The Power of Prayer...

Sunday afternoon I went to sit with Mimi for a while. When I arrived there was a pastor from a little church and 2 ladies with him that were providing a worship service for the residents at the nursing home. Mimi was sitting on the far opposite side of the room at a table by herself. This is where she usually sits and it is by a window so she is in the light some times. It was interesting for me to listen to this little service. The music and method of presenting the sermon is always very different for a Latter-day Saint service. The younger female was the vocalist and she had a booming voice that wondered around the scale. She was very sincere in her music and I was enjoying listening to her but was concerned that the volume of the music and the high notes would hurt Mimi's ears and she might say something. Mimi can be quick to tell Hayden and Bailey if they are too loud. She even corrects Tiny sometimes. But Mimi just touched her ears occasionally and would smile every now and then and chatter a little. Near the end of their little service they put on some quieter music, the young vocalist kept singing up and down the scale, and the pastor began to circulate among the tiny group of listeners. He would stand beside the resident and bend so he was close to them and then offer a prayer for them. It was just very sweet and tender and you could tell the residents were pleased to have someone pray with them and for them. Since Mimi and I were at a table apart from the others and I was dutifully crocheting my latest afgan project, I didn't expect this pastor to come to our table. But he did after he finished the long table in the center of the room. Mimi looked up and "put on her Southern" as Andie says and gave him a big smile. He asked if I was related to her. I told him I was her oldest child. He told me she was always so sweet. This is what all the employees at the nursing home say about Mimi and it really makes going through the Alzheimer's with her a lot easier. Many Alzheimer's patients become mean or foul mouthed. But Mimi is sweet, smiles and even remembers to say 'thank you' most of the time. But it felt good that he thinks of her this way when he only comes once a month to provide the service. Then he said he wanted to pray for her. So he put his hand on Mimi's shoulder and his other hand on my shoulder and offered a most sincere prayer. I was moved to tears almost but tried to keep my composure. When his prayer was over, I told him thank you and then looked at Mimi. Her eyes were brimming with tears. I'm sure there was a recollection of praying and she felt the comfort that communing with Heavenly Father brings. It was a most tender moment. I have many friends that I communicate with that are not LDS. When they have health concerns or troubles, we always say, "I will remember you in my thoughts and prayers." I know that the faith we have when we ask for these healing blessings is the most important part of the request. Sunday I again felt and re-learned the lesson that all of Heavenly Father's children have the strength gained from faith and prayers. We can all strenghten each other by showing and offering those faith and prayers for each other. What a great thing to bind all of us together no matter what our religious persuasion.