July 7, 2024 • 20 mins
What if you faced a life where your faith was constantly tested through severe family health crises, but became a powerful witness to miracles received from prayer and priesthood blessings? Join us as we sit down with Jason from Iowa, who shares his profound journey through his father's battle with liver disease and multiple organ transplants. Hear about Jason's experiences of divine intervention, from his mother being a perfect kidney donor match to the timely availability of donor organs, and the incredible impact of priesthood blessings and prayer.
Jason also opens up about how faith and obedience have shaped his life. From his experiences during his mission in El Salvador, Jason recounts how following the Lord's commandments brought blessings and protection. He speaks about life-changing decisions, like becoming a temple worker and meeting his wife, Ashlee, highlighting the significance of trusting in the Lord's timing. In his heartfelt testimony, Jason affirms his unwavering belief in Jesus Christ.
Please reach out to me if you are interested in sharing your story! I would LOVE to hear from you. :)
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Hello everyone and welcome to.
More Than Coincidence,remembering Jesus Christ in your
Story.
As the author and finisher ofour faith, our Savior writes
personal experiences into eachof our lives which can later
strengthen, empower and bring uspeace upon reflection.
This podcast is dedicated tosharing these anchoring memories
(00:26):
from everyone's unique storiesin order to collectively
remember and testify of thereality of Jesus Christ and his
presence in our lives.
I'm your host, lily, and I'mvery excited to share these
experiences together.
Good evening, everybody.
Tonight we have Jason with us.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Hi, thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Thank you so much for coming.
Do you mind introducingyourself?
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Yeah, my name again is Jason.
I'm from West Des Moines, iowa,born and raised, so definitely
a much different childhood thanwhat my kids here have in Utah.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
But I work at BYU, work in IT and just love the
stage of life we're in right now.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Yeah, that's awesome.
Did you go to BYU and graduatefrom BYU and all that too?
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Yeah, so I graduated from BYU and I actually just
finished my master's degree atBYU.
Oh, congratulations yeah inpublic administration, so
looking for a way to utilizethose skills I've learned.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Yeah, that's awesome.
Well, congratulations.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Thank you.
It's kind of a big dealgraduating with your master's.
My wife is thrilled that I amdone.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Yeah, no, my husband, we were in school for forever
too and I was like this sucks,can I just have you back now?
I'm done with the homework atnight.
Homework at night is the worst.
Like you're gone all day andthen you still have class at
night up in Salt Lake from like515 to 945 for three years.
Oh my gosh.
Yeah, that's awful.
I'm so glad I'm done with thatI hope you guys celebrated and
(01:49):
had like a big party.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Oh, we did.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Okay, good, Good, good, good.
That's awesome.
Well, yeah, I'm really, I'mreally grateful that you came
tonight.
This is going to be so much fun, and so I'll just ask you the
question what memories do youhave that you reflect on, that
perk your heart and remembranceof our savior Jesus Christ and
anchor you to him?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Yeah, like I said, I grew up in Iowa.
I had pretty much an uneventfulchildhood until I was about
eight.
My dad was very active.
We would wrestle and fight andhave fun.
I had an older brother and ayounger brother, but my dad got
ill and it started a path in ourfamily that we knew the power
(02:30):
of the priesthood and prayer andhow important it is.
My dad was diagnosed with aliver disease and they found
some precancerous cells so theyput them on a liver transplant
list.
And again, I was only eight, insecond grade, when my dad got
ill and had a liver transplant.
And he was only on the list for49 days, which was a blessing,
(02:53):
because he was very ill, veryjaundiced, yellow, very weak.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Right.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
And so that was definitely an answer to our
prayers, because sometimespeople wait years for a
transplant, and just thatexperience was very eye-opening
in the power of prayer andpriesthood.
Before he had the transplant,the stake president gave him a
priesthood blessing that saidthat he would see all of his
(03:20):
sons raised and married in thetemple.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
And after that it gave us that hope that we needed
and we totally felt the spirit.
I remember just seeing how muchbetter his life was after that,
but that didn't last very long.
When you have transplantedorgans, a lot of times
especially liver it sets off achain reaction and his kidneys
(03:47):
failed when I was in fifth gradeand that was a really scary
time because even kidneys youhave to wait even longer and he
did dialysis where you're hookedup to a machine for several
hours, like three days a week.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
And it's not fun.
