This Sunday is Nov. 1. And that means testimony meeting in our little Spanish-speaking branch.

After 10 years, I have a pretty good idea who'll be getting up and a pretty good idea of what they'll say. One of my jobs is to translate the testimonies from Spanish to English for visitors. I do all right with the words, but I struggle to communicate the fervor.

The full, open outpourings of the heart of Latino culture are difficult for a stoic old gringo like me to reproduce.

I can only hint at the depth of longing and gratitude they bring to the pulpit.
Throughout the church, members try to hold to the iron rod. But in many Hispanic branches, it's more about holding on for dear life, not just guidance. It's as if many members of our branch have been tossed overboard into the sea and are clinging desperately to a plank of wood called The Gospel.



It's their only hope.

And as I translate their testimonies about being tempest-tossed each month, I sometimes think of Acts 27 -- the chapter where Paul and Luke are bounced about the sea in a ship. Doom seemed to be at the door. Eventually, the ship breaks apart. Those on board paddle toward shore holding fast to scraps of the boat.

They finally make it.

Luke was a wonderful writer, so I'm sure as he penned the "ship in the tempest" story for Acts he remembered writing about Jesus calming the storm and saving his disciples. And being a poet at heart, I'm sure he saw the symbolism.

Life is a stormy sea, but Paul holds fast to his faith and clutches the "wood" of the cross until he finds salvation. And Luke gets at the heart of the matter. He keeps his gaze on the feelings, fears and faith of the people.

Unlike me, he has the ability to translate and share the outpourings from the depths of the human heart.

And the little details Luke supplies give his account a feeling of lived experience.

At one point, Luke says Paul took bread, blessed it and passed it around to the others on board.

This Sunday, the tempest-tossed members of our branch will take bread, break it, bless it and pass it around as well.

Luke says for a spell the sun and stars were obscured. Everyone felt alone and lost.
The same feelings sometimes crop up in our branch.

But, says Luke, Paul -- apostle of the Lord -- let everyone know all would be well. He preached peace to their souls.

Members of our branch listen for those same comforting words from apostles today.
In the end, it was the scriptorian Matthew Henry who mused that Jesus may have chosen "sea-faring men" as disciples because they had faced the jaws of destruction and desperation and lived to tell the tale. He knew they were resilient and could weather the toughest storm.

That's why he sought followers like Peter, James and John.

And in today's world, I think it's why he has sought followers with the same rugged determination and courage -- disciples like Ricardo, Amalia, Luis, Maribel, Francisco and all the other members of our storm-tossed little branch.