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I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1978, just two months shy of my twenty-sixth birthday. I received the Melchizedek Priest the following year.  My wife and I moved to Santa Maria, California in 1980.

I was the Home Teacher to another young family in the ward, who lived about a quarter mile from my house. The parents were Dennis and Lark , and they were good friends. I liked being their home teacher.

One day, a neighborhood girl knocked on Lark’s door, asking for help. This girl was babysitting a baby and was very concerned about it. When Lark checked on the baby, she found the baby was dead.  The doctors determined the infant had died of a “quick pneumonia,” and there wasn’t anything anyone could have done to save him.

  Lark was emotionally devastated. Her baby boy was the same age.  Her depression deepened when her son developed a cold. Was her baby also going to die? She begged for Dennis to administer to their son.  The night that he called, my brother was visiting with his family. But I willingly left the family gathering to help my friends.

I had participated in priesthood blessings before, but I can’t honestly say that any were deeply spiritual. They were more “going through the motions.”

I chatted with Lark and Dennis for a bit, and then Dennis and I administered to their baby. The baby was fine, but Lark was still very emotionally distraught. If anyone in the household needed a priesthood blessing, it was her. However, I didn’t feel it was my prerogative to tell her that. I said good bye, and headed home to my family gathering.

About half way home, I felt a prompting to turn around and go back. Listening to the Spirit, I returned. I didn’t know what I was going to say, but I was confident the Spirit would give me the words say. But when Dennis opened the door, I was left on my own, with no spiritual guidance whatsoever. I felt like a blabbering idiot as I tried to explain why I was there. Maybe it was just my imagination that led me back to his doorstep.

My friend just smiled and said, “Mike, you don’t have to explain. We were going to give you a few minutes to get home and then call to ask you to come back. Lark has agreed to have a blessing.”

 Lark then cried, “Okay.”

 This loving husband had been encouraging her to accept a Priesthood Blessing. Because I had listened to the Spirit, we all knew that Heavenly Father was aware of her, and wanted her to be blessed. 

 I was deeply touched by this experience. I now knew for myself that God is mindful of my friends and mindful of me, an inexperienced priesthood holder. The Melchizedek Priesthood is real.

 And this I say in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Amen