Injured Mormon missionary continues making 'small improvements'

Elder Britten Schenk, the full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who was injured in São Paulo, Brazil, last Friday in a bus mishap, continues to make "small improvements" day by day.

"We witnessed miracles and small improvements again today," Elder Schenk's parents, Steven and Karla Schenk of Hyde Park, Utah, wrote late Thursday in the online blog they maintain to provide friends and family with periodic updates of their son's condition. The Schenks traveled to Brazil this week to be with him.

"'Small' is a relative term," they continued. "Really, to us they are huge improvements, but we don't want to give the wrong impression. In this situation, even simple things are wonderful to us."

Elder Schenk "has a long way to go," but his parents expressed confidence that "little by little, he will get there."

According to the blog entry, Elder Schenk is under light sedation to keep his body calm while his brain heals from the injuries suffered in the accident.

"We truly appreciate the staff and doctors here and believe that we are blessed to have such competent and compassionate care," the missionary's parents wrote, adding that "Heavenly Father is in charge and he loves us all."