Maybe this elder is PIMO?
I don't think he's quite there, but I do think he is partially awake, even if just a little. There have been circumstances in his life in the past 10 years or so that have humbled him and changed his outlook for sure. One sister was recently saying about a brother that stopped going that he has a beard now, and he practically bit her head off (in a nice way😅) saying, 'Oh, please. There are worse things in life than beards'. I also grow a beard periodically and he was one of the few if not the only one who spoke up for me when someone complained.