Member Voices
Raquel Oleaga, Pioneer and Example of Faith in the Dominican Republic
On March 11, the Dominican Republic celebrated the Day of the Firefighter, so in the spirit of voluntary service and love, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wishes to recognize Sister Raquel Oleaga for her more than 37 years of service to the country’s firefighters, and for being an educator for more than 30 years. At the age of 91, she still honorably holds her position as Colonel Krauner of the fire department that has she has been part of.
Sister Oleaga told us of her vision of service that caused her to move quickly in an ambulance to give assistance to sick or injured people whom she regularly cared for, and she expresses that being a firefighter was one of the most wonderful experiences that allowed her to fully express her testimony of the gospel.
She expressed her concern for the children who do not have parents to provide them with healthy rearing, stating that she always gave a special follow-up to these street children, and that something she did for years was to gather the children of her community into her home every Friday to comb their hair and to tenderly clean their nails. Even with her voice weakened by the passing of years, we feel the great love that surrounds her from her very large family, with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who honor the precious example that she represents in her home.
Sister Oleaga still expresses her concern for not being able to attend church due to her advanced age and health, but she shares her testimony that the years she served in the Lord’s temple in the Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Temple changed her life forever. She invites children and young people to read about and visit the Church, and even today, at the age of 91, she observes the love of many members who bring the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper to her home every Sunday.
Loving, sharing, and protecting people, whether they are relatives, friends, neighbors, or even strangers, is a reality that has been lost over time. Service is a way of helping other people, regardless of having any reward other than the gratification and the strengthening of the Spirit.
When we help others, we are serving God. However, service is a word that has disappeared from people’s minds. Usually, people seem to be drowning in their own affairs and are so busy taking care of their personal needs that they forget about others.
People have been forgetting that love can be shown to people through service. Loving your neighbor is a divine commandment; Jesus Christ taught that it is as important as loving God himself. (See Matthew 22:35–39.)
During the time that Jesus Christ was on the earth preaching, he taught the importance of service. The Lord demonstrated through His actions while teaching those who followed Him that each human being is of great value and that the service rendered to each one of them is an expression of the love to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
The Savior, the Son of God, showed love to men when He taught that He was among them to serve them. He expressed: “For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth” (Luke 22:27). As the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh, He demonstrated in this way, by His example of giving service, that we should also serve others.
On another occasion, teaching His followers the importance of serving and being humble in his work, Jesus Christ washed the feet of His disciples and told them: “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
“If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
“For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you” (John 13:13–15).
Wonderful examples like those of Sister Oleaga strengthen our testimony, elevate our faith, and invite us to be better Christians wherever we are every day. She heeded the words of Jesus Christ and put them into action in her life, serving her fellow men like the Savior in every need with admirable acts of love for others.
“And the King shall answer, and say to them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40).