Latter-day Saint Life

The ‘saving grace’ this Latter-day Saint couple found in the Philippines

49939.jpg
Photo by Debbie Goodson

A couple of years ago, Ray Goodson had his hip replaced on a Tuesday. By Friday, to the astonishment of, among others, his surgeon, he was off his pain meds and playing golf.

“Ray, you’re not supposed to be feeling this good,” said the surgeon.

But Ray wasn’t faking it, and his wife, Debbie, figured she knew one of the main reasons for his speedy recovery. After the surgery, she’d been on the phone with the Goodsons' friends in the Philippines. When she told them Ray was doing remarkably well, they told her, “Oh, we expected that, because we have thousands of people over here praying for Ray.”

* * *

Ray Goodson will be the first person to confess he is no saint. He has a long list of imperfections he’ll be happy to tell you about.

But he’ll also happily tell you about the antidote he’s found to counteract them.

“When you’re a little bit of a reprobate like I am,” he says, “service is your saving grace.”

Goodson’s service is aimed primarily at the Philippines.

Tags
Share
Stay in the loop!
Enter your email to receive updates on our LDS Living content