Testimony of Healing

A Mormon tells about his healing

I was at work one day not long ago, and five minutes after a break I became very ill. I was feeling very hot, and my left leg was extremely hot to the touch. Somehow I made it through work, but because I hadn't driven to work that day, I had three busses to take in order to reach the hospital.

Once I got to downtown Seattle, where I was going to catch my second bus, I met the head librarian of the downtown Seattle Christian Science Reading Room. We had talked several times during my visits to the Reading Room. She was waiting for her bus, too. I told her that I didn't want to seem rude but I was on the way to the hospital. I was sick. She asked if she could wait for the bus with me. Five minutes later, after we had waited in silence, my bus came, and as I was boarding the bus, she simply said, "Remember, you're the perfect idea of God."

For some reason, even as sick as I was, that thought stayed with me. I made it to the hospital – the same one I had gone to each of the 30 times I had needed treatment for painful and debilitating sores on my leg – and while I was waiting in the examining room, slowly I realized that my leg was no longer feeling hot. I was no longer feverish, and I wasn't feeling sick anymore.

When the doctor came in, I told him that I was feeling much better now and thought that I could probably go home. He had become familiar with my case because on many of those 30 visits, he had been the doctor who admitted me.

He said that my leg was the best that he'd seen it. He took my temperature and found that it was normal and said if I agreed, I could go home. I stayed a while, just to make sure that this good feeling continued. In about 30 minutes, I was still feeling fine, and I left to go home. Today there are scars on that leg, but nothing like the sores that had once caused so much suffering.

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I believe that every religion should provide comfort to the afflicted. That friend’s simple thought – that I was the perfect idea of God – was extremely comforting to me at that time of need. And each time that I had been in the hospital over the previous five-year period, I had been hospitalized for eight to ten days. On two occasions, the doctor had thought seriously that I might lose one of my legs.

When I talked later with my Reading Room librarian friend, she told me that she had continued thinking about that concept with me as I went to the hospital. I think, for whatever reason, it was the right time and the right place for me to be receptive to that one simple, spiritual concept. In my religion, we are always reminded of our free agency.

This condition had invaded my life for over five years, and not only had the physical symptoms been challenging, I'd started developing symptoms of depression as well, from having to go to the hospital every four to 12 weeks. So, my healing has been mental as well as physical.

And all because a Christian Scientist lady lives her life this way – doing good wherever and whenever she can.

Richard Hansen
Seattle, Washington

Richard came to the downtown Christian Science Reading Room often. I was surprised to meet him at the bus stop, but immediately saw that he was very ill. I wanted to help him, so while we waited for his bus, I quietly prayed. I felt sure that God, whom I think of as divine Principle, was in control and supporting Richard as His perfectly created idea – and that's what I told him before he got on the bus. Although Richard was on the way to the hospital, I felt I needed to continue praying. I prayed with the idea that he was totally cared for and secure in God. Later Richard told me that he had to wait in the emergency room, but was well before he saw his doctor. I am just glad that I was able to help Richard find healing. It was an unexpected call for help, but God would not let me pass him by!

Susan Rowe
Mount Vernon, Washington

Reprinted with permission from the Christian Science Sentinel
Copyright © 2004 The Christian Science Publishing Society
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