Being Healed
Christ The Great Healer
A few weeks ago, my husband and I, along with family and friends felt great concern for one of our sons who was gravely ill in France. Our son is a COO of a humanitarian business called TIFIE in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa. He returned home to France on a Saturday after working the week in DRC. He was not feeling well. He felt he might be coming down with Malaria. His wife took him to an Emergency Room of a Paris Hospital. He was tested for Malaria. The tests were negative. He was told he had a virus and sent home. If he did not feel better he was to return to the hospital.
Over the next five days, our son progressively felt worse . He did return to the hospital mid week and was told once again he had a virus and sent home. He had a horrible headache he could get no relief from. By the following Saturday, his wife took him to the ER again and he was admitted to ICU with elevated liver enzymes, fever and chills. Now he was told he had some tropical virus. His condition worsened. He developed pneumonia and his pancreatic and liver enzymes elevated. His head ache continued as well as a high fever.
Through the development of the above events in the life of our son, my husband and I were praying for his safe return to health. We were praying for those around his family to be aware of their needs. Our son and his family did not have a fluent use of the French language, having only lived in France for three months.
Since my husband and I are currently serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New York, we were not in a position to leave and go to France. We discussed our son’s condition with our Mission President and he prayed with us for our son. We felt great strength and peace from his prayer with us for our son.
Our daughter-in -law’s sister felt great concern for our son, her sister and children. She flew to Paris on Monday evening to be of assistance, two days after our son was admitted to ICU. This was a great blessing and help for our son’s wife and children. Members of our son’s ward congregation also helped our daughter-in-law and children.
Communication was an issue during this time. Our son and his family had not been able to have a home phone or internet service set up in their home. Our son and his wife both had cell phones but we usually used Skype for calling. This was not a help while our son was in the hospital and his wife with him. Our best form of communication during this time was Facebook. Through Facebook, all our family and friends could see quickly our daughter-in-laws concerns, our son’s condition and their needs. Through Facebook we were all able to express back and forth our concerns, needs and love for our son and his family to help support them during this difficult time.
Early one morning while our son remained extremely ill in ICU, I awoke early. I was thinking of our son and praying for those caring for him. Many experiences of caring for critically ill individuals as a Registered Nurse in ICU settings raced through my mind. I pondered on this experience and wondered why these experiences had flowed into my mind so quickly. While continuing to ponder, this thought came to me. ” You have always had my help as you cared for those in your charge.”
When I heard these words in my mind, I knew the prayer offered by our Mission President on behalf of our son would be answered. Those who were taking care of our son would have the help of our Father in Heaven and his son Jesus Christ to heal our son just as I had always had their help in caring for those I had taken care who were ill.
Our son was healed. He spent a total of five days in ICU and seven more days in the hospital. After a four week recovery, he was back to his full work schedule.
Just as we need help with the physical healing of our bodies through faith in a Father in Heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ, we need their help as much or more to heal us spiritually. If someone is spiritually suffering, the way to find relief is taught in the Scriptures. The Scriptures call the healing process the Doctrine of Christ. In the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, the Doctrine of Christ is explained as follows:
“Wherefore, my beloved brethern, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of our sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism–yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost.; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and and of the Holy Ghost; yea, then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.” (2 Nephi 31: 13)
Through the Doctrine of Christ, men find forgiveness, love, joy and peace. It is a permanent solution to spiritual sickness.
The Path to Follow
As a young girl, one of my favorite past times was to pretend I was a nurse. I remember caring an old purse of my mothers around our home as my “nurse bag.” In my bag I had band-aids, bandages, cotton, Merthiolate, a small bottle of rubbing alcohol, a thermometer and a shot needle made of a glass of an eye dropper without the rubber squeezer. I placed cotton in the end of the dropper, slid a straight pin through the end of the dropper and the cotton. The cotton held the straight pin in the dropper. This was my syringe. I even had a toy stethoscope to listen to the hearts of my patients. I made house calls to my dolls, my pet cat, my grandfather, grandmother, and my younger sister. If my father were home, he willingly let me check his heart, lungs, brain, eyes and throat. At a young age, I seemed to be drawn to caring about anyone and anything ill or in need.
Once I gave mouth to mouth breathing to my pet rabbit because it had fallen out of it’s pen and was not breathing. It came back from being lifeless. I was amazed by this experience. After helping my rabbit recover, I wanted more than ever to grow up and become a nurse.
The summer of 1966, at the age of seventeen, I had the opportunity to be trained to be a nurse’s assistant in the new hospital in my community. Along with the training, I helped with the stocking of the new hospital. This experience helped me ask questions and receive more training within the hospital. After two months, the hospital opened. Then the real life experience of caring for those in need presented themselves. I found it to be a rewarding experience. I could actually help make a difference in the lives of those cared for. The rewarding part seemed to be knowing most of the individuals I was caring for. They were experiencing real life problems. Some experiences were happy and others very sad. I probably was not prepared emotionally for all I saw and experienced, yet it placed me on a path for wanting to continue my education in the field of Nursing. I knew in my heart I was to do so. It felt like an unseen hand was guiding me along in preparation for life.
