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By Jaron
Summers
Chapter
One
When
God called Scott W. Nimbell to be an apostle,
Lucifer tried to destroy the Mormon Church leader. Make no mistake,
Lucifer would have laughed like a wild hyena if he could have taken down
an apostle. What a coup! Not as diabolical as say, impregnating Mother
Teresa with an Anti-Christ fetus but certainly a fine win in a
never-ending battle. Good against evil. Righteousness against
unrighteousness. Heaven against Hell. Apostle
Nimbell bested The Devil by casting Lucifer out of himself. In
the Mormon Church when the apostle spoke of his battle with Lucifer
everyone marveled at the apostle's power and his unshakable testimony (a
spiritual conviction directly from God). In addition to being an
apostle, Scott W. Nimbell was a General Authority in The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. This allowed him to grant almost any
request within the domain of the Mormon Church. The
phone rang. It was Corky Charles in New Zealand. Corky was in charge of
the missionaries for The Mormon Church on the North Island of New
Zealand. “I have a great favor to ask,” said Corky Charles, also
fighting the good fight on the other side of the world, ever vigilant,
ever ready to stand against The Devil. “I would like to keep Elder Wonder here in the mission
field.” “Have
you prayed about it, Brother Charles?” “I
have.” “I
too have prayed, Brother Charles and Father in Heaven revealed to me
that we cannot have Elder Wonder in his present state of mind
representing the Church,” said God’s Apostle Nimbell, who besides
beating The Devil had beaten throat cancer, beaten depression, and
beaten facial tics, well not really, just ignored those. “Elder
Wonder is repentant, Apostle Nimbell. Truly repentant. I think we can
give him one more chance,” pleaded the mission father. “Out of the question. Elder Wonder and that airline stewardess were self-pollinating over international phone lines.” The apostle of God glimpsed himself in a nearby glass trophy cabinet. He looked older than his three score and ten. Why had the Lord spared him? Obviously the Lord needed him. One proof of this was The Devil, always tempting, always ready to cut him down. Besides possession, albeit temporary, The Devil had attacked Apostle Nimbell with everything from typhoid fever to drowning.
“I don't know what to do,” said Corky Charles. “Put
Elder Wonder on the next plane and contact his bishop and stake
president. I've started the paperwork to have him excommunicated.” The
apostle knew that the New Zealand mission father would do exactly as
requested. Brother Charles might have been reluctant to mete out
discipline, but a directive from an apostle—who was also a General
Authority—would set things in order. Painful for Elder Wonder, but he
was young and if genuinely sorry could eventually be readmitted to the
church. After the proper time he could be re-baptized and
re-fellowshipped. Eventually his priesthood could be returned. And then
the pain and anguish that Elder Wonder was suffering, or should suffer,
would cease. He would be forgiven. He could start over. But first things
first. The wayward elder must return to the States. “I
can't,” said Brother Charles. At
first Apostle Nimbell thought that the connection was poor. Brother
Charles would surely never disobey a direct order from an apostle of
God. A man who one day might be God's living prophet on earth.
“Pardon?” asked Apostle Nimbell. “If
I send Elder Wonder home,” said Brother Charles, “my wife will leave
New Zealand.” “Now
why would your wife leave New Zealand?” Humor the poor man, Apostle
Nimbell told himself. “She
insists that Elder Wonder stay.” “She
has no part of the decision, Brother Charles. You are in charge of the
mission there. You hold the Melchizedek priesthood.” “Sister
Charles will leave me if I send Elder Wonder home. I love her, Apostle
Nimbell. She is going through a phase that I do not understand.” “When
you accepted your call to be a mission president you promised to follow
the direction and counsel of the first presidency. You have a renegade
missionary on your hands.” “Renegade?” “Renegade.
He performed an unwarranted blessing and he sealed a grave in a pagan
manner.” “Who
told you this?” “That
is not important. What is important is that we bring him home. Do you
understand?” “I
understand,” said Brother Charles. “I
must ask you a question that may be very difficult for you to answer.
