Recently one of my online friends requested that I write about healing stories within the Mormon faith.
My first thought was to share the traditional stories those of us who have been around the Mormon Church for awhile have all heard. I’m sure there are many bloggers out there who are well more versed on the history of Mormon faith healing and miracles, but for those of you interested, there are quite a few Mormon faith healing stories of the first Mormon prophet, Joseph Smith. Those of you who have stories to share on the history of healing or perhaps a relative who was miraculously healed, please share in the comment section because I know there are a lot of faith healing stories out there which would be beneficial for all of us to hear.
Also, as I researched, I found numerous inspirational stories of faith and healing from Mormons all over the world. For example, the LDS Addictions Recovery website has some amazing testimonials of people who were on the street and totally addicted who turned their will to God and were healed.
Another miraculous healing I recently read in the very inspiring book Let it Go by Chris Williams. This book is about Chris’s experience with a drunk driver hitting his family’s car. Chris’s wife, unborn son, daughter, and one of his sons were instantly killed. His other son was in very critical condition and had brain damage. Doctors thought that he had a very slight chance of survival, and if he did survive, would have permanent brain damage. Chris relates a story of how he felt God’s love encircle him and as he laid hands on his son to give him a blessing of healing, he felt God tell him to say his son would be completely healed. Three weeks later, his son was o.k. and released from the hospital.
While all of these examples are awesome, and the Good Lord has shown His hand countless times, I thought that I would share a few personal stories that were very impressive for me at various stages of my life. As I reflect on each of them, I am grateful for God’s merciful hand in my life.
I’ll start with the story of my sister being brought back to life, then share a personal story of healing within myself, and conclude with a recent story about my wife and our unborn daughter (due this June 20th).
The Day my Sister Died (and lived)
I was seven years old, but that didn’t stop my father from granting me my wish to help out on the farm. On this particular day I was busy pulling down a 80 lb hay bales, and rolling them to the feeding trough, cutting the strings and distributing the hay for the yearling calves. I wanted to make sure I was doing my job correctly, so I was very focused on making sure I did as my father had taught me and not clump the hay all in one spot. Rather, spread it out evenly so all the calves could get a good meal.
My focus was suddenly snapped as I heard a shrill screaming shrieking noise that startled me. I wondered what could be making that noise and when I looked a few hundred feet away from where I was it scared me even more. The noise was coming from my father. Tears were streaming down his face and he was running faster than I had ever seen him run in my life. What was even more frightening was my little sister, who was 3 1/2 years old was laying limp and lifeless in his arms. I dropped everything I was doing and ran towards my grandfathers house where I saw my father running.
By the time I entered the pantry my grandmother, grandfather, and father were surrounding my young sister. She was laying in my father’s arms limp and they couldn’t find a pulse. My grandmother had called for help and in the meantime, grandpa and dad proceeded to give her a blessing.
My father knows more precisely what was said in the blessing, but if I recall it correctly, he commanded her to be healed and promised that she would live a life of service to God. Shortly thereafter, her pulse returned and her stay in the hospital was very short.
She was daddies little girl and always followed him around the farm wherever he went. I’ve had conversations with him about how proud of her he was and how much he loved his little girl. On that particular day, as he was pulling hay bales down, he didn’t realize that she had slipped out of grandpa and grandma’s home to follow him. He pulled a line of hay from a stack that was 13 bales high, each bale weighing 80-100 lbs. which came crashing down right on top of her. It was the first healing miracle I witnessed and it made an impression on me that the Lord can and still does work miracles through His faithful servants.
Today, my sister is one of the most dedicated and committed members of our family to the Lord, Jesus Christ as she and her husband serve as pastors and missionaries for a local Foursquare Church. They are also beginning the process of planting a new church. She is a sweet blessing to our family and I thank the Lord that her life was spared at that time. Many times throughout my life she has touched me and moved me to be a better person who is more dedicated to the Lord.
My Blessing of Healing
Those of you who follow my blog know of my struggles I’ve had in the past with anxiety and depression. Those of you who read my book know how big of a challenge it was for me to overcome anxiety and depression, especially in my personal relationships.
Shortly after I was married to my wife, I was still struggling with sever anxiety. I was traumatized by my parents’ divorce at a young age and I still had panic that my wife may leave me or be taken away from me.