So I would go with him and justwatch movies.
We'd watch james bond movies.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Make it as fun as you could, exactly, and the extreme
diet that you're on and findinga match.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Uh, again, like I said, it's so hard, that's the
hardest, that's where we'repraying and just hoping that
something happened and my momgot tested and she was a perfect
match.
My gosh, so everything got.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Yeah, that's insane.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Exactly yeah, like you don't often see something
like that happen Right, rightright.
And so total answer to ourprayers.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
And I I was very lucky it was we're doing
standardized tests that thatweek in school, and so my
parents let me go with them tothe hospital.
Cool, my grandparents werethere and I just remember um
realizing that both my parentsare under the knife and like
something could go wrong andit's a six hour ordeal and we
(04:55):
were in the waiting room thatwhole time and I remember
praying and just hoping thateverything was going to go okay,
right and it did.
Um, I remember going in inseeing my dad right after the
operation.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
He was happy and chipper and my mom it's a lot
rougher on the uh donor um, butagain, oh yeah I'm sure, from
going to note, from likedysfunctional kidneys to like
one functioning kidney, he'slike I feel so much better and
she's like I'm missing a kidneyhe was.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
He was on the phone with work like 30 minutes after,
yeah, calling his buddies andmy mom.
Yeah, it was definitely a kindof a recovery process that took
a little while, but again it'sjust that priesthood blessing.
It just continually came upthat everything was going to be
okay, right, because he was in apretty dire, dire situation
(05:46):
there.
You would think that that's allthat somebody would go through
in the trials that they wouldget, but when I was a freshman
in or sophomore at BYU, thatliver that he received failed.
So again he was in the hospitalfor months waiting for a liver
(06:08):
and again his health haddeteriorated and it was a really
scary situation, right.
And again a donor was found andhe had a liver transplant,
again a third organ transplant.
And again that blessing came upagain and we had a bishop who
(06:29):
was not there during that timeof the first blessing, give a
separate blessing, and said thesame thing.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Really.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
So I just know that the Lord was watching out for us
and guiding us in our lives,and he knew that all was going
to be okay no-transcript Rightand so we just had to have faith
.
And then my mom's kidney afterthat liver failed as well.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
No.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
So he had oh yeah, he had another kidney transplant,
so he's had four organtransplants over my life and
just I've seen so many miracleswith priesthood blessings and my
dad shouldn't be alive right um, but he is, and I know that
there's a purpose for our livesand the lord um had a purpose
(07:14):
for him.
Um, and I just remember leavingon my mission, I was scared
like could this be the last timeI see my dad, because we never
knew right, right, right a yearinto my mission I get an email
from my dad and he's like I justwant to let you know I'm cancer
free and I'm like what?
Yeah, so soon after I got intothe MTC he got diagnosed with
(07:36):
bladder cancer and they didn'twant to tell me which.
At first I was kind of upsetthey didn't tell me, but I
definitely suffer from anxietyand for them not to tell me and
wait until he was okay wasprobably a blessing for me,
because I would have just beenworrying my entire time on my
mission because I've seen him onthe brink of death so many
(07:57):
times.
And I just remember looking backat these moments and just
seeing the lord's hand in ourlives.
Uh, I know that, again, my dadwouldn't be here if it wasn't
for um, the power of thepriesthood and the prayers that
he received yeah um, and it'sjust amazing to to uh that we
(08:21):
have these powers to utilize inour lives to to help others.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Right, exactly.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
And even during the pandemic, uh, we were very
scared with him having COVIDbecause of his immune system.
He's on immune suppressants,he's, he's very right.
Very weak Right and he ended upgetting COVID after about a
year and a half of during thepandemic and uh, it got so bad.
He was actually in a two weekcoma and during in the pandemic
and, uh, it got so bad.
He was actually in a two-weekcoma and was in the icu and they
(08:47):
didn't think there was a chancehe wasn't going to make it
right um, but he made it um andhe saw, I, like I said, I I've
got an older brother and ayounger brother.
um, we're all older now and myuh little brother actually got
married married last year in thetemple, oh, that's awesome, so
the blessing was fulfilled.
We teased my brother that hecouldn't get married until a lot
(09:09):
longer down the road.
