Uplifted by Elaine

When you meet Elaine Brown of the Cascade Park Ward, Vancouver Washington Stake, the first impulse might be to feel sorry for her. After all, she’s been unable to move her arms and legs for more than ten years due to multiple sclerosis.

But Elaine’s cheery smile and genuine interest in every visitor make it clear that she doesn’t feel sorry for herself. She never complains. Instead she focuses on how blessed she is to have such a supportive family—her husband, Mike, and two grown sons, Michael and Mark. Tears come to her eyes, and she gropes for words to describe her husband. Mike is God’s gift to her, she often says. He was prepared to take care of her and because of that, she knows Heavenly Father loves her.

Elaine asks little of the sisters from the ward who come in regularly to care for her during the day. Perhaps a glass of water, straightening an arm or leg, sometimes reading a book. Mostly, she focuses on each sister, eager to offer her love and support in each woman’s life. Visitors who leave the Brown home leave a little happier, a little more grateful, and better off for having Elaine as a friend.—Marilyn Feik, Vancouver, Washington