But you must answer it,” said Apostle Nimbell. “Certainly.” “Is
there any chance that Elder Wonder tricked your wife into some sexual
deviation?” “No.
No. I'm sure nothing like that,” said Brother Charles. “Are
your relationships with your wife as normal as our Father in Heaven
intended?” asked Apostle Nimbell. “Yes.” “Have
the two of you been involved in any deviant bedroom behavior, no matter
how seemingly innocent? Inappropriate mouthing, for instance?”
“I have a confession,” said Brother Charles. Apostle
Nimbell leaned forward, trembling with both fear and anticipation. There
was a chance that Lucifer had indeed taken hold of the mission mother.
What a victory for Lucifer! “Tell me,” breathed Apostle Nimbell. “I
have not had sexual relations with my wife for some time.” “How
long?” As an apostle of God, Scott W. Nimbell realized that Lucifer
had more power over water than land. New Zealand was surrounded by
water. This might be exactly where Lucifer would strike. “Several
months,” said Brother Charles. “She is going through the change.” Change. A euphemism, no more, no less, thought the
apostle. Sister Charles was possessed. What a trophy for the Son of
Darkness. “Have
you noticed anything unusual about Sister Charles, and please open up
your heart. Hold back nothing. Even if you can feel the Forces of Evil
at work.” “She
spends a lot of time digging in the garden in the middle of the night,
and she’s involved with a woman who kills sparrows.” Again
that poor connection. “Did you say your wife kills sparrows?” “Sister
Beth, Apostle. She kills sparrows by electrocution. She and my wife are
very friendly. Elder Wonder recently baptized Sister Beth which is how
she and my wife became friends.” Yes,
Lucifer was in New Zealand, operating boldly. Turning a mission mother
against her husband. Using animal sacrifices to do it. Well, bird
sacrifices, same thing, almost. “Brother Charles, I will be there as
quickly as humanly possible.” The line went dead.
Apostle Nimbell's hand again trembled as he replaced the phone receiver.
If conditions had degenerated to the point he feared in the South
Pacific, a land of heathens, fornicators, adulterers, cannibals
(former), and self-pollinators, it might be necessary to perform an
exorcism on the mission mother. There was a knock on the door. It was
the bishop of Great Falls, a tall angular individual, a dead ringer for
the Marlboro Man, except, of course, for the absence of a cigarette. “I'm
sorry to bother you, but—” He came all the way into the room when he
saw Apostle Nimbell with a hand to his head . . . “Are you all
right?” “I
have just learned of Lucifer's intervention in the South Pacific and
must go there at once,” said Apostle Nimbell. “But how many I help
you?” “Sister
Afton Cain is here for her mission interview.” “When
is the next flight to San Francisco?” “Very
late tonight or tomorrow morning.” “Book
me on the next flight to Auckland. It's a matter of grave concern. We
are talking about the entire South Pacific. I'll see the young lady
now.” “Thank
you,” said the bishop. “Here's her file. Everything seems in order.
She has wonderful parents. I’ll call the airlines to arrange for your
flight to New Zealand.” A
moment later a tall girl with flaming red hair shook hands timidly with
Apostle Nimbell. When the bishop shut the door, leaving the two alone,
Apostle Nimbell said, “Sister Afton, please pardon me for being late
but I have some matters of extreme urgency to attend to in the South
Pacific. Lucifer is working overtime among the natives . . . .” The
girl gasped. “Fear not, child,” said Apostle Nimbell. “With our Father in Heaven’s help, I have bested the devil before.” He smiled fatherly at Afton. Her seducers rose and fell beneath her starched blouse. The devil was everywhere today. That master of lies and deceit had someone managed to wiggle between the soft blue lace of the young woman’s brassiere and her melon-shaped seducers. Apostle Nimbell silently willed Lucifer back to Hell. The apostle was careful not to think of Afton’s twin seducers, although he could see their sinister outline against her white blouse. Afton’s seducers ceased heaving. Apostle Nimbell had won another tiny victory against the Prince of Darkness; the battle was just beginning.
...to be continued
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