Yeah, but yeah, so I just havealways turned to the Lord and I
know that he has the power to domiracles.
Yeah, and it's shaped my lifeand I love it when my daughters
or my wife asks for power to domiracles.
Yeah, and it's shaped my lifeand I love it when my daughters
or my wife asks for a priesthoodblessing.
Yeah, and just how I'm able toshare a little of that blessings
(09:35):
and priesthood power into mychildren's lives.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Right, that's really special.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
So growing up, like I said, I know that the Lord's
there to protect us.
I put in my mission papers whenI was 19.
That was before the age changeand I remember hoping I was
going to go to Europe.
My dad served in England, myolder brother served in Poland
and I had been to Europe beforeand so I was like super stoked.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
I'd really love to go to Europe.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
And I opened my call and I was going to Europe before
, and so I was like super stoked.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
I'd really love to go to Europe and I opened my call
and I was going to El Salvador,san Salvador, which is in
Central America.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Yeah, spanish speaking very different, very,
very, very different.
I just remember googling itthat night and yeah it.
At the time it was the mostdangerous country in the world.
World it had the highest murderrate what yeah, uh.
So I was very, very scared togo because like I'm from iowa
like pretty safe and chill placeright uh, and so again, like I
said, I suffer from anxiety.
(10:32):
My biggest fear was like gettinghurt or getting robbed.
Yeah, and I just remembermaking a promise with the lord,
like if I followed the rules anddid what I'm supposed to do,
please keep me safe and likeelders were getting robbed like
left and right, yeah, on on inel salvador, like our, our, uh,
our ward boundaries were gangboundaries.
(10:52):
Yeah, because they don't wantmembers going into the other
neighborhoods and causing issues.
Yep, uh, and I just I stuck toit and I never got robbed.
I never had any moment ofconflict with anybody.
But I would see elders thatwould be breaking rules and they
would get robbed or somethingwould happen, and so I just knew
(11:12):
that the Lord watches out forus and knows what we can handle
and that was definitely ahumbling experience for me to
serve in El Salvador, but I justI love the people there and the
ability to serve those thatjust would give you anything
even though they don't haveanything.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Right, exactly, obedience brings blessings, and
you literally found that out,right.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Oh, exactly, and I see that in my life now, like
the commandments and like likepaying tithing stuff, like that
I it's an added protection andgoing to the temple right, um, I
see my life um like a bubblearound me and right and I.
(11:57):
That's something that I want toinstill into my, my children.
Like the lord's there to blessus, these rules aren't there to
impede us or to to not allow usto have fun, but it's a
protection.
So, yeah, it was just.
It was a fun experiencing funchildhood, growing up and like
seeing all these all thesethings um, but more recently, um
, uh, in my life, um, obviouslyI didn't in my introduction
(12:19):
introduce that uh, my wife,ashley, um, and then my my
daughters, um, live here inLehigh Um, but uh, in in college
um, I, before I met Ashley, uhI was just enjoying college but
uh kind of was done with datingand just kind of fed up with it
(12:40):
and just knew like okay, lord,like I'll go to your timetable.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Jesus, take the wheel .
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Exactly and just allow the Lord to do his work.
And I remember I was sitting inmy dorm room and I got a call
and it was from the city centertemple, and this was before it
was dedicated and it was stillbefore the open house, right.
(13:10):
But I was told that my bishophad recommended me to be a
temple worker.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Oh, awesome.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
So yeah, and of course I said yes, but like I
never had even imagined likedoing that, yeah, and it just I
felt honored that I wasrecommended.
But I now looking back, I knowthat the Lord had his hand in
that.
Yeah, because it changed mylife.
I remember going to a seminarybuilding in Provo where they
(13:38):
were trying to get everyoneinterviewed and to set up
assignments.
And when you're going, and Iremember meeting with them,
agreeing to the calling, andthey set me apart.
And then they take you to thislarge room and it had signups
for the different days and thetimes and I was like, oh, wow,
like that's a lot.
(13:59):
So many options, so manyoptions, so many options and I
remember writing down a day andlast minute I was like no,
that's not going to work, I'lldo Thursdays at night.
And best decision of my life forlistening to that prompting
(14:25):
Because I happen to be signingup for Thursday night and that's
the night that my wife Ashleywas working at the temple.
