Memories of a Good Senior Companion

A quick story about my first companion, Elder DJ Webb: La Colonia Kennedy in Tegucigalpa had been worked over for many, many years before we got there. Yet the field was still white and ready to harvest. Elder Webb had lined up a half dozen baptisms the first few weeks I was there. We taught at least 3 or 4 discussions on my very first day and every day thereafter. I think we baptized a dozen or more in the six short weeks we were together. Obviously Elder Webb was a hard worker and trying to do what the Lord wanted. Being a senior companion can be hard, but I didn’t know anything about that.

One day we were tracting and came to a corner, wondering what to do next. Elder Webb looked at me and asked, “What do you think we should do, Elder Malone?” Up until that moment my focus had been on memorizing the discussions and conjugating verbs. It was all I could do to keep up with Elder Webb, especially since he seemed so fluent in Spanish and I was still struggling with the language so much. I said, “I don’t know. You’re the senior companion. You tell me.” I don’t think I could have hurt him more if I had cut him with a knife. Poor guy! He was exercising so much faith and working so hard to make sure that I had a good start to my mission and I couldn’t see that he could have used a friend at that moment.

Patiently, but with some emotion betrayed in his voice, Elder Webb chastised me for not responding favorably to his request to share the burden of leadership. I was surprised by his lecture and listened closely, apologizing when he was through. “No problem,” he said and shrugged it off. He smiled and we went on our way, down the next row of close-packed houses that I remember so well in the Kennedy. But I continued to think about what he said and just for a moment, as I did, the spirit touched the eyes of my understanding and I saw Elder Webb in a different light. From then on I did everything I could to be his friend and show him that we were on the same team. He seemed to mellow a bit after that and I noticed an increase in the spirit of our teaching and the tenor of our prayers.

I later learned to appreciate what a great companion Elder Webb was as I gained experience in the mission and was able to compare him to other companions who didn’t work as hard and to a junior companion who gave me the same treatment once that I gave to DJ. I can say without a doubt that Elder Webb was the hardest working companion I had and exactly the kind of first senior comp I needed to get my mission started off right. I hope I expressed my gratitude to him before we parted after six short weeks together. If not, I hope this little story will serve as an expression of my appreciation. Elder Webb, I salute you. My mission would not have been as successful as it was if it weren’t for you. Thank you for setting such a great example of hard work, faith and determination.

Tim Malone, April 2003