While on a ministry assignment in the Caribbean Area of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman saw how much the youth of the Church are striving to follow Jesus Christ.
They have also embraced this year’s youth theme, “Walk with me,” and all it means.
“As I have spent time here with the youth in all of these islands, I have seen how they walk with Him. They walk with Him as they serve. They walk with Him as they study together. They walk with Him as they talk of Him and testify of Him, Jesus Christ, who is our greatest strength,” she said in a video on the Church’s Caribbean Area social media accounts.
President Freeman, accompanied by her husband, Brother Gregory G. Freeman, and joined by Elder Ahmad S. Corbitt, General Authority Seventy and second counselor in the Caribbean Area presidency, ministered in several cities in Puerto Rico in May.
She visited Caguas, Guaynabo and Toa Baja in Puerto Rico, speaking to local Church leaders, missionaries, members and friends of the Church.
“My time here has reminded me how much the Lord loves all of His children everywhere,” she said.
In her messages, President Freeman spoke of the prophetic promises that the Lord will bless the lives of those who prioritize strengthening their homes, the social media post explains. She, Brother Freeman and Elder Corbitt also testified before members of the Toa Baja Puerto Rico Stake about the Savior’s miracles in their own lives, the importance of keeping the commandments and the value of supporting one another as a family.
The visit concluded with special gatherings with young men and young women from Puerto Rico and the Lesser Antilles North District, where President Freeman invited the youth to remember that they are not alone – they can always walk with Christ and become the friend and support someone else may need.
During a service activity on Saturday, May 16, in Naguabo, President Freeman served alongside local government and Church leaders and youth from the Caguas Puerto Rico Stake ages 12-17 to support the work of the Mother Teresa of Calcutta Center. There they prepared and distributed approximately 100 meals and also supported the “Solidarity Grocery Store” program, an initiative that provides essential goods to low-income families in the area.
“It was so fun to show up there and see all of the youth with the youth theme symbol on aprons and on T-shirts, a reminder that we walk with Him, we walk with the Lord as we show up and serve in all of these communities,” President Freeman said.
Mariny Vásquez, director of the center, noted that “thanks to the support of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it was possible to prepare the center in a record time of 70 days.” She also emphasized that the financial contribution provided by the Church exceeded all expectations, reported the Church’s Caribbean Newsroom.
