If there is anything I have learned it is that sharing the Gospel blesses lives.

It is so amazing how Heavenly Father blesses us sometimes. There is a sister who is a widow of a stake president in Santa Domingo. She doesn't have a car so she often asks for a ride to church. A week or so ago, Sister Garcia and I went to her house early Sunday morning to ride to church with her on the train. I have often heard of missionaries going to pick up their investigators or less active members for church and never thought I would be able to do it. That day I felt like a missionary. This Sunday she did not come to church because it was raining but she called us and asked us to come to her house after church. We decided to stop by on the way to an appointment. While we were there I had a strong impression that I should ask her to come out with us to the appointments. So I did. She was so excited to come. We were going to teach an eight year old who speaks mostly English, and she only speaks Spanish, but she didn't care. The lesson went well, but she wasn't able to participate as much as I would have hoped. But it became clear why she had come when we stopped by a less active family after. She was straight forward with them and told them that she missed them. She told them that there are two empty chairs waiting for them at church, (which I thought was funny because she doesn't always go). Then she bore pure testimony about how we need to be ready because we don't know when we are going to leave this life. It all tied together really nicely. Then she went on to bare testimony about her baptismal covenants. At this point the lass active sister was crying. What our lovely sister didn't know was that the less active brother has an addiction that he is struggling with. Her testimony included a story about how she had been addicted to pills after the death of her brother. She had to have them with her all the time because she had such bad anxiety. She said that when she was baptized she didn't expect to stop taking the pills, but that is just happened. Such a wonderful testimony that the Gospel truly changes us. On the car ride home I couldn't help but ask the sister how she felt. She said she couldn't be happier.  She committed to come out with us whenever we need her. I know that this experience not only helped the less active family who is struggling, but it also helped her. This experience as well as the many other experiences such as when the young women's president went out with us on splits with one of her laurels because she knew that missionary work can solve any problem that you have. She noted afterwards that even though they weren't together physically, they were both working together to do the work of the Lord and He blessed them for that. Sharing the Gospel really does change lives.


Love always,
Sister K. Brown

Karee in a Peruvian hat

Karee, Sis Garcia(the Cambridge sister missionaries), Sister Sorensen and Sister Caceres(the Boston sister missionaries