TWENTY YEARS LATER

May 6, 2009

TWENTY YEARS LATER

When I was a bishop of the G. J. 8th Ward, a lady came to consult with me about the church’s position on abortion. She had grown up in the ward but now was married and was out of the ward. She was pregnant and her non- member husband was putting pressure on her to have an abortion because she had been tested and the baby she was carrying would be born a hemophiliac. I clearly remember the interview and this woman’s struggle to do the right thing. She had the baby. She and her husband eventually were divorce and she remarried and had more children.

A few months ago I was talking to this same woman who now lives in our stake about the great interview I had with her son about going on his mission. He was so excited, so positive and so likeable-fun to be around. She said, “He is the one-he was the child I was carrying when I came to see you when I was getting pressure to have an abortion.”

I interviewed him very carefully about his medical condition. He gave himself three injections per week to control his condition. It cost more than a thousand dollars per week for his medication but it was covered by his mother’s insurance until he was 23. His stepfather’s insurance provided secondary coverage. He was unlimited in his activities although he didn’t play football for obvious reasons. I knew the missionary department may have lots of questions and with his condition he might not be allowed to serve so I made sure his missionary application was very complete with the medical insurance coverage that was available in the United States and that he had a medical recommendation from his local doctor as well as a recommendation from the hemophilia center in Denver endorsing that he could serve as a missionary. I was sure he would be restricted to the United States where he had medical insurance coverage and access to his medication. I was pleasantly surprised that I did not receive a call from the missionary department asking for clarification or more evaluation but he received his call to serve as a Spanish speaking missionary in the United States.

Yesterday, I set him apart as a full time missionary for the church. It was an emotional experience of me and his mother. I referred in the blessing to Hannah who promised the Lord if she could have a son she would give him to the Lord and this sister was like Hannah and was now giving her son to the Lord. The mother mentioned in her testimony when she was struggling knowing she was carrying a baby with a medical condition that could cause her child severe problems throughout his life that the Savior’s peace and blessing came over her and promised her that everything would be okay. Six months after her son’s birth she received an unsolicited call asking her if she would like her son to participate in a study for a new drug that had not yet being approved by the FDA that had the hope of controlling hemophilia. She signed up and her son began receiving the experimental drug which was successful and later approved by the FDA which allowed her son to live a normal life.

God knows. God is in control

K. K. Summers
May 6, 2009