One Impactful Meeting

In 1985, Julian Cruz’s son died in a tragic accident in Brasilito, Costa Rica. Neighbors came together to mourn with the distraught family. One of these neighbors, a fisherman named Francisco Orozco, witnessed a distressed father grieving for his lost child.

Two of the friends mourning with the Cruzes were Sandy and Dick Boucher, expatriate Latter-day Saints who resided in the area part-time. As Sandy comforted a weeping Julian, holding him in her arms, she bore her testimony of eternal families and told Julian that his son was happy and with those in the family who had passed before him. She could not have known that her words, which were meant to comfort Julian, would touch the heart of another and help lead to the establishment of the Church in Brasilito.

Sandy’s words moved Francisco. He believed that the message was true, and he wanted to know more. He approached Sandy and asked her how he could learn more about her faith. She told him that she would return with missionaries, who could teach him the Church’s doctrines.

Francisco excitedly spread the news of the missionaries’ upcoming visit because he wanted as many people as possible to hear this message of eternal families. He went from door to door in Brasilito, inviting everyone he could reach to be there with him when the missionaries arrived. When the missionaries stepped foot in Brasilito to teach the first lesson, a large group of 145 people that Francisco had organized were waiting for them.

To make space for all, the meeting had to be moved from a home to a local open-air restaurant. After listening to the teachings for two days, 23 of those listening to the message wanted to be baptized, and, within two weeks, another 53 people said they were interested in joining the Church. Soon after, because of Francisco’s efforts, the Brasilito Branch was established.

Francisco’s desire to spread glad tidings helped establish the Church in the region. Later, when the Brasilito Branch closed, members moved to nearby Santa Cruz to join the newly formed branch there. In 1994, a chapel was completed in Santa Cruz, marking a milestone for the Church in the region. More than one hundred Saints attended the dedication, a meeting made possible in part because of the gathering Francisco had organized nine years earlier in Brasilito.