The Time Ben Nearly Became a Mormon

Our co-founders have collected more than a few wild stories over the years. If you know Ben and Jack Wylson, none of what follows will surprise you in the slightest.

Jack tells the story of the time when Ben Nearly became a Mormon:

The sun was descending over the sprawl of Oakland, which lay out before us, the city lights slowly appearing as the sky flushed pink. The shutter of my camera provided a mechanical, rhythmic soundtrack, taking exposures every few seconds as I captured a timelapse of the moment. We were on assignment for Visit California, creating short videos for the state tourism board.

Producer Oonagh and I were just about ready to pack up and head for a beer after a long day shooting, but where was Ben? He’d disappeared some time ago, saying that he needed the loo. Nothing unusual there, but he’d been gone ages. By now, the sun had vanished behind the distant mountains. I packed up my kit and we walked over to the imposing Mormon Temple that dominates the city skyline. There was nothing else around apart from the dusty parking lot, so Ben had surely gone into the Temple to use the facilities. We walked up to the enormous, tinted glass windows and I cupped my hands to peer through. There, in a vast foyer, was Ben, seated on a velvet throne, his hands outstretched. Three Mormons approached him in formation, almost floating, the one in front holding a book. Ben looked entranced. The scene was like a Caravaggio painting unfolding before my eyes. I banged on the glass, but the windows were so thick and impenetrable that they made no sound. I ran to the door and entered. The book was being lowered into Ben’s hands at that very moment. I shattered the loaded silence.

“Excuse me. We have to go.” I looked at Ben. He snapped out of his stupor and looked at me, confused. I beckoned to him. “We’ve got to leave now.” Suddenly he was back in the room. He stood up, thanked the Mormons for their time, and came to the door. “I was just about to be given The Book of Mormon,” he said. “I know,” I said.

Step back in time and Visit Oakland in the 2014: https://www.thebigsky.co.uk/projects/california-live/