Yeah, and it was definitely awonderful experience to learn
and work at the temple, but oneThursday night and I was working
the veil assisting patrons atthe temple and I was working the
veil assisting patrons at thetemple.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Right.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
And I remember working with that one at that
time.
I still remember it vividly.
Seeing Ashley for the firsttime, I was like she's cute and
just her smile and her eyes justlit up and I remembered her.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
And I would look for her when we would have meetings,
meetings and such.
Didn't see her for severalweeks but one night um I was
working in the chapel and at thetemple and I saw her and
another sister um sitting in theback.
So I went and sat by them andthis sister earlier I had been
talking to uh that I was likefed up with dating and like yeah
, I just.
I'm gonna focus on school and ifthe right girl comes, right
(15:26):
girl comes, uh-huh, um, and soit was that same sister, yeah,
and I talked to Ashley and thesister for a bit and then I left
and Ashley just happened tomention to this sister like oh,
he's cute yeah and, like this,sister immediately said oh, he's
single, give me, give me yournumber.
And so that night, leaving thetemple, I hear jason, jason and
(15:50):
in the parking garage like lateat night, like this was like 10
30 at night yeah and it's thesister running after me and
she's the wing woman everexactly, and she hands me her
number or hands me the paper andit had.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
Ashley's number on it .
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Yeah, and so I called Ashley, I think, the next night
, and she seemed a littleawkward on the phone, and later
I found out she was actually ona date when she answered the
phone.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
You have perfect timing, my dude.
Oh, exactly.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
And and, just like I said, it changed my life.
We went on dates, met ourfamily and six, seven months
later we were married and it'sjust a huge blessing that, like
the Lord, guided me to my wifeRight, and I have two wonderful
(16:43):
daughters and a son on the way.
Congratulations, thank you.
And I just know that the Lordhas had his hand in my life and
I know I wouldn't be where Iwould without him.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Right.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
And just going back like power of the priesthood,
prayer, safety, following therules, going to the temple, uh,
has allowed me to have the lifethat I have and just feeling the
spirit, um in these moments andlooking back at them, knowing,
uh, that I was blessed and sograteful for my savior, and
knowing that without him Iwouldn't be who I am, and so
grateful for for the blessingsthat the Lord has in store for
(17:31):
me.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Right, so it gives you hope for your future.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
Oh, exactly.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Because you've just seen him carry you through all
these kind of crazycircumstances.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Yeah, and I just graduated with my master's.
I'm looking for my next chapterand what to do, and so, ashley
and I, we've been praying a ton,don't know what we're going to
do.
But, all we know is that if wehave faith, we'll be where we're
supposed to be.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Exactly.
That's so cool.
I love that talk that was givenin this past conference about.
I think it's like the rays andthe pillars, right, and
sometimes we have these bigpillar experiences, but other
times we really don't.
It really is like looking backon your life and you're like, oh
my gosh, Thursday nights that'sa small little ray.
If that had to happen, thiswouldn't have happened.
Oh my gosh, you know all theselittle things on your missions
(18:17):
that who would have thought thatjust keeping this one simple
rule would keep you so safe?
Right?
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Yeah.
And so it is so amazing to hearstories like yours, where you
look back and it's yeah, you'relike if these things hadn't have
happened, I literally wouldn'tbe where I am today oh, exactly
and it's to me, it'smind-blowing and it's incredible
for sure and just, I just wantto always be a guiding light for
(18:44):
my children and to know thatthe Lord cares about them and
that if you listen to the spiritlike, you won't ever have to
question anything, that the Lordloves you and cares for you and
he always wants what's best foryou.
And I've just, I've seen thatfirsthand and um know that, uh,
my children will be foreverblessed if they follow that.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Right?
Well, I don't have any otherquestions.
So if you don't have any otherfinal thoughts, would you like
to leave us with a testimony?
Speaker 2 (19:22):
Yeah, for sure.
I know my Savior lives.
I know that he cares for us andhe has given us all of the
tools necessary to return to himand to get help when we need
help.
I know that Joseph Smith was aprophet and that the Book of
Mormon is that guiding lightthat we need in our lives, and I
(19:42):
am so grateful for eternalmarriage and to know that Ashley
and I will be together forever,and our children, and just so
grateful for all the blessingsI've received in my life.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
That's awesome.
