The Priesthood in My Home

Abby was in a lot of pain from the shots she got the other day. Granted, it took me until 11:00 last night to figure out what was wrong with her; but at least I figured it out. She had been crying almost non-stop for a couple of hours. I had fed her, swaddled her, given her time in the swing, rocked her, and laid her down in the cradle with her pacifier. I thought she was just losing her pacifier when she kept screaming, but when I went to put it back in her mouth, it was usually already there. Anyway, I was changing Isaac's diaper and noticed that his leg was red with a white spot in the center (I assume where the shot had been injected). It was like a lightening bolt to my brain. I said, "Dave, I wonder if Abby's legs are bothering her." We looked, and sure enough, her leg was swollen, and she flinched when I touched her legs to change her diaper. So, I looked at the sheet from the doctor's office, ran to Safeway (at 11:45 p.m.) to get some Tylenol, and ran back home. When I took her from her cradle to give her the medicine, she was just sobbing, and her bedding was a little wet from her tears. I, of course, started to cry. I apologized over and over and over. I felt so awful!!!!

Then I looked at Dave and asked, "Do you think you should give her a blessing?" He said, "Yes - that's a good idea, actually. Let's do it right now." So, I took her over to his side of the bed, and I held and rocked her while he gave her a blessing of healing and comfort. I, again, cried through the whole thing. I returned to my side of the bed and rocked and bounced a bit until she calmed down. Then we laid down together and fell asleep. She didn't wake up again until 4:00 for her "regular" feeding.

I was trying to think about how I could explain the role of the priesthood in the Latter-Day Saint perspective to my friends who are not members of that church. I found this explanation on lds.org:

The priesthood is the eternal power and authority of God . . . .

Although the authority of the priesthood is bestowed only on worthy male members of the Church, the blessings of the priesthood are available to all—men, women, and children. We all benefit from the influence of righteous priesthood leadership, and we all have the privilege of receiving the saving ordinances of the priesthood.

The most important exercise of the priesthood takes place in the family. Each husband and father in the Church should strive to be worthy to hold the [Priesthood]. With his wife as an equal partner, he presides in righteousness and love, serving as the family's spiritual leader. He leads the family in regular prayer, scripture study, and family home evening. He works with his wife to teach the children and help them prepare to receive the ordinances of salvation. He gives priesthood blessings for direction, healing, and comfort.

Many members do not have faithful Melchizedek Priesthood holders in their homes. However, through the service of home teachers and priesthood leaders, all members of the Church can enjoy the blessings of priesthood power in their lives.

For me personally, I grew up in a home where my dad didn't live with us; so we did not have the power of the priesthood in our home on a daily basis. At one time, my mom was really sick, and my sisters and I had to move in with another family. I remember feeling so safe and secure in that home. The father presided with love. Their family had daily prayer and scripture study together, no matter how busy they were. If a child was struggling with something or really sick, he/she could go to the father and ask for a priesthood blessing. They didn't have to go to someone else to ask for one or wait for someone to have time to come to them. And the spirit of love was so strong in that home.

I determined then and there that I would never live without the priesthood in my home again. And I am so thankful that I have a husband who is worthy and willing to use his priesthood to bless our family every single day.

My tears before that blessing that Dave gave to Abby were tears of sadness and pain because of her pain. My tears while Dave gave that short, sweet blessing of healing and comfort were tears of love and gratitude. There we sat, mother and father, me cradling her in my arms, Dave sitting on the bed; and there together we did all we could to bless our little baby. We weren't in a church or even in a predominant place in our home; we were in our humble little bedroom, lit only by the light of a lamp by our bedside. But our location didn't matter. Our surroundings didn't matter. What mattered was our love for our daughter and our faith -- and Dave's worthiness to act. I love that Heavenly Father has made it possible for me to have that power in my home, to bless my children and, in turn, to bless His children wherever they are, in everything they may ever need.