Bikes, 911 Calls, and Blessings

Elder Anofils and I have a limited amount of miles that we can drive - 1350 each month. To save miles we bike. We both enjoy it and it helps us work hard. We have seen countless miracles that come from being obedient. On Saturday Elder Anofils and I got out of a dinner appointment at 6:45 PM. It was 95% dark, so we needed to bike home to get the car to drive to our next appointment at 7:30 (actually with a Haitian family that we picked up from biking a month ago). It was a 10-minute bike ride from the dinner appointment to our house. On our way home we had to bike on a road that is undergoing construction. The road was lit fairly well. Elder Anofils went to get onto the sidewalk, but he didn’t see that there was a gap/trench between the road and the sidewalk. The gap caught his thin front tire, and Elder Anofils went flying off to his right and into the sidewalk. He went headfirst. His helmet took 90% of the impact, but his nose, mouth, face and teeth took the other 10%. His helmet completely saved his life. He hit face first into the cement then did a somersault, looking like a rag-doll, while his bike front flipped over him. I was behind him and saw the whole thing go down. I yelled his name and threw down my bike. Elder Anofils got to his knees. He had blood all over his face and his front right tooth was dangling by a thread. He said, sounding like he had a mouthful of marshmallows, "Call...". I grabbed the phone from his pocket and called 911. Elder Anofils was walking around in circles. He was in a daze. A woman, named Donna, pulled to the side of the road and asked how she could help. I threw her the phone and told her to stay on the line with 911. Then I threw my bag down, grabbed the consecrated oil, and gave Elder Anofils a priesthood blessing. Mom, I know the priesthood power is real. I had goose bumps knowing that I was God’s instrument as I gave that blessing. Another woman stopped by from the Dunkin' Donuts. Everyone was quiet as the blessing took place. He didn't panic at all. I didn't either, surprisingly enough. As I finished the blessing the ambulance came and the EMTs got to work. Cop cars and a fire truck followed. Elder Anofils’ tie was drenched with blood. It looked like it had been dipped in red kool aid. His side bag was covered with blood. They cut his shirt and put a neck brace on him, then put him on a stretcher and into the ambulance. They kept on asking me what his first and last names were. Anofils is easy to spell and to say, but his first name is Esperandieu. Try pronouncing that! I butchered it. The EMTs and police looked at me as if I was the one who needed medical attention. I had to grab his white handbook that had his name printed on it. They asked Elder Anofils on a scale of 1 to 10 how much he hurt. He said, "10. I hit my head on cement. It hurt." It made me think of Brian Regan. I rode shotgun in the ambulance. We went to the Providence, Rhode Island Hospital where he was checked into the ER. Everyone was tongue tied in attempting to say his name. They asked him the “scale of 1-10” question again. He said 10. After they left, I asked him if he was really a 10. He said, with his mouthful of blood, "I don't know. If I say anything less, they not gonna help me. Does this make sense?" There was no damage to his cranium, (that we know of) his nose had some road rash, and he lost a chunk of his upper lip. His right front tooth was destroyed. They called the Dentist on call. (Who knew they have dentists on call?). She came in and put a temporary brace on it. He’d fractured the root/bone to his tooth. They are going to give him what's called a "flapper". It's like a retainer with a fake tooth. It was insane. I learned so much being there to help Elder Anofils. He is such a great example to me of pure humility and one who is willing to sacrifice anything in the service of the Lord. We had to miss church yesterday, and we got probably 25+ phone calls from worried members. Everyone loves Elder Anofils! He is the Foxboro Ward hero! I am so grateful to have him as my companion! Remember how I told you he loves Brigham Young? He didn't want to take any "modern medicine" because Brigham Young didn't. But, we eventually talked him into it!  We’ll be taking tomorrow off and then we’ll get back to work. 

Elder Tait