"And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them"
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is led by the living Jesus Christ himself. I have a testimony of this and have had many experiences in my life that witnessed this to me. Our Church claims a true and singular priesthood authority that no other group or individual has. This priesthood was restored to mankind by angelic beings by "the laying on of hands". The purpose of the priesthood is to bless mankind, one example of which comes by means of "Healing the Sick". This is a very reverent and peaceful occasion that operates when faith and the will of God are joined. As a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I had many opportunities to use the priesthood to bless the lives of others, just as I continue to do today. While healing the sick is neither the sole nor primary purpose of the priesthood, this blog post offers some insights into how the Church approaches matters of medicine and healing.
**NOTE: If you wish to get in contact with missionaries of the Church to learn more, you can do so at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/requests/missionary-visit
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It was now around March 2016 (about 19 months in as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). I came down with something in San José that I couldn't shake (See "6th Area: San José, Reynosa"). At first, I put it in the back of my mind because I was confident it would pass in a few days. But I was wrong. I suspected hay fever, which I'd grown up most of my life with but it lingered longer than usual. It onsets when the seasons change, especially when going quickly from cold to hot or the reverse, or when plants release pollen and other irritants into the spring or autumn air, but I'd seemingly managed to dodge it for the most part thus far in Mexico. It wasn't the first time I'd been sick in Mexico, but most things came and went relatively quickly. My head throbbed like it was being smacked repeatedly with a frying pan. My nose was entirely plugged so my speech became a bit nasally and my lungs were exhausted and congested. As such, my chest always felt like weights were pressing on them which made talking exhausting. I blew my nose a million times a day using up countless tissues which were medically futile because it does nothing for the inflammation. But just the same, I blew until my nose felt bruised to the touch. My energy felt completely depleted but we went about work as always, never a day off.
All the Church members took pity on me in my utter misery and offered different remedies. One family, the Carrizales family, gave me a wonderful hot natural tea with honey which helped me sleep. It soothed my sensitive throat but with everything combined, all I wanted to do was fall asleep as soon as we got home.
After a lunch appointment with Obispo Bazán’s daughter, who happened to be a doctor, Elder Mullins asked her to take a look at me. She took us into her office next door, checked my throat, and prescribed me about four medications. It took at least 3 days wandering on foot to find a pharmacy that wasn't even that far away (which would have been quicker if we had GPS instead of a paper map) but we finally got my prescription filled on Thursday, February 12, 2016, and it costed less than I thought it would. I took my medicine about every 8 hours for so many days. It was tedious and took forever to take effect. It didn't really help that I couldn't rest up either.
The medication seemed to do little good as the days continued to tick by. I believed that the best thing to do next was to ask Elder Mullins for a priesthood blessing, which he did. Although I have faith in science and medicine, I believe the priesthood blessing helped things move faster.
BLESSINGS OF THE PRIESTHOOD
I highly recommend you refer to my blog post entitled, "Priesthood" to thoroughly understand what the priesthood is, why it's needed, and how it's used. You may also want to refer to it for terminology. The priesthood is crucial to the Lord's purposes and our eternal destiny which is why it's worth first again touching on the role it plays here.
The Priesthood is the authority of God delegated to mankind to bless God's children. The blessings of the Priesthood are for all men, women, and children alike. Such blessings include things like baptism and the sacrament, but also other diverse forms of service both within the Church and without (See "Baptism by Immersion" and "Sabbath Day Observance"). In short, the priesthood exists to bless everyone in a variety of ways, both temporal and spiritual.
But you'll remember that the priesthood operates in a very structured and purposeful way as a key component of the Church of Jesus Christ. In particular, the priesthood is needed to perform any ordinance in the Church --- a sacred, formal act or ceremony in which promises are made between us and God. Some ordinances are called "Essential Ordinances" because they are essential for eternal life such as: Baptism by Immersion, Confirmation, ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood (for men), the temple endowment, and the marriage sealing. Other ordinances are important and useful but not essential to our salvation, such as naming and blessing children, consecrating oil, and administering to the sick and afflicted. Not all ordinances involve "the Laying on of Hands", such as the sacrament for example, but many do.
