Mono and the Sacrament

Today in Church, we celebrated Easter. We had our Easter program in Sacrament meeting and in Sunday school and Relief Society we discussed the Passover (Studying the OT), and the Sacrament. In RS, we talked about how to prepare each week to take the Sacrament.

As I sat and thought, I remembered and experience that happened to me 2 years ago. I was in singles ward and was starting to really strengthen my testimony on partaking of the Sacrament every week. I had gone so long without missing a week. I didn't like the though of being in a position on Sunday where I would unable to (not because of unworthiness, but because of circumstances). I have come to learn that taking the Sacrament every week is very important. There is a renewal of strength that we receive that helps carry us throughout the coming week.

But, I've also learned, that the Lord understands that sometimes we can't make it to Sacrament, but we can still feel that renewal of strength when we take the time to ponder on Christ and his Atonement for us. I will share a story where I learned this.

It was Labor day weekend in 2012. My family was taking our yearly trip to Yellowstone National Park. We love camping and we love the park. But this year, there was a series of unfortunate events that happened. On the days leading up to our trip, I had fallen quite sick. My tonsils were the size of giant swelled up golf balls in the back of my through, with leaving me only a quarter to a dime sized diameter in the back of my throat to breath, frequently clogged with mucus. On our drive up, the sun had set, and our trailer popped a tire. While changing the tire, some of the family feared they had seen a bear. The next day, as we pulled in to park our trailer in the park, we found out that "They who will not be named", were also at the park. (Only family will get that). Now everyone was on high alert. The trip had seemed to have some bad "ju-ju".

This was before the meds wore off.

To make things even better, Mom took me to the hospital at Old Faithful. They got me right in, ran some tests on me (because the high dosage of amoxicillin wasn't even touching it). I looked horrible, I felt horrible. The tests explained why I looked like death. As I sat on the bed, watching Old Faithful go off out the window, the nurse told me I had mononucleosis. Awesome. Great. First day of our trip, which I always look forward to, and I had come down with an awesome case of mono. Well, they gave me some steroids and 2 shots in the butt and sent me on my way. I felt great after the shots! I was ready to do some hiking an explore the park. Everyone was so worried about me having mono. Grandma and Grandpa had come along also. Everyone kept asking me if I was ok. They kept saying this was nasty stuff. But, I was proud and was going to prove them wrong. I was great! These shots were amazing! I had some drugs in me and life was good. Shortly after we hiked around Mud Volcano, (my favorite spot). The drugs stared wearing off and I got super exhausted. This is when the side effects of mono really set in. I had never felt anything like it. I had never been so exhausted that no amount of sleep would help.

The meds were starting to wear off. lol

Well, I crashed the party. Grandma and Grandpa took me from mom and dad to take me home after 2 days. But this is where I really got an amazing experience out of the whole horrible ordeal. Grandma and Grandpa had rented a room at the Flagg Staff Ranch in the Teton area, just out of the south entrance of the park. Saturday night they took me to their hotel room and then we'd make the trek home the next day. Mom had given me a ziplock baggie of 2 slices of bread and some crackers. Eating was so hard because my tonsils were so large.  That night, Grandpa had gotten me a bucket of ice to eat, since that helped with the constant pain. I was taking 800 mg of ibuprofen every 8 hours and my prednisone.  (Tylenol didn't touch the pain).

That night, it was quiet and lonely. Grandma and Grandpa went to bed. I couldn't sleep. I had no cell phone service. All there was that night was me, my 2 slices of bread, a bucket of ice, and a hymn app on my cell phone. I kept chewing one ice cube after another to try to keep my throat numb. I had to break the bread into small pieces to eat, or they'd get stuck in my throat. After some while, I realized what I had in front of me. These were the symbols of the Sacrament. I knew that I wouldn't be attending church the next day. But I couldn't help but think of the Savior and his Atonement. I realized, that he knew exactly the pain that I was feeling that night. In that moment, I realized that I didn't have to do it alone. I was slightly distraught at the path that laid ahead of me. My Savior helped me and was with me that night, and my long 3 months to recovery. I felt of his Spirit and his closeness as he buoyed me up. I read the hymns and was reminded and pondered on His life and the things He had done. That night, I learned that it's the intention of our hearts that matters. I may not have made it to church, but still taking time to pause and think about Christ and His Atonement - I felt a spiritual renewal.


I cherish that night. Yes, I was as sick as I have ever been in my life, but I learned important things that night. In the Sacrament prayers, there is the promise that if we always remember him, we may always have his spirit to be with us. I felt his spirit that night. That night, I took another step closer to my Savior. I learned more about Him and about me and my relationship with Him. I wasn't alone. He was with me that night, throughout my recovery and I strive to have his spirit with me to this day still. I can tell you that he supported me and gave me spiritual renewal that I so desperately needed as I went about that week.

So for those of us who may not be able to make it to Sacrament for one reason or another, take a moment to pause and think about our Savior. Just because we can't make it to Sacrament one week, doesn't mean we have to forgo feeling a spiritual renewal and feeling His Spirit with us. That night was a very spiritual one for me. I believe it's the thought that counts. God knows our hearts. He didn't withhold blessings from me, but instead He blessed me in so many ways.

I spent the next three months doing a lot of sleeping. But slowly, I regained my strength back, and my health. It was a considerable challenge for me at the time, having just hardly turned 19. I don't think I was given that challenge "just because". I believe that I was given that opportunity to learn things and gain insight to things that might not have happened otherwise. I believe that that night and that challenge was given to me as an opportunity to build my testimony and deepen my understanding of His atonement.  I was given the opportunity to draw closer unto my Savior during that time. Now, having passed out of that challenge, I'm grateful for it and I feel like it benefited me in ways that I didn't understand at the beginning. I feel I've grown from it and it's an experience that has helped to build the testimony I have today. This experience happened during a time of huge spiritual and character growth for me. It gave me time to pause, to think and pray.

I challenge each one of us to stop and take time to think about the Savior and his atonement and what it means to each of us. It's the Easter season. Now it the perfect time to reflect on the life of the Savior and His Resurrection. He was the perfect example. He overcame death and has provided a way for us to make it back to our Heavenly Father. He's our elder brother and He is there for us. Come, follow me - He said. I encourage each one of us to follow this counsel. May it bring us joy and happiness as we draw closer unto Him.  I know that my Redeemer lives!

Happy Easter

- SamiMae