment, he pulled me into his office and asked how I was doing. I’m not sure what I said, but I will never forget what he said: “Anziano, you are here because of your testimony. All I want you to do is share your testimony. Whenever you get into a situation where you don’t know what to do, share your testimony.”

I took that to heart and never missed a chance to share the things of my heart afterward. And, it always seemed to work out—whether it was bringing the Spirit to a meeting, defusing a contentious situation, or simply helping someone feel closer to God, sharing my witness of the truth was the answer.

Humility and Counselors

One of the responsibilities I had the privilege to be part of was the assigning of new missionaries to their trainers. On one occasion, we had counseled with President Goodman on these assignments before the new missionaries arrived. Later, when my colleague and I picked up the new missionaries from the airport, we both felt that one of the assignments was wrong. Nervous, but also trying to follow counsel from President Goodman to follow the Spirit, we asked him if we could talk to him. We explained our thoughts and impressions. He listened attentively and asked us a few questions. He thanked us and told us he would pray about it. He did end up making the change.

As I reflect on this, I learn about the humility needed in leadership. The ultimate decision was President Goodman’s, but there is a role for and safety in counselors (see Proverbs 11:14). This takes a degree of humility on the part of the leader. Further, I learned how to be a better counselor; that responsibility entails speaking up but accepting the decision of the leader, in turn also requiring humility on the part of the counselor.

From President Goodman I learned the power of obedience and the blessings of sacrifice; I witnessed the humility of a true disciple of Christ; I felt love and trust from a remarkable leader.

The writer of Acts describes the missionary Barnabas as follows:

“For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord” (Acts 11:24). The pun is not lost on me, but this describes President Goodman perfectly: he was a good man.

Yesterday, in the busy-ness of Saturday, I ended up with a needed, yet unusual quiet moment. As I sat there, tears filled my eyes as I was overwhelmed with gratitude. Gratitude for the Goodman family who shared this great man with hundreds of missionaries. Gratitude for Sorella Goodman who led and taught and sacrificed at his side. Gratitude for the impact this man had on my life. And gratitude to God for allowing me to cross paths in this life with Kenneth Ralph Goodman.

Fino al giorno in cui ci rivedrem, Presidente. Ti voglio bene!

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Lead photo by Ouael Ben Salah on Unsplash