And She Went Forth to Teach...: Alma 19:23

Karee was in the exact spot of the second bomb 2 hrs prior

Hello!

I want all to know that I am safe. I was in the exact spot of the second bomb two hours before it went off. The marathon was definitely something I wasn't going to miss. We were able to fight our way through the crowds and were on the sidewalk of Boylston just a little from the corner of Ring rd. (across the street from the Starbucks coffee where the second one went off). It was so exciting to be there and it was so neat to see the people running and overcoming so much to simply keep pushing through for the last block or so of the race of their lives. I have been thinking a lot about different things. What does a bomb look like? How big of a deal was this? Is my family worried? Are the people ok? So far I think there are only 3 dead, but lots of people in critical condition in the hospitals.

Sis. Wagoner, Karee, and Sis Garcia at the Boston Marathon before the bombing

I was at the race, finding joy and excitement in the race just as all of the people had. We decided to go to hearbreak hill to cheer on the people who were almost there and just had this last mountain to climb. My companion had been sick the day before and I was aware that she wasn't feeling well. While we were traveling with the other missionaries I realized that we should probably go home. I was really sad because I wanted so badly to be able to see the place where Sister Dalton talked about in her mormon message. But I knew that she needed to go rest. We went home. Not too long after we finished lunch I got a call informing us on what had just happened. We were "red dotted" meaning we had to stay inside for the rest of the day until further notice. All the missionaries are safe.

The reason I titled this email as Alma 19:23 is because it is a promise that Heavenly Father gives to Alma before he sends his sons off on missions. I found this during the week but think that it totally applies now. "I will spare [her], and it shall be unto [her] according to thy faith, therefore, [Eric and Julie] trusted [her] unto the Lord." I went a head and switched out her for him and put my parents names in, but this is applying the scriptures to myself. I know that my parents had to put their faith and trust in the Lord when they said that I could go on a mission. They didn't know where I was going to be sent. They didn't know who I was going to be teaching. They definitely didn't know that this bombing was going to happen, especially so close to me. But they did put their trust in the Lord and He is protecting me.

I don't know if I have ever really realized how real satan's power really is. I suppose it has always been in the back of my mind that he is fully aware of our strengths and weaknesses and is able to attack us in our weaknesses. But I have been thinking a whole lot about what kind of person would actually think to be the cause of so much pain and suffering. I was reading in the end of Ether where the people are fighting everyday. Everyone, men, women and children are all dressed and armed with weapons. I could not even try to in vision how this looked and to think that they all knew that they or someone they knew and loved was going to die that day. How could they do this? "the Spirit of the Lord had ceased striving with them, and Satan had full power over the hearts of the people; for they were given up unto the hardness of their hearts, and the blindness of their minds that they might be destroyed; wherefore they went again to battle." Satan had full control of them and it took over even their minds. I cannot even imagine, but I guess someone that has had their mind taken over, would be willing to set bombs. It is super sad and is a bold reminder that we are living in the last days. Satan is stepping up his game. He knows that the missionaries here in this area are here for a reason and that they are going to do something great.

There are and will be many stories of runners who escaped the tragedy. Natalie just told me that her friend's mom finished the race 20 minutes before the bomb. She is ok thankfully. I also saw a few of the runners who looked very exhausted on the train ride home, but they were safe. One of them is Christine, who is planning to get baptized this Saturday. She was running in the race and was actually one of the reasons we went to hearbreak hill. She was planning to finish the race at 3 (ten minutes after the first bomb.). We didn't hear from her for a long time, but we just kept praying for her. We did find out that she had been a quarter of a mile away from the finish when the bomb went off. She saw an explosion but thought that it was fireworks, she didn't think much of it until the people started running towards her. She turned around (imagine she is exhausted from running her first marathon and then she has to run more...literally for her life!). They said they gathered all the runners and told them an accident had happened. She ended up jumping the fence and walking home because she was tired and wanted to go to bed. She could have been seriously hurt... Satan trying to delay the baptism? We could have easily been there! Because it was so much easier to stay where we were at and watch her finish the marathon. We should have been there. But we were and are being watched over.

The security is going to be highered and our bags will get checked when we get onto the subways. That whole area around Boylston street is closed down for a crime scene. Helicopters have been flying overhead since it happened. It's hard not to hear or see things about this. I don't actually know how big it is in other states, but it shock up my world here in Boston.

I am doing great and the work is going on. We are soldiers fighting for the cause of truth. We are all united for the cause of truth.

Like a mighty army

Moves the Church of God;

Brothers, we are treading

Where the Saints have trod.

We are not divided;

All one body we:

One in hope and doctrine,

One in charity.

Let us press onward ever onward!

I love you all!