The Lord's Time


Guest
 Share

Recommended Posts

A brother in our ward who works at the temple told of an interesting event.

He was at the recommend desk and was commenting on how dead it was.  They hadn't seen anyone come through those doors in hours.  He was wondering if there was anything he could do about that.  He considered that the past, present, and future were all one great "now".  I don't know what quote he was thinking of, but he said Joseph said something to that effect at some point.  I didn't want to stop the flow of his story.

So, he offered a prayer and asked the Lord to put it into the hearts of some 10 people or so to decide to get ready for the temple 3 hours ago so that they'd arrive in the next little while.  His partner at the desk was curious what he was praying about.  He told him.

The other man asked,"So, when will they arrive?"

"Any minute now."

In about 15 minutes the doors opened and about a dozen or so people came in.  They both looked at each other somewhat knowingly.  The other man asked,"So, do ya think?"

<smile> "I'm going to check their recommends."

So, he then wondered how many other blessings are we missing out on because we mortals place limits on the power of God.

Edited by Guest
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

He considered that the past, present, and future were all one great "now".  I don't know what quote he was thinking of, but he said Joseph said something to that effect at some point.

You can find the quote in the Joseph Smith manual in the chapter on (heh) Redemption for the Dead.

Quote

The great Jehovah contemplated the whole of the events connected with the earth, pertaining to the plan of salvation, before it rolled into existence.... [T]he past, the present, and the future were and are, with Him, one eternal ‘now;’

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

So, he then wondered how many other blessings are we missing out on because we mortals place limits on the power of God.

This appears to be a statement of truth. We indeed do miss out on blessings because we limit what God can do, and when he is willing to do it. This reminds me of two examples from General Conference. The first example highlights the principle shared, a missed opportunity if God's power was limited. The second, there are limits and I think the hard part is knowing where they are, or should we even be concerned? I do not know.

Example #1: The farmer, his son, and a calf. I don't remember the whole story, in a nutshell, the calf was born dead. The son prayed the calf would survive. The farmer (Dad) thought this would be one of those teaching lessons about how not every prayer is answered. The calf survived and the father who thought he was going to teach his son, was actually taught by his son.

Example #2: A father and his son. The GA shared how he heard his son tell a friend, "My dad holds the priesthood and can move mountains. Dad, show my friend, see that mountain, move it." I don't think any amount of prayer, per circumstance would have granted the father a similar experience as the Brother of Jared, but we do know these things have occurred.

I have often wondered how many times I have missed a spiritual reservoir for my children because I have simply not asked. This is one truth, I wish I knew the limits and when to ask, but that would then remove my faith...dang it. These catch 22s are no fun at times. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote

 

 

I have difficulty with the idea that prayers should be useful in counseling our Father in Heaven how he can better run this universe or influence the lives of others.  At the same time I believe we should pray for help and needful things.  A quick story.

As a teenager serving in the army I was somewhat idealistic about my own importance – especially concerning religious things.  It was summer in Louisiana (weeks of over 100 degrees and 98% humidity – even at night).  To qualify at a rifle range we marched some 6 miles in combat gear to the range for the day.  I had filled my canteen with ice and water that was gone by 10 am.  I thought they would provide us with more water.  There was no water.  I began to think that if I could last until lunch there would be water to drink with lunch.  The previous week we lost a fellow (he died) of heat exhaustion. 

Lunch was late by a couple of hours.  By time we broke for lunch I as severely dehydrated and I could sense it. But lunch would save me.  I went through the chow line and got my food in my mess kit looking forward to a drink – The drink they were providing with lunch was ice tea.  What was a Mormon boy to do?  I was not going to drink the ice tea.  I tried to eat my food – did okay with the salad because of the water content – but I could not generate enough saliva to eat my sandwich. 

In light of the death many were concerned that I would not drink the tea and began to ask questions to which I answered it was against my religion.  After the questions, came the ridicule – accusations of being stupid about a stupid religion.  And then I was reported to the commanding officer.  He was upset and had a bad vocabulary as it was – I was learning words I could not believe existed.  I said a silent prayer in my heart – thinking the words that if I was going to live this commandment that I needed help and pleading with G-d to come to my aid.  My entire chain of command that was present was confronting me – rather unkindly.  And then something happened.  Some old guy showed up with what we called on the base – a roach coach.  This is a food truck that served food and beverages.  I was able to purchase lemonade.

