The one with the Sick

So this week is going to be really short so i have time to write my daddy for father’s day :) . 

Yesterday in church was so special here. It was so special to see everyone take a day to appreciate fathers. The more I thought about the important roles father have, the more and more grateful I became because I have the most amazing father.

This week we have been working really hard with less active members to help them come to church. We met one lady who is 93 years old and found out that she is a member and she hasn’t come to church in SO long because she is in so much pain. We were talking about the plan of salvation and she shared her testimony. We talked about the importance of church attendance and the spirit was so incredibly strong in the room. She started crying talking about how she has such a strong testimony but doesn’t go to church because of the physical pain. 

Then on Sunday my heart began to burst when I was standing at the front of the chapel leading the hymn. I looked at the back door and this sweet sweet sister came in hobbling, with all of her strength, and sat down in the nearest bench completely out of breath. In the middle of the hymn, immediately 5 sisters ran over to her and helped her and welcomed her even though they didn’t know who she was since they haven’t seen her in so long. Even though she was in so much pain physically, she was glowing. This hit me really hard that even though she was in so much pain, she realized that if she sacrifices that drive to church, she will feel the pain and burdens lifted off of her.

It reminded me of a scripture in 3 Nephi 17;7 where our Savior Jesus Christ says that if there are any sick, or afflicted to bring them unto him and he will heal them. I know that this case was literally sick and physically afflicted, but I realized that we are all sick and afflicted spiritually. We all are in need of the atonement of Jesus Christ and the power of the sacrament. We should always follow the Saviors invitation to come unto him. Come unto him when we are sick and afflicted. Sometimes people think that they can’t go to church because they are sinning, or they aren’t worthy to ask for Gods help because they are not keeping the commandments and are struggling. But our Savior is not inviting the perfect people to come unto him. He is inviting the sick. The people who need healing. And i promise that coming unto Christ through church attendance is one of the best ways to be healed spiritually. I have seen it so many times in these past few months. Church is not a house of perfect people. It is a place for the imperfect people. It is a hospital for the sick. So if you need to be healed (which we all do), I promise you can be healed through the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ. And all you have to do is let him heal you by reaching and coming unto him. 

I am so grateful for this experience and lesson. I know that the Spirit is at church because I have felt it. I promise the feeling I get when I take the sacrament every week is the same in Utah, and in Chile. It’s the Savior and he will heal you!

I love you! 

Hermana Gardanier