THE PRIESTHOOD OF JESUS CHRIST
The way the priesthood operates and is to be used is determined by Jesus Christ whose priesthood it is (See "Priesthood"). The people who have the priesthood --- "priesthood holders" --- are only vehicles of sorts for Christ's priesthood to work through. In regards to receiving the priesthood in the first place, the priesthood is and always has been given through "the Laying on of hands" by someone who already has it, beginning with Jesus Christ.
Of the priesthood --- the authority of God --- there are two "levels" in which a man may act. The first is the Aaronic Priesthood which a boy may receive by the laying on of hands beginning at age 12 at which point he is an "Aaronic Priesthood holder". And the other which comes after is the Melchizedek Priesthood which a man may receive in the same way beginning at age 18 at which point he is a "Melchizedek Priesthood holder". Both the Aaronic and the Melchizedek Priesthood work together but the Melchizedek Priesthood includes duties that those with the Aaronic Priesthood do not have. All individuals, regardless if they are a Priesthood holder or not are of equal worth and play an important part in the Lord's Kingdom.
NOTE: I wish to briefly acknowledge that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believes in ongoing revelation. I acknowledge that certain practices that were once performed in the early days of the restored Church in the 1800s are not exactly the same as they are today as throughout the years the Lord has given further instruction and understanding. Therefore, it should go without saying that everything I say in this blog post goes to speak about the current practices and understanding of administering to the sick and afflicted and the priesthood, not past ones.
THE LAYING ON OF HANDS
Men who have the Melchizedek Priesthood (assuming they're also in harmony with the restored gospel of Jesus Christ) may perform ordinances involving what's called, "The laying on of hands" (Gen. 48:14-19; Luke 4:40; Acts 8:14-17; 9:17-18; 1 Tim. 4:14). The laying on of hands is the procedure revealed by the Lord for performing many priesthood ordinances, such as confirmation, ordination, setting members apart to serve in callings (See "Setting Apart and Setting Out" and "Prophets and Callings"), administering to the sick, and giving other priesthood blessings. Those having the proper priesthood authority place their hands gently upon the head of the person receiving the ordinance. Thereafter, depending on the ordinance, there may be other steps regarding the specifics of the procedure and what blessings are pronounced.
In most ordinances, prior approval from ecclesiastical leaders is needed. This is always true in regards to ordinances regularly performed in the chapel buildings or temples. But in regards to administering to the sick, prior approval is not needed from ecclesiastical leaders. [1]
"GIVE A BLESSING"
In our Church vernacular, we often say we "Give someone a blessing" which simply refers "to an ordinance by the laying on of hands". When giving a blessing those having the proper priesthood authority gently place their hands upon the head of the person receiving the ordinance and speak as guided by the Holy Ghost. In doing so, they serve as instruments through whom the Lord blesses His children (D&C 36:2).
Who can get a priesthood blessing? Generally speaking, anybody can receive a priesthood blessing if it is for administering to the sick, for comfort, or for encouragement.
This is generally implicit in the definition of getting or giving a priesthood blessing. Other ordinances that involve covenants and the laying of hands are usually referred to by their name, such as "The Confirmation" which are only available under certain conditions to baptized individuals of the Church of Jesus of Latter-Day Saints. If you haven't been baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, feel free to ask for a priesthood blessing to give you an extra boost in your life! It's free!
ANOINTING WITH OIL
Oil and anointings have symbolic significance, as you can discover throughout the Old Testament to the New Testament. The same applies today. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, anointing with oil is typically used when healing the sick and almost nowhere else. Therefore, don't confuse all priesthood blessings with having to do with oil. For the purpose of this blog post, it's specific to healing the sick.
