Faith Replaces Fear

Sister Mini Padmakumar, Chennai District

The 6th of March, 2020 was a normal routine day. I got up at 5:00 o’clock in the morning, did my personal scripture reading for the day, prayed and left my home to work around 7:30 a.m. I am a lab technician and I own a lab. I go to patients’ houses take body fluid samples to submit them to laboratories for testing.  I also administer injections to people.

 Because of the COVID-19 pandemic in India, the Government has implemented Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code which implies that there should be no public gathering anywhere in the community.  However, as a paramedic professional I need to be available to serve those in great need. I have decided to only go out for emergencies, essential laboratory investigations and essential administration of drugs.

 That day I finished my morning shift work at my laboratory and was ready to leave to my home and come back later in the evening. At that moment a lady rushed into my lab center and said, “Sister! Please help me.”  When I asked her what had happened and how I could be of  help to her, she said that her loved one had been taken to hospital sick. The doctors at the hospital had diagnosed a bacterial infection in her blood and given her a prescription which not only included tablets but also injections. She said that she was worried because the doctors had said that if the patient did not take the prescription as prescribed, there was a chance that the infection could be carried to the heart via internal blood flow.

 The patient had been discharged from the hospital and asked to take this prescription for a period of one month. When I looked at the prescription I saw that I would have to travel to the patient’s house four times a day to administer injections and intravenous fluids. The timings of drug administration were 6:00 a.m., 8:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. I wondered how I could do it and be committed to this patient when vehicles and movements were strictly prohibited in the city because of COVID-19.

 After administering the first dose to this patient, I prayed to our Father in Heaven and asked him what I should do.  Immediately I was prompted to read one of my favorite scripture verses, Joshua 1:5 which says “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

 That night I had to go to the patient’s house at around 10:00 p.m. to administer another injection. Again, before I was to leave my home I prayed to Heavenly Father.  I asked him to be with me, help me and guide me and also asked for it abundantly. After praying, I went to the patient’s house, administered the drugs and returned.

 While returning back late in the night, my scooter’s fuel tank broke in middle of the way.  I felt hopeless as it was night and there is no possibility for any of the vehicle workshops to be open. Again I prayed to my Father in Heaven and asked him to send someone to help.  I began walking with my scooter and within ten minutes from the time I prayed and asked for help, I was able to see a mechanic shop open in the distance. At that moment I had a strong testimony that my prayer with faith had been heard. I reached home safely.

 In my evening personal scripture study, the verse that I came across was Alma 32:21. It reads,

“And now as I said concerning faith – faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.” Once again I knew for sure God’s love was there to guide me and help me.

 I did my best at this challenging time and the rest was done by my Father in Heaven. God has given me the true restored Church where I am taught so many things by the members, leaders and even the Prophet Russell M. Nelson. His guidance is always leading us in our lives.

I know for sure that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true restored Church and that the Gospel is also true. I know that Russel M. Nelson is a true prophet called of God and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I thank Heavenly Father for everything and I say all these things in the name of  Jesus Christ Amen.