Well, thank you, Jason, forgiving us your time tonight.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Thanks again for tuning into More Than
Coincidence Remembering JesusChrist in your Story.
Please follow us on socialmedia or share us with a friend.
If you have an experience you'dlike to share, feel free to
reach out tomorethancoincidencerememberhim
at gmailcom.
I can't wait to hear all of theamazing memories you all have
of our Savior.
(20:21):
See you next time.
Hello everyone and welcome to.
More Than Coincidence,remembering Jesus Christ in your
Story.
As the author and finisher ofour faith, our Savior writes
personal experiences into eachof our lives which can later
strengthen, empower and bring uspeace upon reflection.
This podcast is dedicated tosharing these anchoring memories
(00:26):
from everyone's unique storiesin order to collectively
remember and testify of thereality of Jesus Christ and his
presence in our lives.
I'm your host, lily, and I'mvery excited to share these
experiences together.
Good evening, everybody.
Tonight we have Jason with us.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Hi, thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Thank you so much for coming.
Do you mind introducingyourself?
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Yeah, my name again is Jason.
I'm from West Des Moines, iowa,born and raised, so definitely
a much different childhood thanwhat my kids here have in Utah.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
But I work at BYU, work in IT and just love the
stage of life we're in right now.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Yeah, that's awesome.
Did you go to BYU and graduatefrom BYU and all that too?
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Yeah, so I graduated from BYU and I actually just
finished my master's degree atBYU.
Oh, congratulations yeah inpublic administration, so
looking for a way to utilizethose skills I've learned.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Yeah, that's awesome.
Well, congratulations.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Thank you.
It's kind of a big dealgraduating with your master's.
My wife is thrilled that I amdone.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Yeah, no, my husband, we were in school for forever
too and I was like this sucks,can I just have you back now?
I'm done with the homework atnight.
Homework at night is the worst.
Like you're gone all day andthen you still have class at
night up in Salt Lake from like515 to 945 for three years.
Oh my gosh.
Yeah, that's awful.
I'm so glad I'm done with thatI hope you guys celebrated and
(01:49):
had like a big party.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Oh, we did.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Okay, good, Good, good, good.
That's awesome.
Well, yeah, I'm really, I'mreally grateful that you came
tonight.
This is going to be so much fun, and so I'll just ask you the
question what memories do youhave that you reflect on, that
perk your heart and remembranceof our savior Jesus Christ and
anchor you to him?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Yeah, like I said, I grew up in Iowa.
I had pretty much an uneventfulchildhood until I was about
eight.
My dad was very active.
We would wrestle and fight andhave fun.
I had an older brother and ayounger brother, but my dad got
ill and it started a path in ourfamily that we knew the power
(02:30):
of the priesthood and prayer andhow important it is.
My dad was diagnosed with aliver disease and they found
some precancerous cells so theyput them on a liver transplant
list.
And again, I was only eight, insecond grade, when my dad got
ill and had a liver transplant.
And he was only on the list for49 days, which was a blessing,
(02:53):
because he was very ill, veryjaundiced, yellow, very weak.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Right.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
And so that was definitely an answer to our
prayers, because sometimespeople wait years for a
transplant, and just thatexperience was very eye-opening
in the power of prayer andpriesthood.
Before he had the transplant,the stake president gave him a
priesthood blessing that saidthat he would see all of his
(03:20):
sons raised and married in thetemple.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
And after that it gave us that hope that we needed
and we totally felt the spirit.
I remember just seeing how muchbetter his life was after that,
but that didn't last very long.
When you have transplantedorgans, a lot of times
especially liver it sets off achain reaction and his kidneys
(03:47):
failed when I was in fifth gradeand that was a really scary
time because even kidneys youhave to wait even longer and he
did dialysis where you're hookedup to a machine for several
hours, like three days a week.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
And it's not fun.
So I would go with him and justwatch movies.
We'd watch james bond movies.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Make it as fun as you could, exactly, and the extreme
diet that you're on and findinga match.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Uh, again, like I said, it's so hard, that's the
hardest, that's where we'repraying and just hoping that
something happened and my momgot tested and she was a perfect
match.
My gosh, so everything got.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Yeah, that's insane.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Exactly yeah, like you don't often see something
like that happen Right, rightright.
