Power of Prayer & Sharing the Message of Christ

This week I had a great experience with the power of prayer. Recently my wife and I have been trying our best to share the message of Christ with those around us who do not have it in their life. One of our goals has been to pray every day for specific opportunities to share our belief in Christ with others. This week the Lord answered our prayers. Every Tuesday I go with a group of co-workers to a place called Popeye's for lunch. This Tuesday we went just like every other Tuesday not knowing we would cross paths with someone who was specifically looking for an answer to his prayers.



As we sat down at the tables two men approached us because they had over heard us talking about work. One of the men was in need of a job and asked if we had any positions. As we started talking to him he started to talk to us about church. We mentioned to him that we were Mormon and he quickly replied that he was as well but that he hadn't been to church in years. We told him to come by our office the next day and we would get him in touch with our HR department to see if there were any openings.

The next day when he came in we talked more about the Gospel. He began to really open up to us. He told us how his wife of 20 years walked out on him with their 5 kids. He told us he had been in such a depressed state since then he hadn't been able to get up the courage to go find a new job. He went on to tell us that he had gotten so depressed that he wanted to take his life.

A few days prior to meeting us he had gotten on his knees and pleaded for help one last time. The Sunday before meeting us he decided to go to church for the first time in 5+ years. On Tuesday he ran into us at Popeye's. He explained to us that he didn't even want to go to Popeye's but his friend pushed him to go there. When he got to Popeye's and the line was out the door he became even more frustrated and wanted to leave but something kept telling him to stay and he was in the right place. He told me later that even if the job didn't work out the fact that he met us on that specific day was an answer to his prayer and it had given him hope to go on.

I was so touched by this experience because we were pleading with our Heavenly Father to place someone in our path to share the message of Christ with. On that same day our Heavenly Father had one of his children searching for help in their life. One of his children had been pleading for help in this troubled world and of all places the two prayers were answered at Popeye's. My belief has been strengthened that God is aware of ALL of his children. He is aware of all of their needs and will use another one of his children to answer those needs. It is up to all of us to be aware of those around us and be aware of the opportunities to share the message of Christ with anyone at any time.

 

 

Leaving The Ninety And Nine To Find The One

 

 

 

The Savior taught us many valuable lessons through parables throughout the scriptures. A particular parable found in the book of Luke was part of an important lesson I learned this week. In Luke 15:3-7 the Savior teaches, "What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost."

I don't think it was a coincidence that the Savior was always taking the time to teach the one. In so many illustrations of Christ now days you see him taking his time on the street with the one. Sure there were times when he taught thousands but he took his time to teach the one. What a great knowledge it is to know that our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ know each one of us individually. Out of all the millions of people on this earth they know each one of us by name and personally.

The lesson I learned this week is the importance of us taking the time for the one. There are so many people that we come across on a daily basis how often do we stop and take the time for the one person who is struggling with life. The one person who is struggling with a belief in our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ. How often do we see people at the grocery store that are having a hard time and we simply pass them up because society thinks it would be weird for us to help brighten their day? How often do we take them time to stop and thank the one at McDonald's who served us our food? How often do we see a co-worker having a hard day and forget to simply ask the question of how are you doing or what can I do to help you?

Most importantly how often do we see our own family and friends struggling either spiritually, emotionally, or temporally and forget to take time out of our busy lives for the one? There are so many out there who feel lost, embarrassed, ashamed, depressed, or overwhelmed with life and we often times forget to seek out the one who may be struggling. As I studied this scripture this week and had an experience with an acquaintance I was thoroughly rebuked by the Spirit of God. I most certainly need to do better and take the time and slow down to seek out the one.

The Savior was the perfect example and set the standard of what it means to leave the ninety and nine to find the one and bring them back to the fold. I hope that all who read this blog may have a greater desire to stop and take the time to search for the one. There are times in our lives when all of us at one point have been the one that needed to be brought back. How grateful are we that there were people who left the ninety and nine to bring us back. Let us all go out and do the same. I am so grateful for the Savior and his love for each of us that he would lay down his own life to save the one. This world needs more of the Savior and let us be the ones to go out and take the message of a loving Savior Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father who sent him.

 

 

Charity Is The Pure Love Of Christ

"Charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him." -Moroni 7:47

It seems as though lately I have been tried and tested to see if I will come out on top when it comes to serving others and being charitable. With my wife on her 3rd pregnancy I feel as though God is giving me every opportunity necessary to build the attribute of charity. This week alone I have had several opportunities where I have been asked to assist or serve other people. I must admit I am usually the guy who does it but does it with a negative attitude at first. Every time without fail when I walk away from assisting someone in need I am filled with the Spirit.

I love the picture of the Savior above because it teaches us the importance of being charitable. The Savior himself took the time to talk with the lowly beggar and to serve him. Jesus Christ was a living example of charity. There have been many times in my life when things had not been going my way. During those moments when it seems like I was at the end of the rope someone stepped in and showed charity towards me.

It may be a simple note to your spouse and kids in the morning expressing your love for them. It may be as simple as bringing the trash cans in for your neighbor. Maybe there is a family member that could use a little pick me up in the mail. However simple the act may seem it is a huge act in the eyes of God and in the eyes of those you serve. If every person in the world could reach out to do a little bit more for those around them this world would be a much different/better place. It has been said before that it is time for us to "lift up the hands that hang down" and do a little better at being charitable to those around us. The time is now for us to build this attribute and put it into practice on a daily basis.

In the scriptures it teaches us that "charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, and endureth all things." -Moroni 7:45-46. My challenge to all of us this week is to go out and perform just one charitable act that you would not normally do throughout the course of your days. I promise the spirit in your house will change. God will bless your lives with the Spirit.

Lastly, the video below is such a great example of an act of charity. It is experiences like the ones in this video that make taking the extra time to serve worth it. Apply these principles in your life and I promise you will see a difference in your happiness. God bless you all!!!!