Holders of the Priesthood Act, Even in Sickness

I am José Sillon, a member of the Church in Martinique since 1985 and I suffer from sickle cell anemia. This is a genetic disease affecting red blood cells and hemoglobin. Red blood cells are normally disc shaped and use hemoglobin to transport oxygen to cells in the body. With sickle cell anemia, the red blood cells are crescent-shaped, which prevents them from entering the capillaries. This results in blocked blood circulation, which causes the occurrence of a very painful vaso-occlusive crisis.

As a result of this lack of oxygenation over several years, my kidneys no longer function and are in terminal renal failure. To compensate for the kidney failure, I am forced to undergo dialysis.

Our family life has always revolved around the disease. We were living a fairly normal life; however, we knew that there was always a risk of a crisis, and that soon, I would find myself in the hospital.

One of our most cherished experiences regarding the priesthood occurred just a week after our marriage. After a major crisis I fell into a coma. The doctor explained that he had done everything he could to help me, and that now all that was left was to believe in God. My wife, Marjorie, who was not a member of the Church at the time, asked herself the question “What would José do?” She immediately thought I would have liked a blessing for the sick. Then, she went to get a brother to ask him to bless me.

Three days after the blessing, I was standing! The blessing brought me back! This is undoubtedly one of the greatest blessings I have ever received.

Marjorie is also blessed by the priesthood. She frequently asks me for a blessing when she is not well. Despite being sick, I give blessings to her, and the Lord blesses her so that she can physically and emotionally feel better.

I have witnessed many people be healed or comforted as a result of a blessing that had been given to them. These experiences have nurtured and strengthened my faith in God and the priesthood. They helped me realize that I need others.

A few years ago, the Lord saw fit to call me as a branch president, even though I was in intensive care at the time. It is the Lord who calls, it is His Church. There is nothing that can prevent someone from serving in the Church when the Lord calls him.