Isaiah taught in Isaiah 48: 17 “Thus saith the Lord, they Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.”
I worked at the hospital on Saturdays throughout my senior year of high school and full time from the time graduated from high school to the end of summer and I moved to Cedar City, Utah to attend college. I even returned home each summer to work my same job at the hospital until I graduated from Nursing School.
My life was blessed to attend Southern Utah State University, ( at that time College of Southern Utah,) for two years. I then transferred to Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. I was accepted into the College of Nursing in the 1969.
My educational opportunity at Brigham Young University required another three and a half years of time. It was one of the choice times of my life. I was on the right path.
Right paths lead us along for good!!!!!
Ears to Hear!!!
The first weekend of October and April each year, Mormons gathering in congregations in Chapels or in their homes to hear the word of The Shepherd, Jesus Christ, coming from the mouth of his Prophets and Apostles. The messages given originate from the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are broadcast to the world through differing forms of media. Faithful members look forward to these two weekends with much anticipation.
Conference Center
In the Book of Amos, in the Old Testament, Amos stated, (Amos 3: 6-7) “Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not known it? Surely the Lord God will do nothing, until he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”
In the General Conference held yesterday and today, (October 2-3, 2010) a living Prophet of God and living Apostles reported to the world the will of The Shepherd, The Lord Jesus Christ. Those messages, given through inspiration, will bless anyone who has ears to hear, eyes to see, hearts to feel and minds to understand.
Any problem an individual may have in life, can be dealt with better through honest study of the messages given over the past two days in General Conference. Locating the messages is as easy as going to Facebook, YouTube or lds.org
This is God’s Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, surrounded by Apostles. Read their words and listen.
To Come Home
The Smith Log Home
Weekly over the past six months I have felt as if I have “come home”, as I unlock the door of the Smith Log Home in Western New York and walk in. As I enter this cozy cabin, my mind sees a happy family dwelling within. A strong father, a mother of faith, obedient, hard working children, each working together for the good of the family.
This family seeks God in their life. They have taught their children this principle through prayer and reading of the Bible. They have the necessaries of life, not the niceties.
This family knows of pain, sorrow, loss, joy, togetherness, separation, and best of all love. My senses seem hightened to all they felt while living on this beautiful farm in their simple log home.
As I enter this setting, I have a prayer in my heart for those following behind me. May their senses also be heightened to the family who dwelt within these walls. May they liken the truths they sense about the Smith Family to be important for their own families. Hard work, honesty, commitment, integrate, faith, helping others, and love were what the Smith’s lived by.
It is joy to watch those who enter this simple log home. A sweet peace seems to surround all present as we enter together and shut the door. We are now with the Smith’s!!! We see how they all lived together, all eleven of them, in two and a quarter rooms downstairs and two rooms upstairs. We see the Bible open on the table to the Book of James. We see they ate and read at their table. We see the fireplace for warmth and cooking.
The Bedroom- Parlor is inviting to the neighbor, friend or family. We see family discussions over the religious fervor of their day. Family members have agency to choose. Some choices are hard to accept by all the family members.
The door out the back of the Log Home beckons discussion. At fourteen years of age, Joseph, one of the sons of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith, sought answers to his religious questions. He opened the back door to take a walk to a place of quite solace on a beautiful spring morning in 1820.
He walked alone to a grove of trees. He had a question, he asked his question, and he received an answer. Upon returning to his log home, he was never the same as when he went through the door. He met God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. He knew for himself they were loving, individual members of the Godhead. He also met the evil one. He said years later, “It seems as though the adversary was aware, at a very early period of my life, that I was destined to prove a disturber and an annoyer of his kingdom; else why should the powers of darkness combine against me? Why the opposition and persecution that arose against me, almost in my infancy?” (JSH1:20)
We look again and see young Joseph leaning up to the fireplace. His mother sensing something different about her son inquired what the matter was. His reply, “Never Mind, all is well–I am well enough off.” (JSH 1:20) He then told his mother, “I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true.” (JSH 1: 20) Joseph learned he was to join no church upon the earth.
The truths experienced by the Smith Family within the walls of “The Smith Log Home” have the familiarity of coming home. They are worth coming home to!!!!
THE SMITH LOG HOME KITCHEN
Time with the Trees!!!!
This morning I spent time with my favorite trees!!! These trees stand tall and straight. They watch over a plot of earth in Western New York. They have seen thousands walk past and threw them. If only they could speak of all they have seen!!!!!
When I am with these trees, I sense the God of all is near. I feel peace, light, joy and humility in a way words cannot express. My desire is to stay with these trees.
On a beautiful Spring morning in 1820, God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ came in glory of light among these trees. They answered a question of a young boy. Because they came, I come, as thousands have before me and as thousands will after me, to spend “Time with the Trees.”
