Follow it
It has been an interesting day. I learned a great deal from our stake presidency this morning. I learned more from my children this evening. We need to follow the path, hold to the rod, and listen to the spirit. Sometimes the things he tells us to do may not make sense, but they are what we need to do.
This morning I heard a story about a young couple. They have been doing all that they can to do what is right and live the gospel according to the plan. It has been a struggle. For the past two years they have been pinching every penny, saving every dime and doing a great deal of labor payment on a new home. I understand it is a large home. They knew they could not afford it alone, so they built it with an apartment in the basement. After they had signed the papers for loans they started balancing their check books. When they were done, the had $1200 left over. After closer examination, that is what they had been putting away for tithing, but neither one of them had written the check, thinking the other had. They wrote the check right away and took it over to their Bishop's house. They did not feel good knowing that it had not been paid. When they got back home, the phone rang. It was the IRS. Nervously they answered the phone and learned that the government had made a mistake on their income tax return, in their favor. They were sent a check for $1200.
The next day, the young man went to work feeling good about life. He had done what he was supposed to do. When he opened his email, he learned that he had received a notice in error. This notice was going to his manager. It was informing him that there were going to have to be some cut backs and then listed a group of men who were losing their jobs. This young man's name was on the list. His boss quickly realized the error and went to him. He told him he was sorry, but he was going to have to be let go in two days. The young man chose to take is severance pay and leave that day.
He did not know how he was going to tell his wife. His mind was reeling all the way home. Then this thought entered his head. He thought of a gentlemen he had worked for all through high school. The man had made him a mini partner for a while before he left on his mission. While he was gone, the man moved his company to California. The young man could not remember how to get a hold of the gentleman but felt that he should. He dialed the first numbers that came to mind. It happened to be the gentleman's wife's cell phone number. She was elated to hear from him. In fact, she and her husband had just been talking about him. They could not remember how to get a hold of him either. It just so happened that they were starting a new venture and felt he would be perfect for the job. They had done several interviews, but not found the right person. They met for lunch and he was hired on the spot. It was a better job than he had just lost.
When he got home, he was very excited to talk to his wife. She was not so excited. The city had just served them notice that they needed to finish the pavement and curbing in front of their new home or be fined. They had been saving to do it next spring. The estimate they had received was about $2000. The young man then shared his news. They knelt down and offered a prayer of thanks. They were being blessed in ways they could not imagine. Did I mention the severance pay was $2000?
They were doing what they were supposed to be doing. They followed the promptings that were given. The Lord blessed them in ways they could not for see. He will do it for us as well. Sometimes we have to struggle, sometimes for a long periods of times and others for a short season. We just can't let those times stop us.
This morning I heard a story about a young couple. They have been doing all that they can to do what is right and live the gospel according to the plan. It has been a struggle. For the past two years they have been pinching every penny, saving every dime and doing a great deal of labor payment on a new home. I understand it is a large home. They knew they could not afford it alone, so they built it with an apartment in the basement. After they had signed the papers for loans they started balancing their check books. When they were done, the had $1200 left over. After closer examination, that is what they had been putting away for tithing, but neither one of them had written the check, thinking the other had. They wrote the check right away and took it over to their Bishop's house. They did not feel good knowing that it had not been paid. When they got back home, the phone rang. It was the IRS. Nervously they answered the phone and learned that the government had made a mistake on their income tax return, in their favor. They were sent a check for $1200.
The next day, the young man went to work feeling good about life. He had done what he was supposed to do. When he opened his email, he learned that he had received a notice in error. This notice was going to his manager. It was informing him that there were going to have to be some cut backs and then listed a group of men who were losing their jobs. This young man's name was on the list. His boss quickly realized the error and went to him. He told him he was sorry, but he was going to have to be let go in two days. The young man chose to take is severance pay and leave that day.
He did not know how he was going to tell his wife. His mind was reeling all the way home. Then this thought entered his head. He thought of a gentlemen he had worked for all through high school. The man had made him a mini partner for a while before he left on his mission. While he was gone, the man moved his company to California. The young man could not remember how to get a hold of the gentleman but felt that he should. He dialed the first numbers that came to mind. It happened to be the gentleman's wife's cell phone number. She was elated to hear from him. In fact, she and her husband had just been talking about him. They could not remember how to get a hold of him either. It just so happened that they were starting a new venture and felt he would be perfect for the job. They had done several interviews, but not found the right person. They met for lunch and he was hired on the spot. It was a better job than he had just lost.
When he got home, he was very excited to talk to his wife. She was not so excited. The city had just served them notice that they needed to finish the pavement and curbing in front of their new home or be fined. They had been saving to do it next spring. The estimate they had received was about $2000. The young man then shared his news. They knelt down and offered a prayer of thanks. They were being blessed in ways they could not imagine. Did I mention the severance pay was $2000?
They were doing what they were supposed to be doing. They followed the promptings that were given. The Lord blessed them in ways they could not for see. He will do it for us as well. Sometimes we have to struggle, sometimes for a long periods of times and others for a short season. We just can't let those times stop us.
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