I overheard a conversation my first sergeant with the roach coach driver.  In over 20 years driving the roach coach on the base – he had never been to the rifle range but that day he had a feeling he should come out.  He brushed it off and then was overcome with a feeling that if he did not come – something very bad would happen.  

Everything changed after that for me at basic training – from the stupid unlucky Mormon kid to the lucky kid G-d was watching over and before basic training was over a small number of my fellows were baptized.  I have pondered many times since about that incident and wondered if the outcome would have been the same without my silent prayer for help – things had to have been in motion long before my prayer was uttered in thoughts.  Obviously there is no way to know – but my impressions have been that without my prayer things would have been different.

 

The Traveler

Edited by Traveler
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Traveler said:

 

I have difficulty with the idea that prayers should be useful in counseling our Father in Heaven how he can better run this universe or influence the lives of others.  At the same time I believe we should pray for help and needful things.  A quick story.

As a teenager serving in the army I was somewhat idealistic about my own importance – especially concerning religious things.  It was summer in Louisiana (weeks of over 100 degrees and 98% humidity – even at night).  To qualify at a rifle range we marched some 6 miles in combat gear to the range for the day.  I had filled my canteen with ice and water that was gone by 10 am.  I thought they would provide us with more water.  There was no water.  I began to think that if I could last until lunch there would be water to drink with lunch.  The previous week we lost a fellow (he died) of heat exhaustion. 

Lunch was late by a couple of hours.  By time we broke for lunch I as severely dehydrated and I could sense it. But lunch would save me.  I went through the chow line and got my food in my mess kit looking forward to a drink – The drink they were providing with lunch was ice tea.  What was a Mormon boy to do?  I was not going to drink the ice tea.  I tried to eat my food – did okay with the salad because of the water content – but I could not generate enough saliva to eat my sandwich. 

In light of the death many were concerned that I would not drink the tea and began to ask questions to which I answered it was against my religion.  After the questions, came the ridicule – accusations of being stupid about a stupid religion.  And then I was reported to the commanding officer.  He was upset and had a bad vocabulary as it was – I was learning words I could not believe existed.  I said a silent prayer in my heart – thinking the words that if I was going to live this commandment that I needed help and pleading with G-d to come to my aid.  My entire chain of command that was present was confronting me – rather unkindly.  And then something happened.  Some old guy showed up with what we called on the base – a roach coach.  This is a food truck that served food and beverages.  I was able to purchase lemonade.

I overheard a conversation my first sergeant with the roach coach driver.  In over 20 years driving the roach coach on the base – he had never been to the rifle range but that day he had a feeling he should come out.  He brushed it off and then was overcome with a feeling that if he did not come – something very bad would happen.  

Everything changed after that for me at basic training – from the stupid unlucky Mormon kid to the lucky kid G-d was watching over and before basic training was over a small number of my fellows were baptized.  I have pondered many times since about that incident and wondered if the outcome would have been the same without my silent prayer for help – things had to have been in motion long before my prayer was uttered in thoughts.  Obviously there is no way to know – but my impressions have been that without my prayer things would have been different.

The Traveler

Without your prayer, I don't believe this would have occurred, "He brushed it off and then was overcome with a feeling that if he did not come – something very bad would happen." Now, that is my faith and I believe it is exercised in truth.

In the MTC one of our instructors shared this experience (Is this Mormon cultural true story that ended up being more than it was -- don't know), "Missionaries were out tracting. One missionary stops, turns to companion and say, 'We got to go now," and he took off running. The companion had no clue why and could barely keep up. After left turns and right turns the missionary stopped at an apartment complex. Walked straight up to the second story, knocked on a door and a lady answered with the missionary saying, "We are missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are here to answer your questions you just prayed about."

After answering her questions, in tears, she said,"Before you knocked on the door, I was about to commit suicide. I was in my bathroom and I said a silent prayer. As I was about to cut my wrists, you knocked." What I didn't mention up above is the missionary was pounding on the door until someone answered.

Again, this is possibly second, likely third person story sharing. Either way, God knew a prayer would be said. God reached the closest person who would listen. How often though are we in the same position as President Monson who felt impressed and didn't listen and find out later why that impression was received, "A persons prayer," but because we shrug it off as, "It was only a passing thought," we loose out and so does the receiver.

Edited by Anddenex
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share