And so total answer to ourprayers.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
And I I was very lucky it was we're doing
standardized tests that thatweek in school, and so my
parents let me go with them tothe hospital.
Cool, my grandparents werethere and I just remember um
realizing that both my parentsare under the knife and like
something could go wrong andit's a six hour ordeal and we
(04:55):
were in the waiting room thatwhole time and I remember
praying and just hoping thateverything was going to go okay,
right and it did.
Um, I remember going in inseeing my dad right after the
operation.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
He was happy and chipper and my mom it's a lot
rougher on the uh donor um, butagain, oh yeah I'm sure, from
going to note, from likedysfunctional kidneys to like
one functioning kidney, he'slike I feel so much better and
she's like I'm missing a kidneyhe was.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
He was on the phone with work like 30 minutes after,
yeah, calling his buddies andmy mom.
Yeah, it was definitely a kindof a recovery process that took
a little while, but again it'sjust that priesthood blessing.
It just continually came upthat everything was going to be
okay, right, because he was in apretty dire, dire situation
(05:46):
there.
You would think that that's allthat somebody would go through
in the trials that they wouldget, but when I was a freshman
in or sophomore at BYU, thatliver that he received failed.
So again he was in the hospitalfor months waiting for a liver
(06:08):
and again his health haddeteriorated and it was a really
scary situation, right.
And again a donor was found andhe had a liver transplant,
again a third organ transplant.
And again that blessing came upagain and we had a bishop who
(06:29):
was not there during that timeof the first blessing, give a
separate blessing, and said thesame thing.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Really.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
So I just know that the Lord was watching out for us
and guiding us in our lives,and he knew that all was going
to be okay no-transcript Rightand so we just had to have faith
.
And then my mom's kidney afterthat liver failed as well.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
No.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
So he had oh yeah, he had another kidney transplant,
so he's had four organtransplants over my life and
just I've seen so many miracleswith priesthood blessings and my
dad shouldn't be alive right um, but he is, and I know that
there's a purpose for our livesand the lord um had a purpose
(07:14):
for him.
Um, and I just remember leavingon my mission, I was scared
like could this be the last timeI see my dad, because we never
knew right, right, right a yearinto my mission I get an email
from my dad and he's like I justwant to let you know I'm cancer
free and I'm like what?
Yeah, so soon after I got intothe MTC he got diagnosed with
(07:36):
bladder cancer and they didn'twant to tell me which.
At first I was kind of upsetthey didn't tell me, but I
definitely suffer from anxietyand for them not to tell me and
wait until he was okay wasprobably a blessing for me,
because I would have just beenworrying my entire time on my
mission because I've seen him onthe brink of death so many
(07:57):
times.
And I just remember looking backat these moments and just
seeing the lord's hand in ourlives.
Uh, I know that, again, my dadwouldn't be here if it wasn't
for um, the power of thepriesthood and the prayers that
he received yeah um, and it'sjust amazing to to uh that we
(08:21):
have these powers to utilize inour lives to to help others.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Right, exactly.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
And even during the pandemic, uh, we were very
scared with him having COVIDbecause of his immune system.
He's on immune suppressants,he's, he's very right.
Very weak Right and he ended upgetting COVID after about a
year and a half of during thepandemic and uh, it got so bad.
He was actually in a two weekcoma and during in the pandemic
and, uh, it got so bad.
He was actually in a two-weekcoma and was in the icu and they
(08:47):
didn't think there was a chancehe wasn't going to make it
right um, but he made it um andhe saw, I, like I said, I I've
got an older brother and ayounger brother.
um, we're all older now and myuh little brother actually got
married married last year in thetemple, oh, that's awesome, so
the blessing was fulfilled.
We teased my brother that hecouldn't get married until a lot
(09:09):
longer down the road.
Yeah, but yeah, so I just havealways turned to the Lord and I
know that he has the power to domiracles.
Yeah, and it's shaped my lifeand I love it when my daughters
or my wife asks for power to domiracles.
Yeah, and it's shaped my lifeand I love it when my daughters
or my wife asks for a priesthoodblessing.
Yeah, and just how I'm able toshare a little of that blessings
(09:35):
and priesthood power into mychildren's lives.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Right, that's really special.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
So growing up, like I said, I know that the Lord's
there to protect us.
