Baseball Phenom from Dominican Republic Passes on $700K to Serve Mission

Marcelino Leonardo remembers the first scripture he ever memorized. And why wouldn’t he? As a poor, 8-year-old boy on the sun-scorched streets of the Dominican Republic, he was the kind of kid who adored Primary almost as much as he loved playing ball.
It was during those early days in church that he was introduced to 1 Nephi 3:7.

“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.”

...

One day a dear friend and baseball guru in Salt Lake City, Ernso Pierre, asked Leonardo to hop on the train and to meet him downtown. Pierre knew a scout who wanted to become acquainted with the young star.

After the typical small talk and schmoozing, the scout slid a thick stack of papers across the table and was offered an opportunity to collect $700,000 payday.

The easiest answer would have been, “Yes! You got a pen?”

Instead, another answer stirred inside him. His decision hadn’t come in a flash or singular, spiritual event. It came over time, line upon line, precept upon precept.

Moments later, Pierre turned to him and asked the question that changed Leonardo’s story forever. “Marcelino, do you want to play baseball or do you want to go on a mission?”

Faster than the speedy middle infielder can turn a double play, Leonardo gave the answer years in the making: “Mission first. Then college. Then baseball.”

As fast as he’d answered, the scout slid the contract back to his side of the table and with it, more money than Leonardo had ever imagined.

But neither the scout nor his friend were disappointed. Both men expressed support and praised his desire to serve the Lord and get an education. “I knew I needed to go,” Leonardo told me. “The Lord keeps His promises when we put Him number one. And I knew He was calling me! I wondered, how many of His children might be blessed if I went on a mission? Mostly me!”

Just a few months later, Leonardo accepted a call to serve in Baltimore.

Read more ( http://www.ldsliving.com/Baseball-Phenom-from-Dominican-Republic-Passes-on-700K-to-Serve-Mission/s/88900)