The Physician’s Faith

By Maurine Harris, as told to Sandra Dawn Brimhall

One day in 1945, my mother encountered our former bishop, Nicholas G. Smith, on the street. He inquired about our family and, upon learning that I was pregnant, asked Mother if she thought I would like a blessing, to which she replied that I would. At that time, Brother Smith was serving as an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve.

He came by my mother’s house that evening, as promised, and laid his hands upon my head. While I don’t recall everything he said, one part of the blessing stands out vividly: “I bless you that this child,” he began, and then paused. I felt his hands tremble. When he began again, he said, “I bless you that this child, or children, will be born without any complications and that they will be a comfort to you.”

After Brother Smith left, my family and I discussed what had transpired and what it could mean. I asked my physician, Dr. Morgan Coombs, about the possibility of twins.

“There’s no indication of twins,” he said as he shook his head.

“Someone doesn’t agree with you,” I replied, and told him about Brother Smith’s blessing.

“Well,” replied Dr. Coombs, “that’s good enough for me. I’m sending you down for X rays.”

The X rays, reported Dr. Coombs the next day, showed only one baby. “I have looked at them from every angle,” he said.

A few minutes after our conversation ended, my water broke and I went into labor. In the hospital delivery room, Dr. Coombs asked one of the attending nurses to obtain two sets of sterilized instruments and baby supplies, despite her protests that the X rays showed only one baby.

“I don’t care about X rays. I want two sets of everything,” he said, and cautioned those attending the delivery that “when the first baby comes, you be ready for the second baby.”

I delivered two healthy baby boys and named one of them in honor of Dr. Coombs. Because of him, the hospital staff was prepared for twins—an important preparation since the second baby was born breech.

The night of the delivery, Mother called Brother Smith at his office and told him that all had gone well with the twins.

“Twins?” He sounded somewhat surprised. “That’s really something. Were you expecting them?”

“Not until your blessing,” Mother replied.

“My blessing? What did I say in my blessing?” he asked.

After Mother related the story, he said, “It’s interesting you would call tonight. I have a young couple sitting across from me who just asked if there was anything to priesthood blessings. You just gave me my answer.”