Blessings

Last Saturday, we went for a walk. We meandered through the neighborhood toward the park, ready to take the kids for a swim. We strolled in only to discover that all hell had broken loose. A young woman stood sobbing on her friend's shoulder. Her 53-year-old father had collapsed in the park. Someone had the presence of mind to run into the city pool and find a lifeguard to do CPR. The teenaged guard was doing chest compressions while sirens wailed in the distance and the family wailed over his shoulder.


It was devastating. The victim wasn't breathing. Everyone stood around feeling helpless. It reminded me of the several times the paramedics had to come get my dad in the two months before he died. That made me cry. I wanted to help. More than anything, I wanted Kenny to give the man a priesthood blessing. In our faith, we believe that through the priesthood, a person can be healed according to their faith and God's will. I've witnessed it happen many times in my life and I've experienced it myself. Knowing that Heavenly Father has provided us with this power has been a source of incredible comfort to me many times. Asking for and receiving priesthood blessings for myself or my family is also empowering; it helps me feel like I'm doing something when I would otherwise feel utterly helpless.


That's how I felt at the park. Helpless. (And really stupid for crying.) Kenny couldn't offer that family a priesthood blessing because they don't know about the priesthood. He said that instead we could say a prayer in our hearts. So I did. I prayed really, really hard. I slipped over and offered the young woman a bottled water and then crept closer to her father, keeping an ear open to see if there was anything else I could do. The EMTs showed up and began working on him. They called for damp cloths and every male there, young and old, immediately whipped off their t-shirts and wet them in the drinking fountains, anxious to hand them over and help. Other people stood over the paramedics with beach towels held up to create a sun shade. Other people ran to the road to guide in the other emergency vehicles racing toward the park.


Everybody tried to do something. It made me happy to live in my new neighborhood, where strangers will literally give the shirts off their backs to help a stranger. It made me sad that the one thing that could help the most wasn't something I could extend at the moment. But it made me feel blessed to know that my husband strives to live honorably to be worthy of the priesthood. And it made me determined to open my mouth and share what I have and know.


Anyone can get a priesthood blessing, LDS or not. They only need faith to be healed. I want to be sure that I have relationships with all my friends and family that are strong enough that they would feel completely comfortable getting a blessing like that from Kenny or anyone with the proper authority. I'm excited to share new restaurant discoveries, or tell everyone about a sale. Why wouldn't I share the one thing in my life that makes everything better?


I am grateful for the restored gospel and the blessings of comfort and healing given through the priesthood.


The man regained consciousness before they loaded him into the ambulance. His wife stood near him and called his name over and over again, with words of love and encouragement. "Hold on!" she said. "I love you! I'm here! I love you!"


It was so simple. And so great. Say it to someone you love today, okay? It'll make both of you feel better.