Jaima Itzae Barajas Pena

The hot sun filled the world outside the bus and seeped in through the window giving light to the youthful eyes of Jaima Itzae Barajas Pena. His white, short-sleeved shirt folded across his body as he read from a good book. He was dressed in the same way as those boys that came to his home for the first time 4 years ago. All he was missing was a name-tag. The weather was different on that day.

 Rain poured down, splattering against the windows. Young Barajas lounged inside his house, enjoying his soft carpet, and the couches of white and lime green, colors characteristic of Mexico City, Mexico. He was 13 then. 

He heard commotion at the door, and soon two young men entered, water dripping down their smiling faces and from their shirts and onto the floor, wetting the carpet. His father brought out two white polos and insisted that they wear them, they declined but his father insisted more. They put them on, over their wet clothing, one of them fumbling to put his name tag on over the polo. Strange these hermanos are, thought Barajas. 

They announced that they were missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Mom had said that the family needed more spiritual guidance- dad brought back the Mormons. 

They showed pictures of people his family had never seen and “began preaching about prophets of God.”

His mothers needle work hung on the wall.

Barajas was different then, certainly, but still, not so different as he would like. 

A few weeks ago he and his friend had been sitting practicing lines for the upcoming play. They were dressed in simple slacks and polos, cutomary dress code for their all-LDS school. Graduation was coming up and that included graduation from seminary. 

"Are you going to graduate?" his friend asked.

"Uh, of course not, I haven’t done anything" responded Barajas.

And then his friend came out with it- I like you, amigo, but with you I will not progress spiritually. 

“And then it hit me," relates Brajas. His friend then challenged him to read the Book of Mormon, and told him of its importance. 

He had been baptized for four or five years now, and had still not succeeded in reading it all the way through. Light came in and illuminated the pages of the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. The people around him sang :

Called to serve Him, heav'nly King of glory,

Chosen e'er to witness for his name,

Far and wide we tell the Father's story,

Far and wide his love proclaim.

Barajas had started reading the Book of Mormon ever since that conversation with hiw friend. Now he was on his way to teach a nearby town. He was a missionary for a week, as part of the missionary program for his school. His companion was by his side. They had now been asked to read 3 Nephi 11, and to underline this part, giving it to the investigators to read. He refocused on the reading. He desired to know that it was true.

Artwork by Walter Rane

 8 And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them.

9 And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying:

10 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.

11 And behold, I am the alight and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.

“When I read the Book of Mormon I didn’t really understand, but that day I did understand what it was saying and I imagined that scene in my mind. of the savior coming to the america and talking to the Nephites,” remembers Barajas, “I love that part... I decided to be spiritually strong. If you read the boo of mormon you will be strong. I didn’t do that until he told me.”

Barajas now attends BYU-I. Has been living in the United States for a little over a month now, and just finished his mission in Mexico. He is an example of the power of true friendships. We call him James.