A couple weeks after we were married, I was visiting a friend of mine. My wife was on a trip to Taiwan and I was scheduled to go visit her. However, I was in a state of panic wondering if she would still want me knowing I was suffering so much from anxiety, etc. I asked my friend to give me a blessing.
In the blessing, God talked to me through him. I felt words of comfort and he also pronounced a blessing of healing, that I would be freed from anxiety.
Since that time, I have never suffered from a panic attack, which is a miracle given that I had suffered for years prior to that. I feel the Lord’s hand in my life as I am a husband and father of two beautiful kids (soon to be three), which leads me to the final story of healing.
Healing for My Wife and Unborn Child
A few months ago my wife told me she was very weak from bleeding. Given that she was about 15 or 16 weeks pregnant, I knew that wasn’t a good thing. We had had a miscarriage before so I thought that perhaps this was the case. My mind then went to the “what if” situations of if it was something more that could be wrong with her and she was bleeding internally.
As the blood kept coming, I knew we needed to do something. I called her Dad to see if we could have him come over and watch our kids who were sleeping and then called the hospital and explained the situation. I then had the impression to give her a blessing of healing.
For those of you unfamiliar with the Mormon concept of giving a blessing, I’ll try and summarize it. Members of the church who hold the Melchezedek Priesthood have the authority and power to act as the “voice” of God so to speak and give a blessing. Blessings can be given for comfort, or for healing. In the case of healing, we annoint the person receiving the blessing with consecrated oil, place our hands on their head, and then speak the words the Lord gives us. It is a very humbling experience because going into the blessing the person doesn’t know what words are going to be given. (Read this article for a more detailed description on blessings).
Before I started speaking the words during the blessing, the Lord’s Spirit came over me and I sensed a complete feeling of peace and that everything was going to be fine. I knew in my heart that whatever happened would be the Lord’s will and I was prepared to accept it.
When I began speaking, I was impressed to speak the words that she would be healed and the baby would be fine. For a split second I had a bit of doubt seeing how much she had bled (which seemed like much more compared to the miscarriage we had had), but I put the doubt out of my mind and focused on the promptings I received.
Shortly afterwards, her bleeding slowed down and we didn’t even need to go into the doctor that evening.
She is now 26 weeks along and we found out we are going to be having a little girl.
Your Stories
These are just a few “Mormon Faith Healing Stories” that I have personally witnessed in my life. I’m positive there are many of you out there who have stories to share. Whether you are Mormon or not, I know that the Lord can and does heal according to His will and the faith of the people receiving and/or giving the healing. I would love if you shared some healing stories you have seen in your life. I think it will be a great blessing to those who read this.
Wheat & Tares 
I have witnessed healings from priesthood blessings and by non-members with that spiritual gift and I know a non-member Dr. who uses the gift of discernment in her practice.
My sister was born with an Rh problem that nearly killed her shortly after birth. She was given a priesthood blessing on her way to a transfusion. The blessing promised she would “live long enough to know true happiness”. This became prophetic. She suffered nearly all of her life, the suffering ended when correct diagnosis and treatments were finally found and for 18 months she actually had a life and knew true happiness, then she died of an unrelated cause.
I have grave doubts that blessings do anything to save people or eliminate illness.
We repeat the stories but there really is no indication of any real overall effect.
Otherwise, the rates of illness and death in areas with lots of Mormons would be substantially different than other parts of the U.S. (adjusted for lifestyle differences, mostly smoking). Instead, we track those with similar risk factors.
But, I do think blessings provide comfort. And, that can be worthwhile.
Steve,
Healing doesn’t necessarly extend life. Have you seen comparitive illness rates?
I gave my fiance a blessing today. Was nice reading your article. God bless.
Anyone who is looking for something to pray for, I could use your prayers, I am seeking a job in the Baltimore area in marketing, social media, or public relations. I have an MBA. Thanks all.
Howard,
My understanding is that LDS illness rates track closely those of other populations that don’t smoke and restrict alcohol use.
Steve,
It is within our power to make ourselves sick via. lifestyle including diet, exercise, proximity to carcenogins and radiation and our response to stress etc., therefore it is within our power to heal ourselves if disease has not progressed too far and of course disease prevention or delay has been demonstrated. Contrary to popular discounts (it’s *just* Placibo effect) Placibo effect or the power of belief is VERY powerful but difficult to conceptually quantify however I will attempt to; Perscription drugs must be shown to be more powerful than Placibo to win FDA approval. Some antidepressants are just slightly more powerful than Placebo. But Placibo is not all there is to it, there is also Nocibo or the power of disbelief. In other words if you disbelieve medicine that has been shown to be effective will help you, it won’t be or it won’t be as efficitive. So the power of swinging someone from disbelief through neutral belief to belief is roughly two times the power of a lower power antidepressant!
