Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 7:60
"And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep."
This is the story of Stephen, his testimony, and how he became a martyr. I was wondering if there was more information regarding "lay not this sin to their charge". Were they asking God to forgive them without repenting and be guiltless, or that the person had forgiven them for their actions. As I was reading I came across this story told in General Conference. I vaguely remember it. I felt to share it to honor their memory.
"During the Mexican Revolution, Rafael Monroy was the president of the small San Marcos Mexico Branch, and Vicente Morales was his first counselor. On July 17, 1915, they were apprehended by the Zapatistas. They were told they would be spared if they would give up their weapons and renounce their strange religion. Brother Monroy told his captors that he did not have any weapons and simply drew from his pocket his Bible and Book of Mormon. He said, “Gentlemen, these are the only arms I ever carry; they are the arms of truth against error.”
When no arms were found, the brethren were cruelly tortured to make them divulge where arms were hidden. But there were no arms. They were then taken under guard to the outskirts of the little town, where their captors stood them up by a large ash tree in front of a firing squad. The officer in charge offered them freedom if they would forsake their religion and join the Zapatistas, but Brother Monroy replied, “My religion is dearer to me than my life, and I cannot forsake it.”
They were then told that they were to be shot and asked if they had any request to make. Brother Rafael requested that he be permitted to pray before he was executed. There, in the presence of his executioners, he kneeled down and, in a voice that all could hear, prayed that God would bless and protect his loved ones and care for the little struggling branch that would be left without a leader. As he finished his prayer, he used the words of the Savior when He hung upon the cross and prayed for his executioners: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” With that the firing squad shot both Brother Monroy and Brother Morales. "
(James E. Faust, "Discipleship", Oct 2006 General Conference)
In the talk President Faust then goes on to tell of reorganizing a stake in the area and interviewed a descendant of Rafel Monroy. He asked what happened to rest of Brother Monroy's descendants and was told that many had served missions and were faithful in the church.
