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I am grateful that with my priesthood I do not have unlimited power. I realize the power of the priesthood is limitless but God has wisely placed upon each of us certain limitations. I am grateful that I cannot heal all the sick or that even through the priesthood I cannot raise them from their beds of affliction always. I am afraid that I might heal people who should die. I might relieve people of suffering who should agonize. I fear I would frustrate the purposes of God and the plan of eternal life. Had I the free and limitless command of power of the priesthood, and with my limited vision and understanding of the overall program of God for each individual, I might have saved Abinadi from the flames of fire when he was burned at the stake. In so doing I might have irreparably damaged Aminadi and limited him to a lower kingdom. He died a martyr and went to a martyr’s reward, exaltation. I would likely have protected Paul against his woes if my power were boundless. I fear that had I been in Carthage in the jail on June 27, 1844, and I had limitless power, but limited vision, I might have deflected the bullets which pierced the body of the Prophet and the martyr’s witness might not have been borne. The program of the Lord might have failed or been frustrated. I am glad I did not have to make that decision

⁠— Spencer W. Kimball