Week 41: Has the Day of Miracles Ceased? (April 15, 2019)
"The two keys to life are perspective and perception."
I want to tell you a story I heard this week. It goes like this:
A man woke up one day in his home on the beach, to see a giant boulder outside his house, blocking the front door. The Lord appeared unto him and said, "I want you to try and move this rock, and work every day until you can." The man, determined in his strength and trusting in the commandment of the Lord, was going to move the rock. He woke up every single day, sun up to sun down, to push the rock. He would wake up, push the rock, go to bed. Wake up, push the rock, go to bed. Every day, for years. One evening, the man felt awfully discouraged. And in this point of doubt and soul sinking discouragement, Satan appeared to the man. Satan scolded him, asking him why he had spent years trying to move a rock he was never going to move? Satan exclaimed, "Give up, and leave the rock be." In utter despair the man cried to the Lord, pleading for relief, and release, from the rock. The Lord appeared and said, with tenderness in his voice, "Why do you cry?" The man said boldly, "Why Lord, have you commanded me to do something I cannot do? For years I have toiled and sweat to move this rock, and yet, not even an inch has been spared." The Lord replied, this time with silent tears and compassion in his throng, "I never needed you to move the rock. I only needed you to become, what only this burden could give." And the Lord removed the rock.
What rocks are in your doorway? What burdens lie in your path? What pains, look like to you, that the Lord will not take away? Does it seem in all certainty, that you have been forgotten, lost and hopeless, to never live to see what lies on the other side of the boulder? Has the day of hope, and miracles, ceased in your life? Like the man who feared an endless torment of toil and labor, the Lord does all for the benefit of His children. And He has not, forgotten you.
I had en experience this week that testified to me that the Lord has not forgotten His children. That "God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in." (Alma 26:37)
On an exchange in my area, we had a day full of literal miracles, left and right. But the experience I will never forget, was with someone we are teaching named Chris. I have talked about him before, he is the one who Sister Howe and I went and visited in the hospital, who has kidney failure. That visit in the hospital was short, but it was one of the most powerful witnesses of Jesus Christ that I have been able to bear. It was a moment where I truly felt the apostolic part of my call. We left after about 10-15 minutes, knowing it was a sweet experience. He was released from the hospital, curiously to us as he had been really not doing well, but we did not think much of it.
When we sat in his home, just talking to him and some of his family members, his Mother ran into the room almost giddy. She exclaimed, "I need you to know something!" The room got quiet, all attention given to her. She looked at us, now somber and said, "Chris was in really bad shape when you visited him in the hospital. He had been on insulin for years, and was in desperate need of a kidney. When you ladies prayed with him, something changed. Every single one of his levels went up after you left, and he no longer needs to take insulin. He was released from the hospital the following day. Thank you for what you do." His sister then said, as I was on the verge of tears, "We should try going to their church Chris, because whatever they are doing obviously works."
I don't hold the Priesthood. I cannot heal the sick and afflicted by the laying on of hands. But the priesthood was used that day. The literal power of God was shown in a small hospital room in Billings, MT. Hope was instilled in a broken soul who felt distanced from the Savior, and just needed that reminder.
Why God did this for Chris, is known only to God. But it happened, and why I get to be the missionary to witness it, I will never know. But I will never not be grateful.
He didn't forget Jonah in the whale, or Job in his homeless and familyless state.
He didn't forget Chris, or me.
And He absolutely has not forgotten you.
So go on, wake up, and try to push that rock.
Sister Walstad
I want to tell you a story I heard this week. It goes like this:
A man woke up one day in his home on the beach, to see a giant boulder outside his house, blocking the front door. The Lord appeared unto him and said, "I want you to try and move this rock, and work every day until you can." The man, determined in his strength and trusting in the commandment of the Lord, was going to move the rock. He woke up every single day, sun up to sun down, to push the rock. He would wake up, push the rock, go to bed. Wake up, push the rock, go to bed. Every day, for years. One evening, the man felt awfully discouraged. And in this point of doubt and soul sinking discouragement, Satan appeared to the man. Satan scolded him, asking him why he had spent years trying to move a rock he was never going to move? Satan exclaimed, "Give up, and leave the rock be." In utter despair the man cried to the Lord, pleading for relief, and release, from the rock. The Lord appeared and said, with tenderness in his voice, "Why do you cry?" The man said boldly, "Why Lord, have you commanded me to do something I cannot do? For years I have toiled and sweat to move this rock, and yet, not even an inch has been spared." The Lord replied, this time with silent tears and compassion in his throng, "I never needed you to move the rock. I only needed you to become, what only this burden could give." And the Lord removed the rock.
What rocks are in your doorway? What burdens lie in your path? What pains, look like to you, that the Lord will not take away? Does it seem in all certainty, that you have been forgotten, lost and hopeless, to never live to see what lies on the other side of the boulder? Has the day of hope, and miracles, ceased in your life? Like the man who feared an endless torment of toil and labor, the Lord does all for the benefit of His children. And He has not, forgotten you.
I had en experience this week that testified to me that the Lord has not forgotten His children. That "God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in." (Alma 26:37)
On an exchange in my area, we had a day full of literal miracles, left and right. But the experience I will never forget, was with someone we are teaching named Chris. I have talked about him before, he is the one who Sister Howe and I went and visited in the hospital, who has kidney failure. That visit in the hospital was short, but it was one of the most powerful witnesses of Jesus Christ that I have been able to bear. It was a moment where I truly felt the apostolic part of my call. We left after about 10-15 minutes, knowing it was a sweet experience. He was released from the hospital, curiously to us as he had been really not doing well, but we did not think much of it.
When we sat in his home, just talking to him and some of his family members, his Mother ran into the room almost giddy. She exclaimed, "I need you to know something!" The room got quiet, all attention given to her. She looked at us, now somber and said, "Chris was in really bad shape when you visited him in the hospital. He had been on insulin for years, and was in desperate need of a kidney. When you ladies prayed with him, something changed. Every single one of his levels went up after you left, and he no longer needs to take insulin. He was released from the hospital the following day. Thank you for what you do." His sister then said, as I was on the verge of tears, "We should try going to their church Chris, because whatever they are doing obviously works."
I don't hold the Priesthood. I cannot heal the sick and afflicted by the laying on of hands. But the priesthood was used that day. The literal power of God was shown in a small hospital room in Billings, MT. Hope was instilled in a broken soul who felt distanced from the Savior, and just needed that reminder.
Why God did this for Chris, is known only to God. But it happened, and why I get to be the missionary to witness it, I will never know. But I will never not be grateful.
He didn't forget Jonah in the whale, or Job in his homeless and familyless state.
He didn't forget Chris, or me.
And He absolutely has not forgotten you.
So go on, wake up, and try to push that rock.
Sister Walstad
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