The oil that is used in healing the sick has no mystical properties but it still has to meet certain criteria before it can be used. The oil used in this ordinance must be olive oil and consecrated before it can be used. The procedure of consecrating of oil is performed by worthy Melchizedek Priesthood holders as described here. In a way, much like a "setting apart", the consecrating of oil is a procedure of dedicating that oil for sacred purposes only. Most Melchizedek Priesthood holders usually keep consecrated oil in a small plastic container or metal vial that's easy to carry around, usually small enough to fit on a key chain. Because only a single drop of oil is used in the ordinance, there's no need to consecrate a lot of oil. Whenever it runs out, more oil needs to be first consecrated before it can be used.
As part of priesthood blessings when administering to the sick and afflicted, the person receiving the blessing is usually first "anointed" with a drop of consecrated oil on the top of the head by a Melchizedek priesthood holder when possible. When consecrated oil is not available, the priesthood blessing of the sick and afflicted may proceed without the anointing. The anointing of oil is not used in other blessings such as those for comfort or encouragement, or the Confirmation ordinance. The scriptures also reference anointing with oil in the healing of the sick:
"Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord" (James 5:14)
Administering to the sick “by the laying on of hands” has two parts: 1) Anointing with oil and 2) Sealing the anointing with a blessing.
Normally, two or more Melchizedek Priesthood holders administer to the sick. Usually one performs the anointing and the other seals the anointing. However, one may perform both the anointing and sealing.
What does it mean to anoint with oil? Only one Melchizedek Priesthood holder anoints with oil. He does this by putting a single drop of consecrated oil on the person's head (usually by the crown of their head). He then places his hands lightly on the person’s head (laying on of hands) and calls the person by his or her full name. He states that he is acting by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood. He then states that he is anointing with oil that has been consecrated for anointing and blessing the sick and afflicted. And then he closes by saying "In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen". That is all. No more. No less. He removes his hands, and then a second person usually joins in and they both again place their hands gently on the person's head and continue to seal the anointing.
If a Melchizedek Priesthood holder is giving a blessing that is not for healing the sick, this step is skipped.
What does it mean to "seal the anointing"? To seal the anointing, one or more Melchizedek Priesthood holders place their hands lightly on the person’s head (laying on of hands). Then the one who seals the anointing: Calls the person by his or her full name, states that he is sealing the anointing by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood, gives words of blessing as guided by the Spirit, and closes by saying "In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen".
Again, if the blessing is not for healing the sick, there is no anointing with oil so there is no need to state that you are "sealing the anointing" so you'd just skip that step.
As you can see, priesthood blessings have a part to it that is not "word-for-word" rather, what is said should be directed by the still, small voice of the Holy Ghost as the priesthood holder humbly strives to communicate the Lord's will. It is in this part that specifics of the blessing, such as why the blessing is being given, may be elaborated upon. As with all blessings, which makes them different from prayer, is that a blessing is directed toward the recipient, not Heavenly Father. The priesthood holder is speaking to the person whose head they have their hands on, not God. As directed by the Holy Ghost, appropriate language for the blessing often includes: "I bless you". Blessings are not petitions. When guided by the Holy Ghost, a priesthood blessing may include pronouncements of promised blessings according to Heavenly Father's will. After all, the priesthood is meant to confer heavenly blessings, inasmuch as it is not contrary to the will of God or used incorrectly. If a priesthood holder acts as the Holy Ghost directs, you can be confident that it's God's will because you won't be guessing or asking for blessings, you'll be declaring them.
FAITH HEALING?
It will come as no surprise that there are many individuals outside of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints who attempt to heal the sick in a variety of ways including what some call "Faith Healings". And in some cases, it might even seem that such interventions are effective. But to this, I want to make some distinctions and add some clarification as to the sources of healing that everybody has access to and differentiate this with true priesthood blessings by the laying on of hands.
NOTE: I again invite you to consider the importance of believing without seeing and the caution to treat the sacred with due reverence. We are warned to steer clear of healing practices that are imitations of the priesthood power of God (See "Falsehoods and Sign-Seeking"). We should also be wary of those who make a profit off of so-called "faith healings".