Joseph Smith in Sacred Grove
The Good Shepherd Lives!!!!
open canon of scripture. (02.55) 
He Lives
See and hear modern-day Apostles testify that Jesus Christ is the Savior and that He lives today. (2:10)
Almost a year ago, my husband and I were working on submitting papers for the opportunity to be part of a group of 52,000 plus missionaries called to serve any place in the world for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for our Savior Jesus Christ. We knew we would be leaving our children, grandchildren, aged parents, brothers and sisters, and friends to do so. This decision was one we had worked, planned and prepared for. No one told us we must do this. This was an opportunity we both felt we wanted to share together. We did not feel fear or sadness at leaving home and family behind. We felt joy, peace and a calm reassurance all would work out for us to accomplish our plan of service.
We felt encouragement from our children and their families to move forward with submitting our information for request to serve a mission for our Church. Our aged parents both made it clear they wanted us to go forward with our plans and not worry about them. My husband”s father and my mother both realize they may pass on to the spirit world while we were gone. They know they have lived full lives and will be fine if that occurs and we are not with them.
Through the weeks of preparation before submitting the necessary papers to be reviewed for missionary service for our Savior, we had time to mentally evaluate our lives and status before our Father in Heaven and our Savior. We have always tried to live our lives in such a way as to be worthy disciples of Jesus Christ. It was during this time we felt a calm reassurance we were loved very much by our Father in Heaven and his Son, Jesus Christ. We knew they were pleased with our desire to serve them wherever they called us to serve.
We were interviewed by local leaders of our Church before our papers were submitted for their final approvals. Once again, we felt peace and love. We knew the Savior approved of our desires to serve him. We knew Father in Heaven approved of our willingness to serve his children. We submitted our mission papers on December 21, 2009.
Six weeks passed before we received our call to serve in the New York Rochester Mission. What joy we felt for the opportunity to serve in this particular mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The significance of this mission comes is the fact it is the place on earth where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon Church) had it’s beginnings. We call these beginnings “The Restoration.” The Restoration took place in Western New York, particularly in and around the village of Palmyra, NY.
In 1816 , a young boy named Joseph Smith moved into the Village of Palmyra, New York with his family. During this time, there was much religious excitement in and around Palmyra. All the churches in the area claimed to be “the true church”
Joseph Smith’s parents came from God fearing families in Vermont. Joseph’s parents taught their family to pray and read the Bible together and individually.
Around the time of this religious excitement, Joseph was reading in the New Testament in the Book of James. A verse of scripture deeply touched his spirit. Joseph learned from James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let his ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” Joseph believed this verse could literally help him obtain the answer he sought in regard to the true church he should join, if there was one.
By 1818, Joseph’s family were living on a beautiful farm. The family were all working diligently together to earn the money for payments for the land. There was a beautiful ancient forest on this farm. Joseph decided to go out in the wooded area on the family farm and make an attempt to pray as James directed in the verse of scripture he had read and pondered over. He had not prayed aloud in this way before. Joseph actually planned out the spot in the woods where he would go alone to pray.
On a beautiful spring morning in 1820, Joseph prayed to Father in Heaven in the trees back of his home. In his attempt to pray, darkness surrounded him, as the advisory tried to take away his life. The advisory did not want Joseph to pray and receive an answer! The advisory still today does not want anyone to pray to receive divine guidance. Just as Joseph felt he was doomed to destruction, he was rescued by our loving Father in Heaven and his son Jesus Christ.
Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ actually came to Joseph Smith in the grove of trees as he prayed. Great light illuminated the area surrounding Joseph by two heavenly beings. These two beings were God the Father and his son Jesus Christ. Father in Heaven introduced his Son Jesus Christ to Joseph. Father in Heaven and Jesus called Joseph by his name. Both heavenly beings taught Joseph Smith. He was taught by them no church on earth was true. He was told he was to join none of the churches. Joseph learned he was to be a prophet on earth for Father in Heaven. Joseph’s prayer was answered!!!!
Joseph learned many important truths about Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ on that spring morning in 1820. He learned more about God and his Son Jesus Christ than had been known for thousands of years upon the earth. He learned both had bodies of flesh and bones. He learned they knew him by name and had a plan for him to follow. He learned they loved him and all mankind. He also learned the evil one is real and hates all of Gods children. If possible, the advisory would destroy everyone on this earth. This is a truth the world in Joseph’s day and the world of our day do not take seriously.
On March 14, 2010 my husband and I were set apart as Missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We entered the Mission Training Center in Provo, Utah on March 15, 2010 for a week of missionary training. From Provo, Utah we drove to Palmyra, New York.
Elder Shepherd and I have been serving as missionaries in the New York Rochester Mission since March 27th, 2010. We serve daily at one of the four Hill Cumorah Historical Sites. We greet those who come to these beautiful sites and teach of the historical events surrounding the Restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These sites convey peace, truth and light to those who come to them, be they members of our faith or friends of other faiths. All are welcome. All can feel the love of our Savior and our Father in Heaven at these sites if they have sincere hearts.
John 15: 9-12 states: As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Sacred Grove
From Joseph Smith’s experience in the anctient forest back of his home, known today as The Sacred Grove, I know the Savior lives!!!!! I know he loves me. I know Father in Heaven loves all his children and has a plan for each one. I know my prayers are answered by a loving Father in Heaven as was Joseph Smith’s first prayer in The Sacred Grove in 1820. The great truth is, anyone can pray, be heard, and receive answers to their prayers!!!!
