My Mother's Compassion

I was blessed to see this every day, but an author, Thomas S. Bollard, recorded a particular instance of it in a book he published in 1996, Divine Compassion: Healing the Heart (Granite Publishing).

                “With Wings on Her Feet” (pp 6-9)

Sister Bell’s battle with cancer ravaged her elderly body.  Weakened from surgeries, she couldn’t bathe herself or change her own colostomy bag.  She needed total care, but no one could get her to budge from her home.

Reared in Australia, Sister Bell didn’t have family nearby to help her.  Her brother, when he telephoned concerning her deteriorating condition, recommended a nursing home.  But being confined to a nursing home would have killed her.

She was fiercely independent and had strong opinions.  And she wasn’t bashful about telling you exactly how she felt—sparing no feelings.  Her harsh tone intimidated would-be visiting teachers.  Unfortunately, her rough exterior pushed people away when she desperately needed friends.  Her hard life had made her bitter.  She felt all alone, except for one true friend who kept the Relief Society informed of her needs.

But now her poor health demanded help from others.  Her ward members tried as best they could to meet her needs.  The Relief Society arranged sisters to help her bathe, prepare meals, and clean her house. The Elders’ Quorum took care of her yard, painted the house, and took the garbage to the curb on pick-up day.  Nevertheless, despite these efforts Sister Bell remained isolated and painfully lonely.

By this time her ward had grown weary of this difficult welfare assignment.  Some washed their hands of her while others made convenient excuses to avoid the dreaded Sister Bell assignments.  Almost no one had been able to penetrate her heart or earn her trust; that is, until Sister Iola Lambson dropped to her knees and pled with the Lord for guidance.  The pleadings of this new Relief Society President were answered.  Heaven declared, “It’s your stewardship.”

The next morning Sister Lambson picked violets from her garden and strolled into the life of Sister Bell.  Iola countered Sister Bell’s rudeness and resistance with cheery optimism.  She prepared breakfast, fed her, gave her a bath, and even learned how to change her colostomy bag.  She handled her every need.

A miracle unfolded while Iola was caring for Sister Bell.  Iola’s work schedule changed to allow her to spend more time with Sister Bell each morning.  Iola’s eight-hour work schedule, three hours helping Sister Bell and returning home in the evening to fix dinner and do laundry normally would have exhausted her.  But she literally felt as though the Lord had put wings on her feet which took over when she was too tired to move.  With Iola’s encouragement, the sisters in the ward renewed their compassionate service.

Iola drew very close to Sister Bell.  And amazingly, Sister Bell, now softened with love, poured out her heart to Iola.  Pent-up tears gushed as Iola held this abandoned soul in her arms.  Freed from isolation and loneliness, Sister Bell’s fragile heart filled with gladness.  Her last six months were the happiest.  And although the diseased body raged, her heart was at peace.

Iola Lambson took Sister Bell under her wings and quietly nurtured her, just as Heavenly Father wanted.  But her heroic efforts did not go unnoticed.  Her bishop called her “one of the elect ladies in Zion.”  Iola’s friends and neighbors always count on her to come to their rescue at times of illness, tragedy, or even an untimely death.  Her heart and ears are always open to the pain of others.