Spirit of the Game Page #2

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If I don't go now, I'll

probably never go, so...

I heard about your fiancee, son.

And I have to tell you

from experience

that you can't make

decisions like this

when your head's all messed

up because of a girl.

I want you to think

carefully about this.

We're creating a legacy here

that will be the envy

of all other schools.

If you leave now,

you're going to miss it.

No, it's not a decision

I've come to easily.

It's been on my mind

a lot lately.

I need to go and serve.

It's the right thing to do.

You can convince yourself that almost

anything is the right thing to do.

Playing basketball

could be the right thing.

This team's capable of anything.

You're capable of anything.

But I'm telling you now, if you

leave now to serve on some mission,

this, all this, is gone.

And I don't think you'll

ever play basketball again.

I'm sorry, Coach.

My mind's made up.

Condie.

Good luck, son.

This is heavy.

Bye, brother.

Don't forget Ted.

Really?

Oh, you.

Write to me every week, okay?

Let me know

if you need some food.

Goodness knows what

they eat down there.

And boil the water

before you drink it,

and don't go into the Outback.

God be with you

till we meet again.

Bye.

This is it, Dad.

It's really happening.

It is an honor and a privilege

to have you as my son.

I'll see you on home plate.

Bottom of the ninth.

Yeah.

Hi. You must be Condie.

I've been waiting for you.

I'm Elder Groberg.

Pleased to meet you.

Good times, huh?

Yeah.

Grab your stuff, let's go.

So, are you heading

to Australia, too?

No, I'm getting off at Tonga.

Tonga? Sounds

like heaven.

Yeah.

How are you today, sir?

Buongiorno, Bruno.

Welcome.

Elder Condie?

Welcome to Melbourne.

I'm Elder Johnson.

Brother Jones is driving.

Welcome, son.

This is Elder Christensen.

Good to meet you.

And that gentleman is your

companion, Elder Morton.

How's the journey?

Well, I fed most of

the fish in the Pacific,

but other than that it was okay.

You know, I'm keen to get

to the mission home,

have a shower and get settled.

Oh, you will.

But first we're gonna make a little detour.

We got a game on.

Of course, you've just arrived,

so why take you straight

to the mission home?

Let's go play a game instead.

A game?

Basketball.

You're playing basketball?

On your mission?

Yeah, I mean,

Australia is not like

anywhere else on this planet.

You are not in

Idaho anymore, Toto.

Thank you.

So, are you Australian?

Excuse me?

I'm British.

From Britain?

I speak the Queen's English.

Not the gibberish

they call language here.

Don't confuse me with

these barbarians again.

Well... I'm kidding.

It's a joke.

Ah.

Not about the barbarians though.

That bit's true.

Condie,

we're a man short. We're

gonna need you to play.

I don't have any gear.

What you're wearing will do.

All right, let's toss it.

Right, here we go, boys!

Great work, boys.

Go, Condie! Nice!

Yes, Condie, good!

Yeah, nice.

Great work, boys.

Nice work, boys.

Yeah!

Great game.

Good job, guy.

Well played, Condie,

well played.

Hey, good game tonight, Jim.

More Americans?

G'day, I'm Elspeth.

This is my husband Jim.

What are you doing?

Well, I'm just saying hi.

Sorry, sorry.

You get used to it.

President Bingham's

expecting us.

Any advice before I meet him?

He's not too bad, really.

Okay.

Come in!

Elder Condie, welcome to the mission.

Thank you, sir.

So, how was the game tonight?

Well, we won, sir.

I understand you played

in your regular attire?

Yes, sir, I didn't know

I was going to be playing

basketball tonight.

Well, it's a good thing you won

because I have to inform you

that's the last game you'll be

playing while you're here with us.

As of today, I'm going

to stop all activities

that don't directly

relate to our work.

We didn't come here

to play sport.

We have to get

our house in order

and that means not wasting time.

This is a very

difficult mission,

as you'll come to understand.

You'll need to be

obedient and steadfast.

Find, teach, baptize.

Now, get some rest.

Tomorrow you hit

the ground running.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Welcome to the room, Condie.

That's you just there.

Bathroom is just there.

That's it.

This is the most

beautiful ring I've ever seen.

I've already picked out our first

child's name. Just so you know.

Oh, you have?

Yes. It'll be a boy.

Noah Ethan Condie.

A boy, huh?

Mmm-hmm.

Great names, but do I get a say?

You can pick out

the girl's names.

Okay. Well, in that

case, I like...

Jezebel.

I thought you were serious.

I'm so happy right now.

Well, look at you all keen

and eager on your first day.

Well, I'm excited to get out

and meet some people.

Yeah, that'll wear off

soon enough.

What do you mean?

Eagerness is good, yeah,

but, uh, you gotta

prepare yourself.

For what?

What?

Never mind, you'll

find out soon enough.

- Hello, I'm Elder Condie...

- No.

Well, at least you

got to say hello.

Hello, sir.

We're missionaries from

the Church of Jesus...

That's the thing. It's really

important from the start...

You kids! I oughta... Stop.

Is every day like today?

Ugh.

Not every day.

There are some good days.

When you find someone who wants to

listen, it's like walking on air.

How do you handle it?

The rejection, I mean.

I leave in two weeks, Condie.

I've learned to get over it.

You have to. And you just

do what you have to.

Sometimes I say to myself,

"Norman, why go through all this

for people who don't care?"

Because it's why we're here.

You say that when we have

enough tomato seeds

to start a market garden.

Your first name's Norman?

Mmm.

Norman the Mormon?

Oh... God sure

blessed you.

Yes, he did.

Wow.

Dear Dad.

I've never taken

anything for granted

or expected things to be

handed to me on a platter.

But, boy,

I could sure use a break.

It seems every day is a test.

As great as

the Australian people are,

they are steadfast and stubborn.

Most have little

or no time for us,

and I fear my foot may soon break

from all the doors slammed on it.

Hello, how are you?

Some days really get me down,

and I'm worried that too many more

of these might take a heavy toll.

Have I made a mistake, Dad?

I would have been

married by now.

Elder Morton

goes home this week,

so I'm getting

a new companion, too.

I miss you and Mom so much.

Have you ever heard of Vegemite?

Best to avoid it at all costs.

My dear son,

in our life are challenges.

They can make you grow

and bring you closer to God,

or you can let them destroy you.

The choice, as always, is yours.

You didn't think a mission

would be easy, did you?

This is about your faith

as much as theirs.

Try to find common ground

with these people,

something that appeals to them.

You can be all things to all

people if you choose to be.

Your loving father.

This is our bungalow.

Mrs. Tonkin is the landlady.

She's sweet.

Is she a member?

No, her and her daughters

are Salvation Army.

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