Hilma Palola

When I was child, ten years old, the Lord performed a miracle in our home in Finland. My father became very ill and it was thought he might have tuberculosis. My mother had to go out and work, and being the oldest child, I was left to care for the younger children and my ailing father.

One day the minister came to see my father, and I was where I could hear what he said. He was supposed to give my father the last rites of our church, but in his conversation I heard him say, “This sickness may not be unto death but to the glory of God.” Then I rushed outside, and underneath the porch I prayed as hard as I could for my father to be healed. He was healed! He lived forty years after that. He was later saved and died a Christian. I thank God for that answer to prayer.

In 1900, I moved to this country. I was just a young woman, and some of the farewell words my mother spoke to me were, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.” When I went to a dance those words would come to me and I would feel condemned.

Sometime later when I was living in Seattle, Washington, I prayed in my room and God saved my soul. Then a friend told me about the Apostolic Faith people. I went to their little mission and heard testimonies that I knew came from God. I wanted more from Him. A hunger came into my heart to have the deeper spiritual experiences these people testified about.

My friend invited me to go to Portland, Oregon, with her. I went, and she took me to an Apostolic Faith service at Front and Burnside. In that very first meeting, the Lord wonderfully sanctified me. Then almost a year later, He baptized me with the Holy Ghost and fire.

At that time my friend was working in the home of the founder of the Apostolic Faith Church. I was always consecrating and praying that I could work for the Lord. God heard my prayer and opened the way for me to work in that same home as a cook and to do anything else my hands found to do.

In those early days we used to have what we called “All Nations” meetings where each foreign-speaking group would go out on the street and hold meetings. The Lord gave me the privilege of going to the Finnish street meetings on Saturday nights.

I also had the privilege of working in the campground restaurant as the head cook every summer for about forty years. I had been very sick and had undergone an operation, but when I came to Portland the Lord wonderfully healed me and gave me good health and strength. I was able to lift the heavy containers of food weighing seventy-five pounds or more, and do the hardest kind of work.

I praise God for keeping me. There has never been a desire in my heart to seek any other way. This Gospel is still real to me in these latter years of my life, and I praise God with all my heart for what He means to me.