LDS Blessing - Administering to the Sick

[paulp1002]

I was wondering, because this was one of the many things I struggled with during my LDS days. My ex-wife, seemed to be always sick and as a matter of fact still seems to continue to be always sick (ie,… cold, flu, hives [the hives are new, after the divorce] etc…) Her dad and someone else from his church would come over and she would sit in a chair in the middle of our living room, and they would place a couple drops of oil on her head and start with the blessing of the sick. Well, it never worked, in many cases her illness worsened.

As I mentioned, this was one of the things I struggled with. As a convert I was amazed at the idea of these blessings and that according to all the members I spoke with they always worked. But I started to question them when I noticed that they seemed to never work.

The reason I bring this up, is that she seems to always be sick and I know that she still have members give her a blessing for healing. For me I would think “Hey this isn’t working.” But I’m wondering from a LDS point of view, why is it not working. Or is it working, but in another way?

So my question is for our LDS Brothers and/or Sisters; in your LDS opinion/teachings, why didn’t any of the blessings work? Was it that she was not worthy enough, did she do something wrong? She didn’t curse, drink coffee, smoke or anything of the obivious. Was one or both of the “priesthood” holders not worthly enough? Or did they say or do something wrong?

I now know why they didn’t work, but I would be interested to hear from an LDS Member why they think they did or did not work. I would like an honest discussion, I’m really curious to hear the LDS side.

 

[SteveVH]

I was wondering, because this was one of the many things I struggled with during my LDS days. My ex-wife, seemed to be always sick and as a matter of fact still seems to continue to be always sick (ie,… cold, flu, hives [the hives are new, after the divorce] etc…) Her dad and someone else from his church would come over and she would sit in a chair in the middle of our living room, and they would place a couple drops of oil on her head and start with the blessing of the sick. Well, it never worked, in many cases her illness worsened.

As I mentioned, this was one of the things I struggled with. As a convert I was amazed at the idea of these blessings and that according to all the members I spoke with they always worked. But I started to question them when I noticed that they seemed to never work.

The reason I bring this up, is that she seems to always be sick and I know that she still have members give her a blessing for healing. For me I would think “Hey this isn’t working.” But I’m wondering from a LDS point of view, why is it not working. Or is it working, but in another way?

So my question is for our LDS Brothers and/or Sisters; in your LDS opinion/teachings, why didn’t any of the blessings work? Was it that she was not worthy enough, did she do something wrong? She didn’t curse, drink coffee, smoke or anything of the obivious. Was one or both of the “priesthood” holders not worthly enough? Or did they say or do something wrong?

I now know why they didn’t work, but I would be interested to hear from an LDS Member why they think they did or did not work. I would like an honest discussion, I’m really curious to hear the LDS side.

As you are no doubt aware, the Catholic Church also gives the annointing of the sick (Last Rites). I have spoken to priests who have witnessed complete physical healings from this sacrament, but I would have to say that usually, the physical illness is not cured. There is also a spiritual element (the most important) associated with this sacrament in which we believe that the soul is healed, always, every time.

I have also experienced healing services within our Church and have witnessed physical healings with my own eyes. At the same time, not everyone receives this gift. Suffering is not always a bad thing and can be used in a slavific manner if we join our suffering to that of Jesus on the cross. We are the Body of Christ and therefore our suffering has real value.

Now, if one was cured every time a Catholic priest administered the sacrament or cured every time they were prayed over by the congregation, then I think you might have a point that it has something to do with the LDS religion. Because this is not true, I don’t think we can make that argument.

 

[MJE]

You wrote: “* . . according to all the members I spoke with they always worked*”

Do you mean according to all LDS members the healing always worked?

 

[paulp1002]

There is a difference between the Holy Sacrament: Anointing of the Sick and the LDS Administering of the sick. I do not think they are comparable.

. Many incidents of dramatic and even miraculous healings have been recorded in Church history. Any worthy Melchizedek Priesthood bearer, when requested, may give such a blessing."sick or injuredexpresses promises of healing or comfort as he is impressed

If someone in the Catholic Church is sick, like a cold, they may receive a blessing from a priest etc… or we may say a prayer for them during mass. But our expectation is not that they are going to be miraculously healed.

My understanding from what I was taught from the LDS Members, missionaries etc… is that the blessing of Administering to the sick, will almost Miraculously heal the person. I believe that was or is my ex wifes expectation. She will be sick, have a blessing, go to bed and wake up healed.

That is what I am wondering about, is that just her expectation? Is that what all LDS members expect? Or did she or the “priesthood” members do something wrong? Or maybe they expectation of some LDS members are incorrect and it’s like you said, not all can be healed.

 

[paulp1002]

You wrote: “* . . according to all the members I spoke with they always worked*”

Do you mean according to all LDS members the healing always worked?

Yes, all LDS members that I spoke with about the blessings for the healing and the sick, in Sunday School, Priesthood Meetings, ex family members etc… believed that the person getting the blessing will be healed.

 

[ParkerD]

I was wondering, because this was one of the many things I struggled with during my LDS days. My ex-wife, seemed to be always sick and as a matter of fact still seems to continue to be always sick (ie,… cold, flu, hives [the hives are new, after the divorce] etc…) …
The reason I bring this up, is that she seems to always be sick and I know that she still have members give her a blessing for healing. For me I would think “Hey this isn’t working.” But I’m wondering from a LDS point of view, why is it not working. Or is it working, but in another way?

So my question is for our LDS Brothers and/or Sisters; in your LDS opinion/teachings, why didn’t any of the blessings work? Was it that she was not worthy enough, did she do something wrong? She didn’t curse, drink coffee, smoke or anything of the obivious. Was one or both of the “priesthood” holders not worthly enough? Or did they say or do something wrong?

I now know why they didn’t work, but I would be interested to hear from an LDS Member why they think they did or did not work. I would like an honest discussion, I’m really curious to hear the LDS side.

paulp,

Since priesthood blessings are individualized based on the inspiration of the Holy Ghost to the person who was asked to administer the blessing, then a general opinion is all I as one LDS participant here can give for the kind of situation you wrote about. So, here you go:

My experience suggests that there would be an 80/20 rule as to the faith of those two people involved–80% the faith of the person receiving a blessing, and 20% the faith of the priesthood bearer as to whether a person is healed (meaning if the person who was sick doesn’t have real faith, then 80% of the time the blessing is for naught. If the priesthood bearer didn’t have real faith but the recipient did and was following healthy lifestyle habits, then the recipient’s faith would have the “80% of the time” application.)

Faith to be healed also means faith to do all that living a healthy life suggests the person should be doing. They can’t expect God to override an unhealthy lifestyle or not going to a doctor if necessary, or not eating healthy or sleeping healthy or getting healthy exercise. Also, if the person who is “sick often” looks deep inside and realizes they like the visits or the attention or someone to talk to or etc., then they have their own answer as to why they would repeatedly feel sickly.

Finally, people learn things from suffering illnesses, including patience and compassion, so there should not be an expectation that every “anointing and sealing” blessing is going to lead to the person getting well. The priesthood bearer needs to seek inspiration and then follow it in what they say (which sometimes is not to say the person will get well), but sometimes they don’t really receive an impression at all and that could be because the Lord is teaching other lessons through the experience of the illness, to any of the people in that person’s life or to that very person.

I’ve had many cases where I gave a blessing and the person got well soon and felt that the blessing was indeed fulfilled and they were grateful for the power of the priesthood and the power of their personal faith to be healed. I’ve had other cases where I didn’t feel inspired to say the person would get well, or where the inspiration said to say they would be blessed to be able to rest or to bear their illness, or so forth.