An Unsought Gift from the Lord

There are times when the Lord gives us a blessing we weren’t even seeking. He extends tender mercies to us because of His goodness. The following account reminds me of what King Benjamin said in his famous sermon, in Mosiah 2:19-24. We are never able to put the Lord in our debt. Rather, as we serve and obey Him, we actually become more and more in His debt.

I started wearing glasses in 1959, when I was 15 years old. My mother needed corrective lenses. I must have inherited the need for corrective eyewear from her.

In the late 1970s or early 1980s I replaced my glasses with contact lenses. They were much more convenient than glasses—especially in Saudi Arabia, where glasses fogged up when going from an air conditioned building or automobile into the hot, humid air.

In 2000, near the end of our service in the Nebraska Omaha Mission, an impression came to me that I should undergo LASIK (LASIK is an acronym for laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis) surgery to correct my vision. Initially, I dismissed the impression. I am very conservative by nature and wasn't sure that undergoing the surgery would be successful. An acquaintance in Saudi Arabia had undergone radial keratotomy, and it proved unsuccessful in correcting her vision. On the other hand I had spoken with another Saudi Arabia friend who had undergone successful LASIK surgery. He said that the surgery had corrected his vision and the company's insurance paid for most of it.

Even with this encouragement I was still reluctant to proceed with the surgery. However, the impression persisted. In fact, later the impression also included the thought, "This is a gift for you.”

So, I underwent the surgery on April 19, 2000. It was very successful. My left eye was adjusted for reading and my right eye to see things further away. Therefore, I was able to see without the aid of contact lenses or reading glasses. That was a real blessing after 41 years of wearing glasses and contact lenses. The surgery was performed at no cost to me. I didn’t even have to make a co-payment. It truly was a most gratefully received gift from the Lord.