Miracles

We always look forward to conference weekend, and the opportunity we have to receive guidance, counsel and revelation from God through latter-day prophets and apostles. Sometimes we get instruction on a wide variety of gospel topics and principles, and other times the talks are more focused on a single theme or message. This was certainly true this weekend, as nearly all of the speakers emphasized the importance of covenants and the temple, including President Nelson in his concluding address. I loved the talk by Elder Renlund because it reinforced the basic fourth article of faith principles and ordinances of the gospel we know as the "doctrine of Christ". I always try to remember to apply the "virtuous cycle" of faith in Christ, repentance, partaking of the sacrament to receive the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end in my own life as we strive to become more and more like the Savior Jesus Christ and become perfected in Him. But one talk in particular made a deep impression on me. It was by Elder Shayne Bowen in the Saturday evening session, who bore powerful testimony that miracles and the ministering of angels have not ceased, and continue in our lives today. He shared an experience from his grandfather, who was blessed by a patriarch to know he had the gift of healing, even the power to raise the dead. He exercised his faith in that priesthood power by bringing his own mother back from the spirit world. Then Elder Bowen shared another miraculous experience. His family was in an accident, leaving their van upside down and their little daughter pinned underneath it. Exercising faith in God, they were able to lift the vehicle off her and bring her back to life. Like a jolt of electricity, I knew that miracles can and do happen, and we need more faith to bring down the power of heaven into our lives, in order to see the miracles happening all around us. 

I was sitting in our car outside a McDonald's a few nights ago, and watched as a man took a homeless man inside the restaurant and bought him some food.  It made me consider deeply whether I am doing enough to follow Christ by using my riches to "clothe the naked, feed the hungry, liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and afflicted" that we'd learned about in seminary that very morning from the second chapter of Jacob. I concluded that I can give much more than I am currently doing. I prefer not to give cash to strangers who ask of me, not knowing if that money will be used to buy addictive substances instead of food. But we can always have some food or restaurant gift cards in the car to give away, or do like the kind man I saw that night, and offer to buy them a meal. The words of King Benjamin in Mosiah 4: 16-25 have been weighing heavily on my soul lately. We meet and talk with so many people who are in very desperate circumstances, and they need more than just kind words and encouragement from us.

In everything we do, it's pretty simple. We're trying to be like Jesus. We're constantly asking ourselves, what would Jesus do? In some ways, we are making good progress toward that goal. But in other ways, we still have such a long way to go. We were talking this week about the individuals we really admire and look up to, and what qualities we would like to emulate from them. There's a brother in one of the wards we serve in that is a great example to us of complete selfless service and dedication. He's very observant, and whenever he sees something that needs to be done, he immediately jumps in and volunteers to help, whether it be assisting with the sacrament, helping someone get to their seat, share a hymnbook, or offer support and encouragement. I love that attitude. It's a heartwarming thing to see this brother in action each week. The best thing is, it's done quietly without seeking attention so it's hard to notice his little contributions unless we are observant as well. I admire this man because I can see in him true Christlike charity and compassion. It's easier for me to visualize "what would Jesus do?"