A Gift I Will Never Forget

By Julien d’Antuono, Paris, France, as told to Jack Beck, Utah, USA

I taught my uncle that one day he would see his brother again—not in a portrait but in person.

Elder Beck and Elder d’Antuono holding a portrait of Elder d’Antuono’s father — Elder d’Antuono (right) and Elder Beck, with the portrait of Elder d’Antuono’s father.

When the full-time missionaries came to my home in France to do a service project, my parents were not active members of the Church, and I hadn’t been baptized. Soon the missionaries taught me the gospel, which I loved. And soon my parents returned to church.

“Who’s going to baptize you?” the missionaries asked me.

“My father,” I replied.

My father, who was from Italy, was a good man. He taught me to see people as Jesus would see them. Sadly, he died a few weeks before my baptism.

Later, when I received my mission call, I was so excited that I asked my mother to open it.

“You’re going to be happy,” she said, crying. “You’re going to your father’s home country!”

I had dreamt of serving in Italy. Missions are about serving people, not about serving in areas. But I prayed that I would serve in Italy, specifically the city of Gaeta, where my father’s ancestors had lived since the 10th century.

After serving in Rome and Sicily, I received the glad news that I was being transferred to the area that included Gaeta. Before that transfer in early 2023, my companion and great friend Elder Jack Beck gave me a gift I will never forget. Elder Beck is a talented artist. From a small picture I had of my father, Elder Beck drew a beautiful portrait of him.

I looked at that portrait every day during personal study. It gave me strength to share the gospel.

As soon as I was assigned to Gaeta, I sought out my relatives. When I showed my father’s older brother the portrait, he wept. He hadn’t seen his brother for years and had no pictures of him.

I taught my uncle that one day he would see his brother again—not in a portrait but in person. I taught him that through the gospel, he could live with his brother again in love and peace with the Savior.

I saw great miracles in Gaeta as I shared with family members the good news that because Jesus Christ overcame death, loss of loved ones is only temporary (see Mosiah 16:8). I testify that through His atoning sacrifice, the Savior has made it possible for our families to be gathered eternally.