Yesterday, I was healed

On Friday the 9th my ankle began to hurt, I don't know what the cause was but I had tweaked it somehow.  Saturday the 10th I was a grumpy man because I was hurting and twice during the day I pivoted on my injured ankle exacerbating the injury, I still don't know what I did to cause the injury in the first place.  When I woke up on Sunday morning (the 11th) my ankle was swollen and I could not walk on it.  I could not flex my ankle without shooting pain and I could not stand on it.  I was really grumpy and not a fun person to be in company with.  Tina was sad because we were planning on going to a friend's house for scripture study and she knows that when I am not feeling good all I want to do is be home and alone (a bear in his cave).  She encouraged me to have the family come together for a family study.  I relented knowing it to be the right thing to do even though I wanted nothing to do with anyone.  I hobbled down the hallway dragging my swollen lame ankle behind me, hobbled down the stairs, and dropped unceremoniously onto the couch.

The family gathered, most on the couch, my son curled up on the floor with every part of his body, head included, covered by a blanket.  Once everyone was there my eldest left the room presumably to rotate laundry, though I know she had no intention of returning as she has not been interested in anything religious for a year or more.  I was hurting and frustrated and not of good temper.  For the next few moments I chewed out my son.  Then I called in my eldest and chewed her out for the same thing.  That thing being respect.  I told them that they don't have to believe what I believe nor participate but while they are in my home they do need to show respect to me and not undermine my authority by treating what I consider to be important lightly.  I told them that if they were a guest in another person's home that I would expect them to respect their beliefs.  I was harsh, I could have done better.

After everyone was settled we sang some songs, passed the sacrament, and had a small lesson.  I was ready to go back to bed at this point when my sweet wife asked in a very kind way if we could bless or say a prayer over my ankle.  I really didn't want people around me so I somewhat gruffly stated that I didn't want anyone's hands on my head but they were welcome to put their hands on my leg.  I don't remember the prayer offered but I remember that my wife was very sweet, I remember thinking back to when I was a child and had a severe ear infection and my father gave me a blessing of healing and my ear infection was healed overnight.  So I know that healing can happen but I had not seen it happen again since then.  I remember Tina saying 'Amen' and the kids lifting their hands away from my leg.  I positioned myself to use my arms to push up my weight.  Gingerly I put some weight on my ankle to help myself stand... there was no pain.  I pushed harder, still no pain.  I stood.

There standing before my family some of whom I had treated with harshness I was healed.  We quickly knelt down and offered a prayer of thanks.  I stood again and looked at my ankle, it was still swollen but it didn't hurt.  Then before my eyes, I watched as the swelling began to recede.  In moments my ankle slimmed down to its normal proportions.  I was exclaiming all the while "look at it!  Its shrinking!  Look at it!"

I don't know God's reason for healing me.  There are others near and dear to me who I believe deserve it so much more.  But I am thankful and grateful to tell you all that healing can happen.  And it is wondrous and beautiful.