A reminder of what could have been!

Yesterday was Sunday and as I walked, almost ran - skipped down the hall of the church house because I was in such a hurry to get back to the Relief Society room where I was teaching my lesson I passed Rachel Daugs, our neighbor and daughter of our old bishop. She fell on the ice just before Christmas and broke the same ankle she broke on our trampoline when she was about 10 years old. She broke one bone and got two pins. She was barely walking, last week she still had her crutches. He whole leg from her foot almost to her knee is swollen and she can hardly stand on it. Arvonna Jenson, our former Stake President's wife broke her ankle and got a couple of pins about 5 years ago. She is still limping. I was reminded of a year ago Feb 22 when I fell down the stairs at work and broke both ankle bones, one on each side. When I tripped on the landing I popped my ankle one direction and then popped it the other direction ending up on the floor moaning and groaning with a double fracture and dislocated left ankle. Paul took me to the hospital in Sid’s truck. He was so gentle, kind and supportive. He stayed with me and gave me a blessing once they looked at the X-rays and decided that the operation needed to be done immediately. An orderly anointed me with the oil and the very moment that Paul put his hands on my head to give me a blessing I relaxed and the pain left. That blessing was the most powerful IMMEDIATE blessing I have ever received. When he laid his hands on my head the excruciating pain totally subsided and I felt the spirit surge through me completely. In the blessing Paul promised me total recovery with no negative affects. There were 24 staples holding two incisions together. The outside incision was about 6” long with a metal plate and 7 screws holding the vertical break in place. The inside ankle incision was about 4” long and has 2 screws holding the large horizontal bone break in place. Within 8 weeks it was completely healed to the point where I didn't limp. A year later there was no swelling, only a few little stitch marks. I have been greatly blessed. Paul was promised in his Patriarchal Blessing that he would perform miracles. I believe I have been blessed as the recipient of one of those miracles and I was duly reminded of it Sunday as I witnessed the pain that I could still be experiencing. Thank you Paul for your gift and your kindness, mercy and patience with me. Thank you for being worthy to bless me with your Priesthood. Thank you for your continued efforts to work at becoming the kind of husband and father you want to be. Thank you for being my precious, wonderful son. Without you my life would not be complete!