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How much of a miracle

This letter is in response to Brother Robert Marcum’s article “Preparation for Power” in the May 1983 New Era. I feel sure the article was about my baby girl, as Brother Marcum was the one who joined with Brother Wayne Rickey to administer to her when she had been run over at the age of eight months, and all but the baby’s gender was correct—except that when I gathered my baby up I don’t remember yelling anything.

I feel that Brother Marcum would like to know just how much of a miracle he, Brother Rickey, and my husband participated in that day almost 15 years ago. The accident happened late on a Thursday afternoon, and when we reached the hospital with Bethany, her doctor tried to get one of Salt Lake’s leading thoracic surgeons as a consultant because he saw that her chest or lungs had been damaged, but the surgeon could not seem to be reached. As the doctor turned to get another number, the desired surgeon walked in the hospital door to visit a relative!

Upon examining our daughter, he felt there was a small rupture of her diaphragm, which was being partially plugged by her liver, so he postponed the necessary surgery to allow her lungs to heal a bit from any bruising they may have received.

On Saturday morning we received an emergency call from the hospital informing us that Bethany had worsened and that immediate surgery was necessary. When the surgeon finally entered our daughter’s chest, he was surprised to discover that her diaphragm was almost completely torn loose around the circumference and had a large tear from front to back. Essentially, she had been breathing with almost no diaphragm for 36 hours, buying a bit of time to allow the surgeons to do their work well.

She made a full recovery, and is now a lovely 14-year-old young lady with only a scar to remind us of the power of the priesthood in the hands of prepared men. Every day of my life I thank my Heavenly Father for the life of my daughter and for men nearby who were actively ready to use their priesthood.

Thank you, Brother Rickey and Brother Marcum, and thank you, New Era, for printing the story.

Helen Arrington
Twin Falls, Idaho

I laughed

Initially, when my college roommate ordered a gift subscription to the New Era for me, I laughed. “The New Era is for teenagers.” But it has a freshness that can be appreciated by all. Keep up the good work. Please renew a subscription for this soon-to-be University of Pennsylvania graduate.

Judy Y. Shim
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The music of Magrath

We want you to know how much we appreciate the music in the New Era. Our sons both play the piano, and our youngest daughter sings. We have used “The Lord Is My Strength” from the June 1982 issue several times and will be using it again this week in my Relief Society lesson as my daughter sings it for us. Thanks so much for uplifting music, poetry, and articles. The Ensign is also in constant use for Relief Society and Sunday School lessons. We send the Friend to nonmember friends too.

DeAnne Atwood
Magrath, Alberta, Canada

Our Mistake

We apologize for an error on page 10 of the June 1984 issue of the New Era. The photos of Elder Russell C. Taylor and Elder Robert B. Harbertson, two new members of the First Quorum of the Seventy, were inadvertently exchanged. Following are the correct photos with accompanying biographical information:

Elder Russell C. Taylor, 58, of Denver, Colorado, was a Regional Representative and chairman of the Denver Temple Committee. Following his mission, he embarked on a career in insurance and eventually became a partner in an insurance business in Denver. He has served as a counselor in stake presidencies, as a stake president, as a mission president, and as a Regional Representative. He and his wife, Joyce Elaine Mortensen, have six children and nine grandchildren.

Elder Robert B. Harbertson, 51, of Farmington, Utah, was a Regional Representative. He was an executive for a large Salt Lake City wholesale hardware supplier. He has served as a bishop, member of the General Aaronic Priesthood Committee, mission president, and sealer in the Salt Lake Temple, as well as a Regional Representative. He and his wife, Norma Creer, have five children and four grandchildren.