Some Not So Stand Up Guatemalans

[Disclaimer: Talking about others, analyzing them and ourselves, sometimes in comparison to one another, and often simply reflecting on them in light of myself, ourselves, is not always a way of elevating oneself over others, but there is a non-selfish and honest pursuit in such searches and investigations. Trying to be honest and identify things in both ourselves and others is a good thing, over all. I have had plenty of negative thoughts and feelings about myself lately, the last few days, which if you have a long enough memory, which often times I do, adds up to a lot of years. So, I hope that my writings about the people below do not make you think that I am that great or better, or that I do not have serious flaws or committed big mistakes, or commit them regularly. Etcetera an on and on.]

I was reflecting about some people, some men, I have known from Guatemala. I thought about a few that did not leave great impressions on me... but like all of us, they are a mixed bag of good, bad, black, grey, and white. And I am not perfect, I know, and we should be careful of how we judge others...

I will change some names to protect those who may really know them. By the way, I have met and I know of some very upstanding people from Guatemala. But here are some cases...

When I lived at BYU-Provo (Utah) I got to know two brothers from Guatemala City (about 1994-95) who were nephews of a Church General Authority; both were extremely impressive individuals: they were polished, nice, smart, they had learned German besides their native Spanish and now English, and apart from their decent social grooming, they seemed to be on the path to economic prosperity and well being. Financial success is a big part of what we are and what we do, and how we judge ourselves. They appeared to me that they were destined for great futures, or at minimum quite respectable lives of wisdom and joy. Any college wants this for its students, yes?

I wish to discuss the cases of three men of Guatemala that had their virtues and their flaws, and perhaps derive some knowledge from them. All of them were born and raised in Guatemala, a place where I have met maybe thousands of people, mostly in California and Virginia, but also in places that I have lived all across the United States and the world.

1. Maximiliano of California, the man of other ladies.

Maximiliano had served his mission in Guatemala, maybe in the 1970s or early 1980s. He was a kind and somewhat authoritative man, he possessed an amount of gravitas or strength of personality, and after raising maybe his one child, I think a boy, with a faithful, devoted wife. He had some priesthood authority in my faith, and more or less in his own words could not help himself with a young lady in my church, outside of his marriage. Worse yet, this was not the first time that he was excommunicated for adultery. He had been through it years before, and this was his second chance that I knew of. Second time to cheat on his wife, be caught, and be tried in a Church court and dismissed. People that I knew that had known him and looked for support and fellowship were asking about his presence. He attended another church unit, of another language. I spoke to him in private, and with his wife, and he was still going to church. But I was definitely disappointed. It was more than just him, it was the dozens that cared about him and allegedly that he cared about.

Ugh, Max. So sad, and you took others with you, even younger children of the adults that loved and respected you.

Ugh, ugh, ugh. This was more than just you, Maximiliano. More than just you wife. Some of those in the lurch of might have served missions and affected thousands. But you betrayed them,

2. Efrain of Muscoy, the accused.

3. Jorge of Virginia, the reclusive technophobe.

 Original last draft: Draft

• Aug 15, 2020