Hope

Hope. Hope comes in many different forms. Sometimes not in the form we think hope comes. This time hope came in the form of an elderly man, who has lived a full long life and at first glance looks to be in excellent health...especially for his age. I sat in the second row on the left side of the chapel not knowing this man. He was introduced by our Stake President as being a former Stake President in our area. This man, who now I see as a man of strength, began to speak. He spoke of a time not too long ago when he was told by his doctor that his kidneys, after all this time of having Nephritis, were failing him. He was told he would need a transplant and the likelihood of getting a kidney anytime soon was NOT likely. He would most likely have to go on dialysis for the duration of time it would take to get a kidney. He was told of an alternative list that the donor kidney doesn't have a long life span, for lack of a better way to put it. They wouldn't expect the kidney to function longer than a 30 year span, which being an older man who has lived a great life and probably wouldn't live longer than that, chose to be on this list.

He served in the temple and he and his beautiful wife were preparing one morning to head to the temple when the phone rang. It was his doctor telling him that he needed to get to Salt Lake. There was a kidney available. They had notified the person ahead of him, but always have a backup person just in case. So on the chance of being a backup they headed. There were actually two kidneys and he was the recipient of one of them. His doctors were amazed that he didn't have to have dialysis prior to the transplant. Its not very common. The transplant took nicely and there stood a strong elderly man who to me was the face of HOPE.

I debated going to the adult session of that stake conference, but am forever grateful that I did. It was personal testimony to me that my Heavenly Father loves me. He sent this man to this conference of many people and out of these people spoke of something that meant something special to me. Those who know my dear Cailee of course, their thoughts joined mine in that miracles do happen. I wish I could remember this mans name because to me he was an angel sent to deliver a message of hope. I don't know what Cailee's future will hold, but for now it gave me a renewed sense of hope.