I have so much on my mind and could use some advice.

[Guest BaronGirl]

Hi all,

I've had some question rattling around in my mind.

I have a new friend at my work. She is a very devout Christian, but I'm not exactly sure what her denomination is. All I do know is that she is very much in love with the Lord and wants him to use her to do what he will. She's a really great, inspiring girl.

She constantly talks about revivals and healings and deliverances. She recently went on a trip to SD to help and teach the people there. One of the things they did was have group gatherings where people who were sick or injured would be healed. She told me she'd never done a healing before, but she did it there. A man had a bad injury on his foot and was unable to get around. (I don't know details on doctors) She kneeled in front of him and started praying and when she was done, the man was healed and able to walk again. Boom, just like that, through her prayer it was done.

I am lost with this because.. we all know that with faith, anything is possible. The Lord works through us all. And we have the Priesthood. But... if it's that easy for people to be healed of illnesses and injuries, why doesn't our church have big mission trips like that? Why don't we have gatherings of men AND women going to places of poor people to do healings?

I have more questions about different things, but will stop there. Thank you!!

[Guest]

But... if it's that easy for people to be healed of illnesses and injuries, why doesn't our church have big mission trips like that? Why don't we have gatherings of men AND women going to places of poor people to do healings?

First of all, it's not "that easy". It requires Faith. If Faith is easy, you'll have a lot more devout Christians than we do now.

Second of all, blessing over the sick is administered through the power of the Holy Priesthood. We are organized into Wards and Stakes. We are to minister and care for all the people in our ward - LDS or non-LDS alike. Therefore, you will see the miracle of healing within wards more so than you would see it in some kind of a "for-poor-people-gathering".

Thirdly, LDS believes that scientific advancements in medicine is a major part in God's healing miracle. Just because my dad, who was supposed to not have lived past his 70th birthday due to lung cancer, celebrated his birthday last month because of chemotherapy doesn't make it any less a miracle than the guy who walked after your friend prayed over his foot.

Fourthly, we put a lot of emphasis on spiritual healing. Our blessings for the sick therefore, involves a lot more than just the physical aspect. We submit to the will of God in all things. Blessings for the sick involves 5 components: Faith, Anointing, Sealing, Prayer, and the will of God. Therefore, even if the physical healing did not go about as we want it to be, we are comforted that our spiritual beings are in-tune with God.

Hope this helps.

[Vort]

We don't have big mission trips to heal scads of people because such a thing contradicts how God accomplishes things. God doesn't make a big show of such things. Televangelist faith healing is nonsense. Period. Many in the Church have experienced divine healing, directly or as witnesses. They will testify unanimously that the popular "faith healing" route is simply not how it is done.

Important principle: Blessings of the Spirit such as healings are reserved for those under the covenant. This was true in Jesus' time, and is equally true now. Other than one or two cases that are so exceptional that the New Testament explicitly calls them out, all of Jesus' miracles were done among the people of the covenant. Gifts of the Spirit are for the benefit of those already converted.

I believe that faith is a principle of power, and that it is available freely to anyone that uses it. So in that sense, it does not "discriminate" or draw a distinction between those who are under the covenant and those who are not. But I also very firmly believe that it requires a spiritual understanding far, far ahead of that had by the world, including larger "traditional Christianity", to be able to exercise faith to such an extent. And, needless to say, the authority of the Priesthood simply does not exist on the earth today outside the LDS Church.

So though I don't know what is going on with the supposed "faith healings" you mention, I personally don't believe they are real. Until I get more data to convince me otherwise, I classify them with the televised "faith healings" involving televangelists smacking gullible souls on the forehead and saying "BEEEEEE HEEEEEALED!", whereupon they fall down, shake around a bit, then stand up and proclaim themselves healed.

[Guest]

Vort, this is probably what you're seeing. From Google:

Ex-Faith Healer Mark Haville Explains The Tricks of the Fake Faith Healing Trade THE WORD on The Word of Faith (a GroupBlog)

I'm thinking there are real faith healing miracles out there. Non-LDS even. Without the Priesthood. As God wills.

[ditd]

Like the woman who wanted to touch Jesus and be healed I think with enough faith and God's will it can happen, but for most it is difficult to gain that much faith alone and without direction - I know I couldn't

She wasn't baptized but had faith and was healed without the laying on of hands etc...

Matthew 9:22 - But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee awhole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

There is a very good documentary called "Miracles for Sale" by an english performer called Derren Brown that seeks to expose fraudulent faith healing.

[Guest BaronGirl]

Thank you all. I'm still a little confused, I will read through the replies once more to try to better understand.

I didn't know whether to create another thread or just continue from this one... as I said, I have many things on my mind that I could use some encouraging words for.

I really know deep down the answer to this one, but would just like to tell someone about this I think. My area has always been pretty quiet as far as serious crime goes. Sure, we've had burglars and robberies, but nothing crazy serious. The stuff I read about in the newspapers is the "stuff that happens to other people in other places, not here." You know what I mean?

