Raised in a predominantly Hindu community in India, Ronit Massey’s path to discovering The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was anything but conventional and it eventually led him more than 8,000 miles away to BYU–Idaho.
Growing up, Massey originally attended Catholic Mass with his mother for Christian holidays, while his father, who came from a long line of church members, had stopped attending The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although his father’s family had been members of the Church for generations, he decided to not attend while raising his children.
After his father’s passing, Massey’s older brother decided to start attending sacrament meetings for the Church of Jesus Christ. At 15, Massey decided to join him.
“When I went there and I felt like I actually felt the spirit because I've never felt that different,” Massey said.
Neighbors began to take notice as Massey and his brother walked to church every Sunday in white shirts and ties, a rare sight in their New Delhi neighborhood.
“People started respecting that in my neighborhood and they were like, ‘Okay, they are going to church,’” Massey said. “They used to wave at us whenever we used to leave our apartments or our house, like, ‘Oh, you're going to church. Have a nice day in the church.’”
Walking through the streets of New Delhi had a ripple effect beyond just neighbors.
“I have a lot of friends who just watched us, and I helped them to come to the church, and they tried and one of them, they are serving a mission,” Massey said.
Now a sophomore studying computer science at BYU-Idaho, Massey said the transition to life in the United States wasn’t easy. But over time, it has become a second home.
“I feel like in BYUI you can make the best friends in your life,” Massey said. “They're super supportive.”
When he misses India, Massey says he cooks dishes his mother used to make.
“For the international students who say what is over here, just stay strong and make friends because people are beautiful over here. They have beautiful souls, and they are always [there] to help you out,” Massey said.
To learn more about Massey’s story, listen to the full interview at BYU-Idaho Radio’s podcast on Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.