I put in my mission papers whenI was 19.
That was before the age changeand I remember hoping I was
going to go to Europe.
My dad served in England, myolder brother served in Poland
and I had been to Europe beforeand so I was like super stoked.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
I'd really love to go to Europe.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
And I opened my call and I was going to Europe before
, and so I was like super stoked.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
I'd really love to go to Europe and I opened my call
and I was going to El Salvador,san Salvador, which is in
Central America.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Yeah, spanish speaking very different, very,
very, very different.
I just remember googling itthat night and yeah it.
At the time it was the mostdangerous country in the world.
World it had the highest murderrate what yeah, uh.
So I was very, very scared togo because like I'm from iowa
like pretty safe and chill placeright uh, and so again, like I
said, I suffer from anxiety.
(10:32):
My biggest fear was like gettinghurt or getting robbed.
Yeah, and I just remembermaking a promise with the lord,
like if I followed the rules anddid what I'm supposed to do,
please keep me safe and likeelders were getting robbed like
left and right, yeah, on on inel salvador, like our, our, uh,
our ward boundaries were gangboundaries.
(10:52):
Yeah, because they don't wantmembers going into the other
neighborhoods and causing issues.
Yep, uh, and I just I stuck toit and I never got robbed.
I never had any moment ofconflict with anybody.
But I would see elders thatwould be breaking rules and they
would get robbed or somethingwould happen, and so I just knew
(11:12):
that the Lord watches out forus and knows what we can handle
and that was definitely ahumbling experience for me to
serve in El Salvador, but I justI love the people there and the
ability to serve those thatjust would give you anything
even though they don't haveanything.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Right, exactly, obedience brings blessings, and
you literally found that out,right.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Oh, exactly, and I see that in my life now, like
the commandments and like likepaying tithing stuff, like that
I it's an added protection andgoing to the temple right, um, I
see my life um like a bubblearound me and right and I.
(11:57):
That's something that I want toinstill into my, my children.
Like the lord's there to blessus, these rules aren't there to
impede us or to to not allow usto have fun, but it's a
protection.
So, yeah, it was just.
It was a fun experiencing funchildhood, growing up and like
seeing all these all thesethings um, but more recently, um
, uh, in my life, um, obviouslyI didn't in my introduction
(12:19):
introduce that uh, my wife,ashley, um, and then my my
daughters, um, live here inLehigh Um, but uh, in in college
um, I, before I met Ashley, uhI was just enjoying college but
uh kind of was done with datingand just kind of fed up with it
(12:40):
and just knew like okay, lord,like I'll go to your timetable.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Jesus, take the wheel .
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Exactly and just allow the Lord to do his work.
And I remember I was sitting inmy dorm room and I got a call
and it was from the city centertemple, and this was before it
was dedicated and it was stillbefore the open house, right.
(13:10):
But I was told that my bishophad recommended me to be a
temple worker.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Oh, awesome.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
So yeah, and of course I said yes, but like I
never had even imagined likedoing that, yeah, and it just I
felt honored that I wasrecommended.
But I now looking back, I knowthat the Lord had his hand in
that.
Yeah, because it changed mylife.
I remember going to a seminarybuilding in Provo where they
(13:38):
were trying to get everyoneinterviewed and to set up
assignments.
And when you're going, and Iremember meeting with them,
agreeing to the calling, andthey set me apart.
And then they take you to thislarge room and it had signups
for the different days and thetimes and I was like, oh, wow,
like that's a lot.
(13:59):
So many options, so manyoptions, so many options and I
remember writing down a day andlast minute I was like no,
that's not going to work, I'lldo Thursdays at night.
And best decision of my life forlistening to that prompting
(14:25):
Because I happen to be signingup for Thursday night and that's
the night that my wife Ashleywas working at the temple.
Yeah, and it was definitely awonderful experience to learn
and work at the temple, but oneThursday night and I was working
the veil assisting patrons atthe temple and I was working the
veil assisting patrons at thetemple.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Right.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
And I remember working with that one at that
time.
I still remember it vividly.
Seeing Ashley for the firsttime, I was like she's cute and
just her smile and her eyes justlit up and I remembered her.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
And I would look for her when we would have meetings,
meetings and such.
