A Short Summary of My "Other" 1981 Cancer Encounter (by request)
In June of 1981, in Indianapolis' Winona Hospital, when Dr. Frank Workman told me that my lymphatic cancer was terminal, I called my Home Teachers ( from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints/LDS Church) and good friends, Tom Meranda and Jim Utterback, asking them for a Priesthood blessing to help me deal with the time left to me.
In the blessing, Tom anointed and Jim was "voice" for the sealing of the anointing.
To our surprise, I was told that I would not die, but would completely recover, as my duties here on Earth were not yet completed.
Jim was flummoxed, and afterwards stammered to me that he had no idea that such a blessing would be pronounced upon me, and that the words of the blessing certainly didn't originate with him, notwithstanding his love and concern for me.
He asked me what I thought it meant, and of course I also didn't know the whole extent of its ramifications, but all of us knew that the Priesthood holders act as a conduit for the Holy Ghost, and that you never know in advance what will be promised and pronounced in a Priesthood blessing.
We also knew, as Priesthood brethren in Christ, that we often struggle to pronounce a specific blessing that we want so badly to bestow upon a loved one or friend, but that the Holy Ghost sometimes binds our tongues and just won't let it happen, for reasons best known only to God.
There's much more to this story, but it just is too personal and sacred to share with you in this forum.
Suffice it to say, however, that the cancer and its treatment was a grueling experience, and that I actually did die at one point, but that a Celestial courier from the Kingdom of Heaven intervened and brought me back.
The doctors couldn't explain it, but I knew what I knew, and still do.
Since then, sometimes this mortal veil has been thin for me.
Also, since then, I've gained a testimony that our kindred spirits often are trying to reach out and speak with us, but we are so absorbed in our mortal affairs, personal grief, and other concerns that we frequently just can't hear them or even feel their presence.
This is extremely frustrating for them, because they have to get special authorization to attempt to visit us in the first place.
Sometimes, however, if they can't directly reach their loved ones, they will attempt to contact whoever else is nearby, less distracted, and more sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
In the blessing, Tom anointed and Jim was "voice" for the sealing of the anointing.
To our surprise, I was told that I would not die, but would completely recover, as my duties here on Earth were not yet completed.
Jim was flummoxed, and afterwards stammered to me that he had no idea that such a blessing would be pronounced upon me, and that the words of the blessing certainly didn't originate with him, notwithstanding his love and concern for me.
He asked me what I thought it meant, and of course I also didn't know the whole extent of its ramifications, but all of us knew that the Priesthood holders act as a conduit for the Holy Ghost, and that you never know in advance what will be promised and pronounced in a Priesthood blessing.
We also knew, as Priesthood brethren in Christ, that we often struggle to pronounce a specific blessing that we want so badly to bestow upon a loved one or friend, but that the Holy Ghost sometimes binds our tongues and just won't let it happen, for reasons best known only to God.
There's much more to this story, but it just is too personal and sacred to share with you in this forum.
Suffice it to say, however, that the cancer and its treatment was a grueling experience, and that I actually did die at one point, but that a Celestial courier from the Kingdom of Heaven intervened and brought me back.
The doctors couldn't explain it, but I knew what I knew, and still do.
Since then, sometimes this mortal veil has been thin for me.
Also, since then, I've gained a testimony that our kindred spirits often are trying to reach out and speak with us, but we are so absorbed in our mortal affairs, personal grief, and other concerns that we frequently just can't hear them or even feel their presence.
This is extremely frustrating for them, because they have to get special authorization to attempt to visit us in the first place.
Sometimes, however, if they can't directly reach their loved ones, they will attempt to contact whoever else is nearby, less distracted, and more sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
posted by Larry D Kump | 6:09 AM
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