At only 27 years old, Chad Hymas was involved in a ranching accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down. Soon after, while he was recovering in the hospital, he received a priesthood blessing from Elder Neil A. Maxwell, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
“I believed because I [had] faith, Elder Maxwell was going to take care of this for me,” Chad recalls. While he had the faith to be healed, Chad was disappointed to realize that his body still felt numb after Elder Maxwell said, “Amen.” “While I didn’t like the outcome … because I expected to be healed, I understand it today,” he says.
Today, Chad is a world-renowned speaker, bestselling author, and wheelchair athlete. He recently joined LDS Living’s All In podcast to share what he’s learned about trusting in God’s will and having the faith to not be healed.
How the Blessing Changed Chad’s Life
After the priesthood blessing from Elder Maxwell, Chad told his wife that he felt confused about why the blessing didn’t seem to help him.
“My wife said, ‘Did you hear what he said?’” Chad remembers. “I said, ‘Yes, but nothing’s changed. I’m still in this circumstance. … I know [God] can help me. ... And she said, ‘He did.’”
She then pulled out the notes she’d taken during the blessing and reminded Chad of what was said in the blessing. Chad was promised that this experience would help him to be:
- A better father to his two sons
- A better husband
- A better farmer
- A better disciple of Christ
- A better contributor to his community
At first, these promises felt baffling to Chad. He wondered how he could fulfill these roles better because of his physical limitations, such as building relationships with his family without being able to hold their hands or farming without being able to use a tractor. But over 24 years later, he can confidently say that his circumstances have allowed him to focus on what really matters and serve in new ways.
“Over the course of time, I have discovered … that I don’t need to ride a horse to be a farmer,” Chad says. “Today, I travel the world, which is much bigger than the farm that I live on, and I’m farming people [by sharing my story].
“I have taught my kids, who are now 27 and 25, how to play ball. I just taught them a different way. Shondell and I just celebrated 30 years. I’ve been in a wheelchair for 25 of them. … I’ve understood that I could contribute to my community as well. ... I just didn’t need to have my hands or my legs to do it.”
Through his experiences, Chad has gained a firm testimony of this principle from Proverbs: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
“[My faith] allows me to wake up every morning and have passion in what I do,” Chad explains. “I believe that I don’t have to understand God’s will and that He has much bigger things in mind.”
Learn more about Chad’s story on the All In episode, which is available on all major streaming platforms.
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