Will you fast?...an email from my Dad and me...

An invitation to Bri’s family and friends . . .

Fri., Oct. 22, 2010

We’re in quite a predicament.  I’m supposed to take chemo every two weeks.  Unfortunately, my white soldier cell and platelet counts are too low to sustain the dreadful, yet life-sustaining chemo. We saw how much the cancer spread after a month of no treatment, so I told him I still want to be as aggressive as possible. In more or less words, doc confessed that he does not expect me to live longer than six months, so while we want to be aggressive, he wants me to have a good quality of life – not living the remainder of my days nauseous and sick.

I’m not upset at him for sharing such news.  He was being forthright like I asked of him and could only speak from his experience.  Though a seasoned oncologist, he’s never had a colon cancer patient survive more than six months once the disease has spread to the liver and lungs, not to mention the bones and brain as is my case.  I am excited to be his first patient to blow that timeline away!

Yep, it’s time for THE miracle and we’re calling in all forces to plead for a full recovery soon.  Let us all rely on one another’s faith, not faltering, and show the doctors that, with God, anything is possible!

Will you join us for a day of fasting and constant prayer this Sunday?

Deepest gratitude and overwhelmingly love for all!

Bri

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This Sunday, as your circumstances permit, we invite you to participate with us in a special fast in behalf of Bri, Eric and the children.  As her parents, Teri and I feel we’re on the brink of a miraculous event in Bri’s life -- fulfillment of priesthood and Fathers’ blessings.  We recognize that we don’t control God’s timing.  Having felt prompted to do so, through this special fast and continued faith and prayers we desire to express our humble faith and trust in Him and pray that we may be found worthy to witness and testify of that which is to come.  We also fervently pray for gifts of the Spirit to be evidenced -- faith to be healed, faith to heal, and the working of miracles.

Where circumstances allow, we also invite you to attend a temple within the next few days to perform any service and to place Bri and Eric’s names on the prayer rolls.

For friends and family who may not have received my e-mail earlier this week, I’ve attached a copy of a talk given in 1953 by Elder Matthew Cowley of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  Please read and ponder it, praying for similar faith and miracles at this time. 

                                                                                                                                

We gratefully acknowledge continued acts of kindness, thoughtfulness, fasting, prayer and temple worship with Bri, Eric, the children and Teri in your hearts and minds.  Thank you.

Below, I share some scriptural passages that have been on my mind for quite some time.  The last passage, Acts 3:1-13, has rested with me in a powerful manner for several weeks.

We love and appreciate you.

Rick

Mosiah 24:16

And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.

D&C 24: 13

Require not miracles, except I shall command you, except casting out devils, healing the sick, and against poisonous serpents, and against deadly poisons . . .

Morm. 8: 24

(For enhanced understanding of the phrase “in his name,” I suggest study of a book authored by Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “His Holy Name,” printed by Deseret Book.)

And he knoweth their prayers that they were in behalf of their brethren. And he knoweth their faith, for in his name could they remove mountains; and in his name could they cause the earth to shake; and by the power of his word did they cause prisons to tumble to the earth; yea, even the fiery furnace could not harm them, neither wild beasts nor poisonous serpents, because of the power of his word.

The entire chapter of Morm. 9

John 14: 12

. . . He that believeth on me,

the works that I do shall he do also; and

greater works than these shall he do;

because I go unto my Father.

Acts 3:

1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee:

                                       In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:

10 And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.

11 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.

12 ¶ And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?

13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus . . .