Humble Servants with the Lord’s Power

Humble Servants with the Lord’s Power

While serving in my second area on my mission in El Salvador, I had the opportunity to become a senior companion and a trainer. With this new responsibility came a lot of pressure and inner determination to be the best I could be. With this desire came countless prayers pleading for the Lord’s help in the matter. To my surprise the answer to those prayers came quicker than I expected.

It was early one morning when our phone rang at our place. It was our branch president. Immediately I knew something was wrong.  He asked that we come over as soon as possible. We ate lunch at their house every day and over the few months I had been in the area; I had grown a great love for their family. My new companion and I got dressed and headed over to their house. Once we got there, he sat with us in the front room and began to explain what was happening. They were a young family with two kids.  They were blessed with a boy that was 9 years old and a 6 year old daughter. For the past year, unbeknownst to us their daughter had been suffering with kidney problems. He explained that over the past 2 months the situation had grew worse. They went to several doctors in the area seeking different opinions, but to their discouragement each test result came back the same. I don’t remember what exactly the diagnosis was, but as he continued to explain the situation they were going to the hospital later that day for one final test before she was going to start dialysis and be placed on a list for a kidney transplant. He then looked up at me with tears in his eyes saying that in El Salvador kidneys don’t come, and without one she would be dead in a few years.

Spontaneously, I asked if he had given her a priesthood blessing knowing that the answer would be yes. He looked to the floor and shook his head as he said “Elder, I don’t think God can fix this. I need you to give her a blessing.” I agreed. I handed my oil vile to my trainee and asked him to do the anointing, as he grabbed it he looked at me and said “I have never given a priesthood blessing before Elder Fieber, what do I do?” I helped him with the words and he completed the anointing without a problem. I then laid my hands on his young daughters head to seal the anointing, but it was as if there was a force field over her head preventing me from touching her. I knew then that her Father had to do the blessing. He and his wife were praying in the adjacent room. I went over to him and told him he needed to do this. I bore my testimony of the power of the priesthood and gave him reassurance that he held that authority to heal his daughter. All that he lacked was the step of Faith! He agreed, and followed us into the room.

As he struggled to speak, the words of a loving earthly and heavenly father filled the room. After words the feeling in the room was such that no one had a doubt she would make a full recovery. We offered a prayer and left for the day. They followed us out the door in their way to an appointment they have dreaded for a week now, fearful for their daughters life.

As the day went on could help but think of them, my heart was drawn out in prayer for them. I knew in my mind that not only was their daughters’ physical life in stake but quite possibly their spiritual wellbeing as well. A struggling branch couldn’t afford for their leader to not believe in the priesthood power.

We got a call later that night once they got back in town. He began to explain that everyone was confused and baffled at the hospital. They went in for the first test and failed to find anything wrong with her kidneys. They ran another test, and yet another all coming back with results showing kidneys that were 100%. He then went on to tell me how the doctors began to pour through the other tests that were run on previous occasions trying to figure out how this incurable issue with her kidneys in now gone without any medical intervention. He then told me in a soft humble voice, “Elder Fieber, I knew how the tests were different, there wasn’t a medical intervention, but there indeed was a divine intervention that the doctors wouldn’t understand if I told them.” At that moment I felt as if I was in the scriptures with the prophets of old. I could hardly believe my ears either as he told me of the miracle. I had always believed the power of the priesthood was back on the earth, but when something like this happens to you first hand there is a different level of belief. I know now without doubt that through the prophet Joseph Smith, Jesus Christ restored his power on the earth. It was passed down to me today, and as long as I live my life as directed anything is possible. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is Gods’ church in the latter days, restored so we can enjoy the blessings of his power in our lives just as those of old in the scriptures.