Priesthood Power

In the Mormon faith we believe the power of the Priesthood, or authority to act in God's name,  is available to every worthy man.  That means that each home with a practicing husband and father has ready access to Priesthood blessings.  Though this might seem unfamiliar, unusual, or even controversial to some, we Mormons regard it as a priceless gift.  This means that I believe that my husband, son, and sons in law hold and exercise the Priesthood of God.  Their Priesthood lineage can be traced back to Joseph Smith who we believe received that authority from Heavenly messengers.  I have received countless blessings in my life and so many more in the last year.   I have been blessed that I would recover, that I would be restored to health and strength according to my faith, and even that I would maintain a healthy body until the "appointed" day.  One of my daughters was promised in a blessing to comfort her during this difficult time that there would be twists and turns and miracles ( there have been both ). We hope and pray for more miracles!  I realize that all prayers and blessings are according to my faith and the will of the Lord.

Recently Dell and I re-watched the film 17 Miracles.  That film is a true depiction of the Willie-Martin handcart companies comprised of approximately 980 Mormon pioneers from England, Scotland, Wales, and Scandinavia who left Nebraska in August of 1856, much too late in the season, to cross the plains to get to the Salt Lake Valley.  Ultimately about 767 of the 980 people in the two handcart companies survived the trek through hazardous winter conditions, and threats of rattlesnakes and wolves.  One of the 17 recorded miracles was the story of a mother, Elizabeth Cunningham, who was given a Priesthood blessing in Scotland, prior to leaving on the trek.  Elizabeth was promised in the blessing that all of her family would survive the trek and arrive safely in the Salt Lake Valley.  Along the trail she awoke one morning to find her young beautiful 12 year old daughter Betsy frozen on the ground.  The ground was so frozen solid that they could not dig as much as a shallow grave to lay her in.  They laid her frozen body on the ground and covered it with sage brush.  Brokenhearted they had to continue on.  As they sadly walked away the mother remembered the blessing she had been given prior to leaving on the trek.  She frantically called the family back and they began to warm and thaw out Betsy's body.  Betsy Cunningham was revived, made it to the Salt Lake Valley, and eventually had 13 children.  Her miraculous story has been passed on by family members and it can be found on ancestry.org.  The faith of a mother!   My faith is in the making.

www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid----Elizabeth Cunningham