PRAYER:
It seems that there are certain categories of healings that all have the common roots of faith and/or God’s will. Faith and God’s will transcend any or no organized religion. This means that people can be healed through the prayer of faith regardless of their or the preacher’s membership in a particular church (See "Prayers"). Prayer, of course, does not involve the "laying on of hands" or other imitations of the priesthood. Prayer is certainly one way that healing power can be brought to bear on someone who is ill. James 5:16 says:
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual prayer of a righteous man [or woman] availeth much.”
FASTING:
Another category of healing is fasting (See "Fast"). When a group of people shows their faith and love through fasting and prayer, more power is brought to the healing process. Again, anybody can fast and pray to petition the Lord for His blessing.
PRIESTHOOD BLESSINGS:
Still another category in healing is priesthood blessings. A priesthood holder in harmony with the gospel of Jesus Christ has authority and power delegated to him from the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Such a holder of the priesthood can call down power from heaven on behalf of the afflicted and heal them completely according to their faith, the faith of the afflicted, and God’s will. As mentioned previously, priesthood blessings by the laying on of hands is an ordinance and can only be performed by priesthood holders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
So, while members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do not have a specific lock on faith and healing, they do have a lock on authority and ordinances. So healing exclusivity…no…but healing by ordinance exclusivity…yes.
MEDICINE AND FAITH
I invite you to check out another fantastic post of mine that argues that faith and science go hand-in-hand entitled, "What is Truth? Science and Faith".
Furthermore, to learn more about the use of the priesthood, the important role of faith in Jesus Christ, and the will of God, I'd like to refer you to a talk that was given by President Dallin H. Oaks of the Twelve Apostles in the April General Conference in 2010 entitled, "Healing the Sick". In his talk, he actually makes a great point in favor of science and medicine.
We don't need to rely on priesthood blessings alone to treat every sickness. Take the prophet today, President Russell M. Nelson (2018 - Present), for instance, he's an internationally renowned Heart Surgeon! He was a member of the research team that developed the heart-lung machine that in April 1951 supported the first human open-heart surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass. And he's not the only physician of faith. There have been others like Elder Dale G. Renland of the Twelve Apostles (2015 - Present) who was a Cardiologist. From President Oaks' talk, we are taught:
"Latter-day Saints believe in applying the best available scientific knowledge and techniques. We use nutrition, exercise, and other practices to preserve health, and we enlist the help of healing practitioners, such as physicians and surgeons, to restore health."
"The use of medical science is not at odds with our prayers of faith and our reliance on priesthood blessings. When a person requested a priesthood blessing, Brigham Young would ask, “Have you used any remedies?” To those who said no because “we wish the Elders to lay hands upon us, and we have faith that we shall be healed,” President Young replied: “That is very inconsistent according to my faith. If we are sick and ask the Lord to heal us, and to do all for us that is necessary to be done, according to my understanding of the Gospel of salvation, I might as well ask the Lord to cause my wheat and corn to grow, without my plowing the ground and casting in the seed. It appears consistent to me to apply every remedy that comes within the range of my knowledge, and [then] to ask my Father in Heaven … to sanctify that application to the healing of my body.”
"Of course, we don’t wait until all other methods are exhausted before we pray in faith or give priesthood blessings for healing. In emergencies, prayers and blessings come first. Most often we pursue all efforts simultaneously. This follows the scriptural teachings that we should “pray always” (D&C 90:24) and that all things should be done in wisdom and order."
While on the subject of medicine and faith, the reader may wonder what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints' stance on vaccines is. Discussion on vaccinations has resurged in recent times due to the rise of COVID-19, but the conversation has existed for many years. A section on vaccinations was added to the church handbook in March of 2021:
"Vaccinations administered by competent medical professionals protect health and preserve life. Members of the Church are encouraged to safeguard themselves, their children, and their communities through vaccination. Ultimately, individuals are responsible to make their own decisions about vaccination. If members have concerns, they should counsel with competent medical professionals and also seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost".
On August 12, 2021, the leaders of the church, which included our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson put forth a statement which in part says:
"To provide personal protection from such severe infections, we urge individuals to be vaccinated. Available vaccines have proven to be both safe and effective."
