Illustrating the Savior's admonition "to take . . . him that is weak, . . . that he may become strong also" (Doctrine and Covenants 84:106), Elder Mervyn B. Arnold of the Seventy told of a diligent and persistent member of a branch presidency in Fortaleza, Brazil, Jose de Souza Marques, who sought to reach a young man, Fernando Araujo.
Fernando had become involved in surfing competitions that prevented his going to Church meetings. "One Sunday morning Brother Marques knocked on my door and asked my non-member mother if he could talk to me. When she told him I was sleeping, he asked permission to wake me. He said to me, 'Fernando, you are late for church!' Not listening to my excuses, he took me to church.
"The next Sunday the same thing happened, so on the third Sunday I decided to leave early to avoid him. As I opened the gate I found him sitting on his car, reading the scriptures. When he saw me he said, 'Good! You are up early. Today we will go and find another young man!' I appealed to my free agency, but he said, 'We can talk about that later.' "
After eight Sundays, Fernando saw he could not get rid of Brother Marques, so he decided to sleep at a friend's house. On the beach the next morning, Sunday, he saw a man in a suit and tie walking toward him. When he saw it was Brother Marques he went into the water. "All of a sudden, I felt someone's hand on my shoulder. It was Brother Marques, in water up to his chest! He took me by the hand and said, 'You are late! Let's go.' When I argued that I didn't have any clothes to wear, he replied, 'They are in the car.'
"That day as we walked out of the ocean I was touched by Brother Marques's sincere love and worry for me. He truly understood the Savior's words, 'I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick' (Ezekiel 34:16). Brother Marques didn't just give me a ride to Church — the quorum made sure I remained active."
Following his reactivation, Brother Araujo went on a full-time mission and has served as bishop, stake president, mission president and regional representative, Elder Arnold said.