Jim

I met Jim at my very first LDS 12 step addiction recovery meeting. 
Jim looked hard core with tattoos on his face and neck... along his arms and legs.. Not that tattoos instantly mean you have had a tough life... I have tattoos but mine are of butterflies and flowers and mine are mostly hidden. When Jim stood to introduce himself I knew he had a heart of gold. Jim had been to prison, he wasn't a member of the LDS (mormon) church but he learned of the church in prison and attended the LDS 12 step addiction recovery meeting while in his prison days. He got out and found the LDS 12 Step Program being held at a local stake center.  He attended church regularly and asked his bishop if he could be baptized... Not knowing the details of why he was in prison but knowing he was still on parol I do know the standard church answer is "wait til he is off parol".. The bishop prayed about Jim and his baptism and took it a level further asking the Stake Resident.. The stake President met with Jim, prayed about it and took it even a level further... Finally it went all the way up to the 1st presidency which prayed about it and answered back to the Stake Presidents, Bishops and Jim's plea to be baptized. They felt Jim needed to be baptized now and not to wait.. So He was baptized. Several months went by Jim still attended church regularly and the LDS weekly 12 step program.. He was then diagnosed with cancer and didn't live much longer after that.. I love that our church leaders were tune enough to know Jim needed to be baptized and that his sins were forgiven and he could return back home to Heavenly Father with clean hands and heart. I love that the 12 step program is about repentance and forgiveness. Everyone can be forgiven and no one is too far gone to not be forgiven. I learned this from my friend Jim.