You may find the full statement here. On September 22, they asked members of the Church worldwide to wear masks when attending the temple where temple attendance was permitted. In part they reminded everyone that the Church's stance regarding vaccination is not unique to recent circumstances:
"Our urging Church members to be vaccinated and to protect themselves and others from the spread of disease has precedent. Prior First Presidencies shared similar messages in 1900 about smallpox and in 1957 regarding polio."
You can find that statement in full here. In summary, vaccinations administered by competent medical professionals are highly recommended and endorsed by the prophet and other leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
GIVING PRIESTHOOD BLESSINGS IN MEXICO
It seemed that I wasn’t the only one in need of a priesthood blessing. During my brief time in San José, I got to help give many blessings. Many of them I consider sacred and won't mention here. But to give you an idea, we gave blessings to several Church members at their request after lunch appointments; other times when we’d visit those who were too sick to come to church on Sunday, we even blessed Hermana Godoy when she had issues with her wrist and had to go to the hospital. In other occasions during those two years, we accompanied bishops to the hospital to visit sick members of the Ward (See "Bishops and Shepherds"). And of course, from time to time, we'd give blessings to people we were teaching about the Church. Every blessing to give was, in a way, a blessing to me because it helped me further appreciate the priesthood of God. That is what the priesthood is for, to bless others according to God’s will. I testify from both faith and personal experience that the priesthood is real and needed upon the Earth.
On Thursday, March 3, 2016, I went on Intercambios with Elder Hale, from District D, who was one of my Zone Leaders at this time. I went with him to Riveras where he’d been teaching a woman from the Seventh Day Adventist church who was something stubborn. We addressed all the “concerns” she had but she dismissed it all with skepticism and didn't want to give up smoking. We were there for quite a while. Elder Hale was amazing. He was bold with kindness and the spirit was clearly with him. He explained what priesthood blessings were and asked if she’d like one to overcome her smoking habits. Elder Hale suggested I say the blessing, so I did. I laid my hands humbly on this good woman’s head, waited for the spirit to give me the words to say, and slowly dictated them. Certain thoughts kept coming to my mind, above all, “Bless her that all the good that is already inside of her may be magnified to its fullest”. So I did. It was exactly what she needed to hear. The spirit peacefully reassured her that she wasn’t a bad person but that He wanted to bless her further. At the end of the blessing, as I lifted my hands off her head, we could see gentle tears in her eyes. After what initially had been an agitated and loud visit, here she was now, calm and still and quiet. She was filled with peace. Elder Hale and I bore testimony to what had just happened under the hands of God’s authorized servants of His Church. None of us could deny the spirit of truth we felt. Before we left, she gave the prayer and in the prayer, she humbly committed to God that she would quit smoking and come to Church! Truly, as soon as the spirit of contention left, the Spirit of God could do its job. As priesthood holders, we were just the vessels for God to act. And time and time again, I saw similar situations miraculously unfold before my eyes.
THE WILL OF GOD
Sometimes God’s will isn’t as we hope. Sometimes His plan is different. Although the priesthood has the power to bless in many ways, those who give Priesthood blessings cannot use it selfishly or incorrectly (D&C 121:37). Because Christ is the vine, we cannot use His Priesthood, which He delegates, in contrary to His will or purpose (John 15:1-5). I've always had a testimony of this even before I received the Priesthood which is why I always say a silent prayer in my heart before I lay my hands on a person's head, to know concerning the will of the Lord. As with all other things in life as well, we can and should always pray to Heavenly Father for help and guidance in all things.
I want to invite you to watch the movie, "Ephraim's Rescue" by T.C. Christensen (It's free on YouTube with ads). It's an incredible movie based on the true story of a faithful man, named Ephraim Hanks, sent by Brigham Young to rescue those suffering pioneers trekking across the country to Utah in the winter. Ephraim Hanks was a humble convert of great faith who had a gift of healing. There are many great quotes and moments from this movie that when it comes to being the man to give someone a priesthood blessing, I try to emulate. Says he, "I have so many faults I cannot count them all." When asked how then he is able to do so much good, he simply says, "I try". We do not have to perfect, but we do need to do our best to be clean and ready for when the opportunity arises. You never know who is counting on us. When God needs us, may we, like Ephraim Hanks be able to say, "I am Ready Now".
