CALLED TO THE HOSPITAL

I became acquainted with a man who lived in our ward who was not particularly active in the church.  He was a military veteran and at the time was a patient in the Salt Lake VA hospital, struggling with an illness that would ultimately take his life.  The High Priests in our ward were asked to care for him.  One evening about 9:00 pm I felt impressed to go visit him.  I asked Dennis Page if he would go with me, which of course he gladly did, despite the late hour.  The drive to reach him took 30 minutes.  The VA hospital is a nightmare to navigate inside.  It’s a conglomeration of additions which create a maze full of twists, and turns, and dead ends which can make locating someone difficult.  However, we had visited this brother a few times previously so locating his room was easy.  By the time we got there, it was nearly 10:00 pm.  Surprisingly, we found him asleep.  Neither Dennis nor I considered waking him though I was puzzled as to why I had felt impressed to come.  We waited for a few minutes to see if anything changed but when it didn’t, we decided to leave.  We were walking down the hall when a call over the intercom was made for two Elders to administer to a patient.  The room number was announced and amazingly, it was right by us.  We poked our heads into the room and announced ourselves.  I’m certain the occupant was surprised that the call had been answered so quickly.  We began a conversation and learned that he was from Idaho and had come down for a procedure that concerned him.  This particular night he was all alone, afraid, with no family even remotely near, and stressed by the anxiety of his circumstance.  He had reached out to the Lord in prayer, and also asked the staff if someone would be able to give him a blessing.  We “happened” to be right there at that exact time.  We visited with him for a while and as we did so the sweet feeling of peace began to still his anxious soul.  We gave him a blessing and though I don’t recall what was said, I will never forget the feeling that we experienced in that lonely, darkened room that night.  I will also never forget how the Lord accomplished His Holy purpose through us in such a subtle and quiet way that evening.   It reconfirmed to me that if only we will be available and attentive to His whisperings, as they come to us through the Holy Ghost, we can be of help to those in need.