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By Mark Wright
Elder Green and Family Found Success in Attack
CEDAR CITY, UTAH -- Elder Bradley Green, a missionary from Cedar
City, Utah, is a poster child for the old adage, "if life gives you
lemons, make lemonade." While being shot in the chest will have a
tendency to dampen the spirits of even the most optimistic of folks,
Elder Green and his family have shown how a positive response to a
violent and potentially tragic event can become an occasion for joy
and celebration.
The well-known facts of the shooting in Brazil have been previously
reported but require a short review for the sake of context. After
completing his mission, Elder Green and his parents, Garth and Wendy,
were visiting some areas in Rio de Janeiro where Elder Green had
previously served. A bad storm, a wrong turn, a violent encounter
with some would-be carjackers, and suddenly Elder Green and his
father were dangerously close to death. Severely wounded by gunfire,
Garth managed to make a getaway from the area of the attack and drove
their rental car to a nearby residential neighborhood. Unable to
drive any further, the Green's were taken to a local hospital by some
good Samaritans who recognized and responded to the Green's plight.
Even though more than two weeks have now passed since the shooting,
the Greens just arrived home from Brazil last week Friday. Since
returning home to Cedar City, Elder Green and his father are being
treated by local doctors and will need some additional time to
recover. While Elder Green is well on the way towards recovery and
requires minimal follow-up care, his father's injuries will take a
little bit longer to heal. While in the hospital in Rio de Janeiro,
the Brazilian doctors used pins, plates and screws to put Garth's
shattered left arm back together and the Utah physicians will attempt
to minimize nerve damage to the arm by re-working the previous
surgeries.
While the overall experience was frightening, the Green's were able
to witness an outpouring of love and concern from the many Brazilians
who were shocked by the violent attack on the American family.
"People lined up at the hospital and waited for a chance to see us,"
said Garth Green. Many of them apologized for the brutal act on
behalf of their countrymen, he said. The response of the kind
citizens of Rio de Janeiro re-affirmed Elder Green's love for the
people and the country of Brazil. "There are bad people and bad
places everywhere," Elder Green said. "This was no worse than some
areas of New York City, Los Angeles and Dallas."
Elder Green also turned his misfortune into an opportunity to extend
his mission and share the message of the restored gospel with even
more people. "When I was in the hospital, I was able to teach
hundreds of people who crowded around my bed. The story was in all
the local and international papers. We got the church's name in 9
million households." In addition, nurses and others in the hospital
made a point of asking Elder Green for copies of the Book of Mormon.
Based on the number of people who have been exposed to the gospel
through this experience, Elder Green's last few weeks in Brazil
undoubtedly generated more positive publicity and attention for the
Church than his entire preceding two years. And even though the
experience was painful, as with any good missionary, Elder Green will
always be grateful that his message was heard.
Source:
Wounded Missionary Calls Time in Brazil a 'Success'
Salt Lake Tribune 24Mar01 N2
By Peggy Fletcher Stack: Salt Lake Tribune
Family looks at bright side in aftermath of shootings
Deseret News 27Mar01 N2
By Twila Van Leer: Deseret News education editor
Greens praise doctors, warmth of the Brazilians
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