Didn't see her for severalweeks but one night um I was
working in the chapel and at thetemple and I saw her and
another sister um sitting in theback.
So I went and sat by them andthis sister earlier I had been
talking to uh that I was likefed up with dating and like yeah
, I just.
I'm gonna focus on school and ifthe right girl comes, right
(15:26):
girl comes, uh-huh, um, and soit was that same sister, yeah,
and I talked to Ashley and thesister for a bit and then I left
and Ashley just happened tomention to this sister like oh,
he's cute yeah and, like this,sister immediately said oh, he's
single, give me, give me yournumber.
And so that night, leaving thetemple, I hear jason, jason and
(15:50):
in the parking garage like lateat night, like this was like 10
30 at night yeah and it's thesister running after me and
she's the wing woman everexactly, and she hands me her
number or hands me the paper andit had.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
Ashley's number on it .
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Yeah, and so I called Ashley, I think, the next night
, and she seemed a littleawkward on the phone, and later
I found out she was actually ona date when she answered the
phone.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
You have perfect timing, my dude.
Oh, exactly.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
And and, just like I said, it changed my life.
We went on dates, met ourfamily and six, seven months
later we were married and it'sjust a huge blessing that, like
the Lord, guided me to my wifeRight, and I have two wonderful
(16:43):
daughters and a son on the way.
Congratulations, thank you.
And I just know that the Lordhas had his hand in my life and
I know I wouldn't be where Iwould without him.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Right.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
And just going back like power of the priesthood,
prayer, safety, following therules, going to the temple, uh,
has allowed me to have the lifethat I have and just feeling the
spirit, um in these moments andlooking back at them, knowing,
uh, that I was blessed and sograteful for my savior, and
knowing that without him Iwouldn't be who I am, and so
grateful for for the blessingsthat the Lord has in store for
(17:31):
me.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Right, so it gives you hope for your future.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
Oh, exactly.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Because you've just seen him carry you through all
these kind of crazycircumstances.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Yeah, and I just graduated with my master's.
I'm looking for my next chapterand what to do, and so, ashley
and I, we've been praying a ton,don't know what we're going to
do.
But, all we know is that if wehave faith, we'll be where we're
supposed to be.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Exactly.
That's so cool.
I love that talk that was givenin this past conference about.
I think it's like the rays andthe pillars, right, and
sometimes we have these bigpillar experiences, but other
times we really don't.
It really is like looking backon your life and you're like, oh
my gosh, Thursday nights that'sa small little ray.
If that had to happen, thiswouldn't have happened.
Oh my gosh, you know all theselittle things on your missions
(18:17):
that who would have thought thatjust keeping this one simple
rule would keep you so safe?
Right?
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Yeah.
And so it is so amazing to hearstories like yours, where you
look back and it's yeah, you'relike if these things hadn't have
happened, I literally wouldn'tbe where I am today oh, exactly
and it's to me, it'smind-blowing and it's incredible
for sure and just, I just wantto always be a guiding light for
(18:44):
my children and to know thatthe Lord cares about them and
that if you listen to the spiritlike, you won't ever have to
question anything, that the Lordloves you and cares for you and
he always wants what's best foryou.
And I've just, I've seen thatfirsthand and um know that, uh,
my children will be foreverblessed if they follow that.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Right?
Well, I don't have any otherquestions.
So if you don't have any otherfinal thoughts, would you like
to leave us with a testimony?
Speaker 2 (19:22):
Yeah, for sure.
I know my Savior lives.
I know that he cares for us andhe has given us all of the
tools necessary to return to himand to get help when we need
help.
I know that Joseph Smith was aprophet and that the Book of
Mormon is that guiding lightthat we need in our lives, and I
(19:42):
am so grateful for eternalmarriage and to know that Ashley
and I will be together forever,and our children, and just so
grateful for all the blessingsI've received in my life.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
That's awesome.
Well, thank you, Jason, forgiving us your time tonight.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Thanks again for tuning into More Than
Coincidence Remembering JesusChrist in your Story.
Please follow us on socialmedia or share us with a friend.
If you have an experience you'dlike to share, feel free to
reach out tomorethancoincidencerememberhim
at gmailcom.
I can't wait to hear all of theamazing memories you all have
of our Savior.
(20:21):
See you next time.
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