The Power of Priesthood Blessings in my Life

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While watching a basketball game one Saturday afternoon one of the players fell, twisted a knee and was in severe pain. The referee, who was a member of the church, asked me if I would administer to him. One of the older players produced some consecrated oil and after anointing the injured boys head, I gave him a blessing and told him not to worry that all would be well. That night the young man attended a church dance. Once again the power of the priesthood was manifested.

Oct 16, 1981

While reading the book "A Marvelous Work and a Wonder"  by Le Grand Richards, the telephone rang. I had just finished reading the passage in the fifth chapter of James, verses 14-15.

"Is there any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith shall save the sick".
The call was from Clarence Harrison. He said Norman Iverman had injured himself and would like a blessing.  When they arrived at the house, I learned that Norman had injured his hand while at work. The doctor who treated him had put in four stitches and told Norman to be careful not to get any infection in the wound.  When giving him a blessing I promised him in the name of The Lord that his wound would heal and it would be necessary for him to lose any time from work.

The following Sunday Norm showed me his hand. It had completely healed.  Once again by being in tune with the Spirit of The Lord , I was able to use my priesthood in behalf of a fellow member of the church.

One day while I was recuperating from open heart surgery in Vancouver General Hospital, I had a visit from Lyle Burgess, an old family friend whom I had served with in the presidency of Vancouver first ward.  We had a nice visit and when he was about to leave I asked him if he would give me a priesthood blessing.  I had been having trouble sleeping at night even with the aid of sleeping pills and I had lost my appetite.  After the blessing I slept soundly and my appetite returned.   Once again I was sustained by the power of the priesthood.

Memories from Ken L Kyle

from Ken L. Kyle

Hi Spencer –

You asked a good question: “would you and your sisters agree about your dad’s ability to work with people?  Did he have those same skills at home or did he just use them at work?  I’ve kind of heard opinions that might lead one to think that this description wouldn’t describe how he was as a father.  What do you think?”

I want to give my thoughts and will leave it to my sisters to add theirs if they want.

Henry Dow Kyle, father of Lorne 

I think that it is basically true that Dad got along with people. His father, Henry, had many friends through sports and other things. I was told that Henry never bought anything retail; his friends were always getting stuff for him wholesale. Dad’s brother Clary (Clarence) also had many friends in the Vancouver social scene – golfing etc. Clary was a salesman (women’s stockings etc.)

I recall being proud of Dad when walking with him when some would stop to talk to him etc; it seemed a lot of people knew him. He coached a kids baseball team in the park near our home in St. Lambert. He and mom loved to host and go to parties. One of his counselors in the branch presidency in Saskatoon, Max Sabey, was Adjutant at the Royal Canadian Air Force base in Saskatoon and would invite my parents of the officers’ mess for grand banquets.

People told me that in his church calling as bishop In Vancouver he helped others. A leader there, Ralph Harvey, once mentioned how much Dad had meant to him helping him with something. Dad was able to calm him down and get on side an irate husband whose wife had recently been called to a major position in the ward. On a business trip to Vancouver before I retired I went to our old ward and Dimitro Chobatuk, the ward clerk when Dad was bishop, told me a funny story. Dad was told about a stake leadership meeting in Burnaby that night so he drove there with Dimitro but was wandering all over the roads as he had already taken his medicine for his anxiety.

I think Dad was good at his work of negotiating with CNR claimants or he would not have been promoted as General Claims agent before he retired. He even converted a member of his staff who later married a woman in our ward.

Dad had a temper and like his mother, Martha Rattray, had anxiety problems which sometimes led to inappropriate behavior at home. I got a beating once for staying to see a movie twice and so came home late. I guess he was worried about me; at least that’s one way to look at it.

R to L: Lorne Kyle, Aunt Annie, Clary Kyle,  unknown

He and mom would have their arguments; mom was more of a free spirit. He was bossy. I can’t excuse Dad’s behavior but times were much different back then. For example, the year Lorna and I were married Pres. Kimball gave an address stating, “”One would think that no intelligent woman would hesitate to submit herself to her own truly righteous husband in everything, but sometimes we are shocked to see the wife take over the leadership, naming the one to pray, the place to be, the things to do”. (Spencer W. Kimball, Address to Religious Educators in the Assembly Hall, 12 Sept. 1975, pp.3-5.)  The key of course was “righteous”.  ;-)

Brooklyn Dodgers

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Dad lived by a number of traditions. For example, after opening presents on Christmas morning we were not allowed to take ours to our bedroom but they had to say under the tree for a day or two so everybody who came by could see them. (Christmas afternoon was spent visiting relatives like our blind Aunt Annie). I asked Dad once why he watched TV baseball games so much and he replied that his father used to listen to ball games on the radio. I guess it was partly the times, too. I always listened to the World Series (hoping that my team, the Brooklyn Dodgers, would beat the New York Yankees).

Love - Dad

"One thing I have acquired in my training and experience in claims work is how to relate to people. So many leaders in the business and political sphere don't know how to get along with their subordinates and show little interest in the problems of those they attempt to manage.

I have talked to men who have taken academic courses in decision making, maintaining harmony in the ranks etc. Men who have learned the theory of these courses but have never learned how to put it into practice. Just before I retired from the railway, a member of my staff in Winnipeg said to me, "Mr. Kyle when you go, they will throw away the mould as they don't make them like you any more." I did not take this remark too seriously but I know the one who made it spoke it quite seriously because I would always listen to his problems and give him helpful advice. He was always appreciative of this and thanked me often. 

One day on the golf course one of the players in our foursome said to me, "Lorne you have been a steadying influence to me. I have seen you make some terrible shots and you have never lost your temper." On another occasion a doctor friend of mine in Vancouver said, "I don't understand how you keep from blowing up when I know some of the things that have happened to you while working for that man Wickland (my boss). Dr. Yeager called him an emotional bully. As a medical man he said it was good to blow off steam sometime. I guess I must have taken it out on the family.

As a claims agent I had the reputation of being a successful negotiator and I know I have saved the company many hundreds of thousands of dollars in settlement with claimants. Very few of my cases ever went to court if there was a shred of liability on the part of the company. One clue to my success was that I always offered a silent prayer before I began negotiations, asking the Lord to help me arrive at a mutually satisfactory adjustment that would be fair to both parties."

Accomplishing a Goal

May 12, 1979

Had a good nights sleep.  I hung a mirror in the den and worked in the garden.  Today is a red letter day for me as I finished reading the Bible.  Our stake president had challenged us to read the scriptures every day.  I started last January and by reading 10 pages a day I was able to complete the Bible today.

Tomorrow I shall start in the Book of Mormon.  I expect to complete all the standard works before Christmas.  I found the Old Testament to be most difficult to understand but enjoyed the New Testament.  My favorite book was the Gospel according to St John.

May 14, 1979

Played golf.  Went to a movie in the evening, "Going Home".  Did not enjoy it...too sexy and violent.  Left a bad taste in my mouth.


May 27, 1979

We attended Education Days.  Prof. Hunsaker was the guest speaker. His theme was, "The Pursuit of Excellence".   It was most stimulating and motivating.  One of the finest talks I have ever heard.  He inspired me to read Paradise Lost by John Milton, one of the greatest poets in the English language.

May 28

I spent a quiet evening at home reading Paradise Lost by a cozy fire.