Elder Schilhabel, from Bakersfield, labors in Poza Rica. He and his companion, Elder Romero, worked hard to recuperate a difficult missionary area. They dedicated themselves to the Lord and His work. They did anything they could to help people receive the blessings of the restored gospel.

The brother in the wheelchair, Francisco, lives with his aged mother in a sad little house. He is paralyzed. The elders contacted them and were allowed to come in to share the Gospel. The first lesson went well. The biggest challenge was that the family needed to go to church, both before and after baptism. They have no car. Sometimes it is hard here to get the few who have a car to help with transportation. Gas is not free here, either.


So Elder Schilhabel, never one to say that nothing can be done, took matters into his own hands. He pushed Francisco to church, a distance of over 2 kilometers one way. We have seen the road to the house. It is downhill going, but a minimum 30% grade going back when the sun is much hotter. The picture was taken on the flatter area. This was the first time that Francisco had been out of his mother's house, the first time that he had been in the sunshine, for over 3 years.


Transportation was arranged and within a couple of weeks Francisco and his little mom, Bruna, were baptized and confirmed.