I recall blessing a sister of a Ward member at her request who had a serious mystery ailment. She and the rest of her family, besides her sister who knew us, weren’t members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They agreed for Elder Mullins and me to give her a blessing since they had nothing to lose. After seeing so many answered priesthood blessings, many of which were very quick, I didn’t doubt this one would be answered. Such was my confidence in the power of the priesthood, at first, I felt as if I were to bless this good woman to be healed that it would be so --- after all, it seemed to be the case thus far. But the spirit didn’t tell me to do that. It was a slow careful and extremely humble blessing. I searched the spirit for what to say but the impression kept coming back to bless her and her family with peace, faith, and morale to endure their trials. The spirit told me that they were yet to go through hard things but that they needed to be strong. I wanted so hard to bless her to be cured but I couldn’t because I felt like God's will was different; peace was what they needed most at that time. We don’t have the ability to command God, and we certainly don't play God. We are merely conduits.
The prophet Nephi in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, a descendant of the first Nephi in the book, was entrusted of the Lord with certain priesthood authority, even the greatest authority he could be given. This power was given to compel the wicked to repent but within the limits the Lord set. Said the Lord:
“Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, into this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments. And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.” (Hel. 10:4-5)
We may not always have control over a trial's outcome but the Lord promises to be with us through them. That's what the Lord wanted this family with the sick sister to know. I didn’t see them again after that.
Shortly after finishing my Mission a few months later and returning home to Utah, I saw on my Facebook newsfeed that this good woman had indeed passed away. I’d only met her on that one occasion but it hurt just the same. I wish that experience had a happy ending but I can only say that I know that God knows what's best and loves us. He doesn’t always calm the sea, sometimes he calms the sailor.
Understanding that we do live in a fallen world should help us greater appreciate the Atonement of Jesus Christ (See "Return of the King --- Part 1"). If we lived in a perfect world, there would be no need for a Savior. But God the Father loved us so much that He sent His only Begotten Son to take upon Himself, not only all our sins, but also all our pains, afflictions, temptations of every kind, sicknesses, and even death (Alma 7:11-12). He knows how we feel and what we're going through. What He offers is strength and peace in this life, but more importantly, eternal life which is the greatest of all the gifts of God -- All that He has. In the eternal perspective, our trials, no matter how undesirable they may be, are for but a small moment in time. How we deal with our trials is the true measure of faith and is an opportunity to build more faith.
Some of the gifts of the spirit mentioned in the scriptures are faith, gifts of healing, and faith to be healed (1 Cor. 12:9; D&C 42:48). But “faith not to be healed” could be added to that list. “If it is the will of our Heavenly Father that you are transferred by death into the spirit world to continue your ministry, do you have the faith to submit to His will and not be healed?” Elder David A. Bednar was asked to give a priesthood blessing and the spirit prompted him to ask the recipient this question. Faith is a submission to the will of the Lord, whatever it may be. And real faith is being true to the Lord even when things don’t go as wanted. Such is the faith Job had (Job 1:21).
If someone is not healed in this life, I would hope that loved ones cling all the tighter to the gospel. After death, our spirit lives on with the same personality and desires as we did in life, waiting and preparing for that resurrection when we will take up our perfected immortal bodies again (See "Redeeming the Dead"). The Atonement of Jesus Christ is that wonderful gift that makes that possible. Although we may mourn, we mourn with hope because death has no sting! Every departure is a temporary one. Until then, those who have gone before are still with us, not only in memory but also in spirit. Sometimes we are healed in this life but we must never depreciate that glorious gift that will be given to all with time. May we have the patience and the perspective to accept God’s will no matter what it may be and forever give him the glory that is His. I testify that the reward of enduring to the end is worth any temporary trial of mortality.
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