Anyways, this happening was featured in the Chicago Times newspaper (pretty sure it's that one.) A town where we grocery shop every weekend and used to live was recently given a scare. A young man was planning to fire bomb all (about 48) the churches in town. He had a map drawn out of all the churches with details of service times and how many people were estimated to attend. I'm honestly not sure if he was going to try to bomb them all on one Sunday (with help, perhaps?) or if he was going to do 2 or 3 at a time. (assuming he never got caught, of course.) Well, he staying at a hotel and one of the workers had came into the man's room and saw all the items he had to make the bombs. He called the police and the man was arrested.

My problem is, is that I have been struggling with what I think might be anxiety. Ever since the Colorado theater shooting, I've been terrified of violent public attacks. I have had at least 5 different nightmares of being in random places where random people have pulled out guns and started shooting people. I've been a fearful person for a long time now, always fearing that someone with a weapon would break into my house and harm me and my two children. I live in fear and sometimes it really affects me. A couple weeks ago, my family was at McDonald's and I spotted two men sitting in the corner. They were on their computers. They had no food or drinks, but that's not an unusal sight. McDonald's has free Internet so a lot of people use it. I started to feel so afraid of these people that as soon as we got our food, I told my husband we needed to leave. He thought I was crazy, but we did leave and ate our food in the car. Nothing happened at that McDonald's. That isn't the first time I've been afraid though. I get afraid while walking around in Walmart. I am afraid to go shopping at the mall. Pretty much where there is a large group of people, I'm afraid.

So, not only do I fear going out in public, but I am now afraid to go to church. While my church is not in that town, I fear that someone who was an accomplice of that young man or even perhaps someone who just thought it was a good idea, is going to attack our church. I just see it and hear it in my head when I close my eyes. The shouting, screaming. I can see the fire or hear the guns. My heart hurts when I think of how I would protect my children.

This is a real fear and it really hurts me. I know I should probably consider speaking to a doctor or someone like that, but my husband and I are very low income and can't afford something like that. My brother, when I told him of these fears, said LDS services can offer help that is very affordable. Well, $60 a session is not affordable to us. Our family lives paycheck to paycheck and it isn't going to happen.

I know the biggest answer is to just go to church. What better place to be if my life was to end. But oh how the fear hurts. Not only the fear of being attacked at church, but anywhere.

[idahommie]

Important principle: Blessings of the Spirit such as healings are reserved for those under the covenant. /QUOTE]

Are saying that you believe that Priesthood blessings of non-members are useless?

[Guest]

On anxiety:

First thing to ask yourself - is your fear DESPITE of you knowing there's nothing to fear? Or is it that you are really fearful of something?

If you are afraid and you don't know why when you know there's nothing to fear, then your psyche is not in tune with your spirit and may need clinical adjustment either by extensive therapy or medication.

But if you're truly afraid, then you need to get your brain to conquer that fear. Fear of death is natural. It goes with fear of the unkown and fear of a finality - an End - and a separation from all that we love. But, the entire testimony of Jesus Christ is targeted on the message that there is no reason to fear death. Through Jesus Christ, death is not an unknown. We know what happens at death. Our spirits live on. Our spirits continue to grow, progress, learn, LIVE! We know where we are going and "what happens next". We know it's not the END. We know that the life after this life is a BETTER life than mortality with us being much closer to God and Jesus Christ. And through the restored gospel, we know we are going to be with our families.

I don't fear death. I know I'm not perfect and I am sinful but I take comfort in the fact that I can continue to repent and get closer to God even beyond death. I know that the Atonement of Christ transcends death. I know I will not lose my family. I try to live my life to the best of my ability so that when the time comes that I'm facing death, I will have no regrets.

Here's a poem I really like:

“So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.

Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none.

When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.

When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.”

~ Chief Tecumseh

[JudoMinja]

It sounds like you are suffering from agoraphobia, which is considered a panic disorder that can be triggered by other things such as post traumatic stress and/or social anxiety. You can take the Panic and Agoraphbia Scale Questionnaire online to determine the severity of your symptoms and decide whether you should seek professional help with it.

It could also help to attend your ward's 12-step meetings. This is geared toward helping people with addictions, but I personally found it helpful when I was going through post traumatic stress, as it was a calm setting with a small group, and we went very in-depth on topics centered around the atonement and seeking Christ's helping hand. I believe that you will be able to experience a "mental" healing as you work to gain a deeper understanding of your relationship with Christ, and also seek professional help if needed.

[rameumptom]

People are healed by faith all the time, even in the Church. How often has your ward held a fast for someone sick?

But healings are just one of several gifts of the Spirit, and some gifts are more important than others. Paul taught that it is better to have the gift of prophecy than of tongues, for example.

We do as the Lord asked and not do our works before the world, but do it in quiet ways. We prefer that miracles happen without broadcasting them everywhere, so that God may be glorified, where in such context it is often the faith healer that ends up with the praise.

[Backroads]

This might be an oversimplification, but I do believe that legitimate healing by faith can happen by anyone regardless of denomination.