Steve, actually, Mormons are remarkably healthy and enjoy very low mortality.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705377709/UCLA-study-proves-Mormons-live-longer.html?pg=all
Tim,
You’ll find similar data for Seventh Day Adventists.
Steve,
Do you mind posting a link?
Howard,
I tried to link to a study available on the NIH site. It won’t link.
So, here is the best I can do: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventist_Health_Studies
Regarding Seventh-day Adventists Fundamental Beliefs:
God bestows upon all members of His church in every age spiritual gifts which each member is to employ in loving ministry for the common good of the church and of humanity… According to the Scriptures, these gifts include such ministries as faith, healing, prophecy…
I’ve always been intrigued by examples of the Savior himself performing a healing and, after a successful outcome, tell the recipient that THEIR faith had made them whole. So who can distinguish between employment of a (to us) miraculous power versus harnessing the self-healing capabilities of one’s mind? My guess is typically both. Of course, there have been instances of healing the comatose and raising the dead.
Luke Skywalker (after failing to retrieve his X-wing fighter by the Force)..”I can’t do it! It’s too big!”
Yoda: Size matters not! Judge me by my size, do you?..” (after his soliloquy, Yoda closes his eyes and lifts the spacecraft with seemingly little exertion).
Luke (astonished): I didn’t think that I could do it!”
Yoda: That is why you failed.
To say that God cannot heal denies his very power.
There was a nun in Portugal who ran an orphanage. She developed throat cancer but felt that her life’s mission was not complete so she prayed with great faith and was healed. She say the last child through the orphanage and went on to other things. She later met the missionaries and went through the temple for her endowments.
She saw
Hi Howard,
I agree with you about what you said about those who think God can not heal.
To all those who are quick to be of the worldly explanations: The Melchizedek priesthood is the very same power and authority that God, and our Lord and Savoir used to create this beautiful world in which we live. It is by the same power that priesthood holders give blessings to, in fact, heal the sick, and comfort the weary and faint of heart. The blessings and words which are spoken are not necessarily the exact will of the Lord. Therefore, that is why much preparation and a very detailed interview is given before a brother is given the power of the priesthood. That preparation is to prepare the individual to understand the Holy Spirits influence and know what the Lord himself is, in fact, saying. It also has a lot to do with the faith of the receiver of the blessing. they can’t just go get a blessing to be able to withstand being hit by a car or take the cancer in the body away and be healed. The blessings are given so that the receiver may have what he or she desires according to the Lords will, OR understand the true reason the Lord has given them the trial they face. Priesthood power is powerful through faith. Faith is not an exact knowledge, but a belief and a hope that can never be overcome. I hope one day all those who are in search of truth, in search of healing, in search of whatever your desire may be, may know that it is offered through faith in the Father who is in heaven, His Son, and the Holy Ghost. I invite all to kneel in humble and mighty prayer to Heavenly Father who has created you and offer up your hearts desires and I promise, it will be answered. “Ask, and ye SHALL receive…Knock, and it SHALL be opened unto you.”
Sincerely, Brother Banks
I had written a long testimony which I deleted, due to a prompting that persons tend to read and become skeptical and ideas and influences pervert things.
Now, let me explain a fundamental string consistency of those who gained healing, change, and more that I have witnessed. I myself have a testimony of the priesthood, and I am now an Elder’s Quorum President that has a testimony of giving blessings. Those who I have seen gain results as well as myself: Their faith was unshaken as they believed in the blessing they will receive, for as Jesus always taught, Luke 17: 19, “And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” Mark5:34, “And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.” I truly believe it has little to do with me when I bless a person, for most times I am beseeching God on the persons behalf. I always teach this concept before I bless someone, “50% of the blessing is you, 50% is from God, I am a vessel of His will, so if it be His will then it will be your reward.” Just know that I am a heart patient, that takes no medication, rides to church, and lives a normal life after receiving my blessing four years ago. Four years ago I was always sick and waiting to die. If you ever want to know more you can visit the Old Harbour Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Jamaica. I will introduce you to those I have witnessed gain blessings, and let them give you their personal testimonies.