In My Heart I Knelt

My knees had been giving me trouble for several years. Often they hurt intensely, and sometimes one knee would give out suddenly while I stood, as though I were hit from behind. Fortunately I never fell, for my other knee would support my weight. But because of my knees I had a hard time working to provide for my family.

On 27 June 1976—the day after my wife and I were baptized into the Church—our new branch president gave me a blessing in which he promised me that my knees would be strengthened and that the pain would go away. About two months later, after I had retired to bed for the night, I had an unusual and unpleasant experience. Both of my knees began to ache, and the pain increased throughout the night until about 7 A.M. the next day. My whole body was soaked with perspiration, and I was exhausted and in agony. Finally, as I lay on my side in my bed, I pretended I was on my knees and asked Father in Heaven to reduce the pain just enough that I could bear it.

In a few minutes I had fallen into a deep sleep. When I awoke about two hours later, to my amazement I felt no pain whatsoever. I could not believe it! At least one of my knees had always ached whenever I lay down, but now the discomfort I had experienced was gone. I had to move my feet and feel my knees with my hands to see if they were still attached!

I got out of bed and did several deep-knee bends, just to make sure my knees could work all right without hurting. Then I knelt down—something I had rarely been able to do in the past—and told our Father in Heaven how grateful I was that my knees had been strengthened.

Since that day many years ago, my knees have given me no problems, except when I have overworked them in some way.