Blessed

At six months of age, Daniel Heke became very ill. His mother fasted and prayed and felt the need to ask Matthew Cowley to give him a blessing.

Unfortunately, Matthew Cowley, not yet a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, was at a district conference at Kawhia, New Zealand—even today a rough journey from Hamilton of more than an hour by car. It was wet and cold and she had no transportation, so Daniel’s mother took her baby and walked to Kawhia.

At Kawhia, the tide was due to turn, and it was dangerous to walk across the shore to the meeting. But Brother Cowley knew by the Spirit there was a very ill baby needing the Lord’s help and sent someone by horse and dray to get them, stating, “The tide won’t turn; it will stay as it is.”

The tide did stay, and Daniel received a very special blessing. The blessing contained statements about the future of the Church in New Zealand—including a college and a temple—and Daniel’s part in it all. It went on to say that he would have to fight to earn the blessings brought about by the growth and changes.

All through childhood, kidney damage plagued Dan. Three years ago, his kidneys failed completely, forcing him to undergo dialysis three days a week, six hours at a time. But the blessing has been fulfilled. The Church has grown, the college and temple were built, and Dan has been deeply involved in all of it.

At forty-nine, Daniel serves as chairman of the Hamilton stake Single Adults and is grateful for the blessing he received at such a young age from a leader of the Church.—Cynthia B. Oliver, Temple View, New Zealand

Daniel Heke: Fasting and prayers made his problems less difficult. (Photography by Tina Dil.)