Seeking the Sign
Happy Sabbath!
I hope you have all had an amazing week full of learning, doing, and adventure. Have you taken the opportunity to reflect on what you have done this week, jotted it down somewhere, shared a story about an adventure, or told of the whispering of the spirit in your lives? Today is a good day to do that. I have had many this week. I have been amazed to think of the adventures mixed with whispering that has come in the most unusual circumstances. They have not all been spiritually related whisperings, but they have been the whispering of the spirit. I am grateful for them. Each has led to a different thought process to my pondering this week.
Alma 32:17
"Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe."
I have never really thought of myself as a sign seeker. I don't know that I have ever out right said, "Prove it too me." When I was on my mission, my companion and I were challenged to give a sign. One morning at our breakfast appointment, a young brother from the family had chosen to follow a different path than his parents, religiously. He had attached himself to a young Christian group that was famous for proclaiming the word of the Lord on the small buses throughout the city. Once the bus doors would close, they would stand and start reciting scriptures and calling people to repentance.
Any who, on this particular morning, the local leader of this group had learned that we ate breakfast at this young brother's home every morning. He decided to invite himself over for a visit at the same time. While we ate breakfast, he stood in the dining room and called us, "the children of the devil" to repentance. When we had eaten, we bore our testimonies of Jesus Christ and let him know that we believed in the same Christ he believed in, we just had different views. It was obvious to us that no matter what message we shared with him, we were not going to change his views, so we said as much and thanked him for all the good he was doing in helping others remember Jesus Christ.
That was not good enough. He wanted us to prove that our views were better or more correct than his views. To do this, he wanted us to pray to Heavenly Father for protection for the day and then go out and stand in the street. IF we were hit by a vehicle, that would prove that we were wrong. IF we were not hit by a vehicle, that would prove we were right. He was asking for a physical sign. This is what I think of every time I read this verse.
Yet this week I had additional thoughts. I started to ponder all the times I had asked the Lord why something was happening in my life. I reviewed all the times that I had knelt in prayer and asked the Lord to remove a circumstance, illness, weakness, challenge from my life. I thought of all the times I have questioned going to a meeting, activity, class, quorum, or visit and wondered why I had not felt the spirit, sometimes, I went to those events already doubting that I would be touched by the spirit. Or how many times I have been in a new place, whether traveling for business/pleasure, moving into a new neighborhood, or visiting family and questioned why no one even acknowledged me or commented how cold the branch, ward, or stake felt. Or what about the times I have questioned why your home/visiting/ministering brothers and sisters have never called or do not call on a regular basis? What about the times I have asked the Relief Society/Elders President for something and they don't get back to me and I get all upset about it? Or when I see a member of the bishopric or stake presidency at a store, on the street, or in the mall and they don't even acknowledge me and start wondering he they were avoiding me on purpose?
Have you ever had those experiences or one like it? I am sure the list could go on and on and on. I began wondering if I really have been a sign seeker. Do I let these things, events, or comments/lack of comments determine my faith and belief in Jesus Christ? Do I need these things to know that he is my Savior?
As I pondered these things and the events/whisperings of this week, I start to wonder if I was the cause of others sign seeking. Have I been the person not saying hey, not visiting, not getting back to someone, not being prepared for a meeting, activity, class, or such? Have I let my sign seeking prohibit me from being an answer to someone else's prayer. I wonder how many times I would have received my sign when I was doing instead of wanting.
I still have a long ways to go. I am going to try and be better at heeding those whisperings and not relying on someone else making it happen for me. I am going to try and be less of a sign seeker. How about you?
Our week -
It all started with a wonderful family gathering. We were happy to share our home with as many people as could join us. Then some of us jumped on an aeroplane and headed different directions. I spent most of the week in the windy city.
While I was gone, there were other family gatherings that I missed. The Queen go busy and decluttered where I was cluttering. She is amazing.
The Professor volunteered at the 24th Parade Preview, got on a new plan, and upgraded her forms of communication.
Tall Man and Ehl-Bo introduced Lego to Pendi and so many more. It has been fun hearing how they are adjusting to the new routines of being a little family.
I am sad to report that I have not been as good as I should have been in finding out what is up with Puddin and Lady Hawkins. Like them, life has been busy. I have been hearing about them vicariously through the Queen and the Professor. We are excited to hear reports of Lady Hawkin's new job that starts this week.
SnackPack started working in a new location and has been loving every minute of it. Since I have been home, it feels like I have only seen him before he walks out the door in the morning and late at night when he comes home. Life is full, but we I am grateful for the time we shared over sushi.
I returned to the valley early Thursday. Worked for a couple days and tried to follow some whisperings. The Queen and I started our new Saturday morning shift at the Oquirrih Mountain Temple, caught up with old friends at a wedding, and burned the candles as best we could. Glad that it never seems to end.
Hope you all have a great week. Let's see what adventures we can create.
I hope you have all had an amazing week full of learning, doing, and adventure. Have you taken the opportunity to reflect on what you have done this week, jotted it down somewhere, shared a story about an adventure, or told of the whispering of the spirit in your lives? Today is a good day to do that. I have had many this week. I have been amazed to think of the adventures mixed with whispering that has come in the most unusual circumstances. They have not all been spiritually related whisperings, but they have been the whispering of the spirit. I am grateful for them. Each has led to a different thought process to my pondering this week.
Alma 32:17
"Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe."
I have never really thought of myself as a sign seeker. I don't know that I have ever out right said, "Prove it too me." When I was on my mission, my companion and I were challenged to give a sign. One morning at our breakfast appointment, a young brother from the family had chosen to follow a different path than his parents, religiously. He had attached himself to a young Christian group that was famous for proclaiming the word of the Lord on the small buses throughout the city. Once the bus doors would close, they would stand and start reciting scriptures and calling people to repentance.
Any who, on this particular morning, the local leader of this group had learned that we ate breakfast at this young brother's home every morning. He decided to invite himself over for a visit at the same time. While we ate breakfast, he stood in the dining room and called us, "the children of the devil" to repentance. When we had eaten, we bore our testimonies of Jesus Christ and let him know that we believed in the same Christ he believed in, we just had different views. It was obvious to us that no matter what message we shared with him, we were not going to change his views, so we said as much and thanked him for all the good he was doing in helping others remember Jesus Christ.
That was not good enough. He wanted us to prove that our views were better or more correct than his views. To do this, he wanted us to pray to Heavenly Father for protection for the day and then go out and stand in the street. IF we were hit by a vehicle, that would prove that we were wrong. IF we were not hit by a vehicle, that would prove we were right. He was asking for a physical sign. This is what I think of every time I read this verse.
Yet this week I had additional thoughts. I started to ponder all the times I had asked the Lord why something was happening in my life. I reviewed all the times that I had knelt in prayer and asked the Lord to remove a circumstance, illness, weakness, challenge from my life. I thought of all the times I have questioned going to a meeting, activity, class, quorum, or visit and wondered why I had not felt the spirit, sometimes, I went to those events already doubting that I would be touched by the spirit. Or how many times I have been in a new place, whether traveling for business/pleasure, moving into a new neighborhood, or visiting family and questioned why no one even acknowledged me or commented how cold the branch, ward, or stake felt. Or what about the times I have questioned why your home/visiting/ministering brothers and sisters have never called or do not call on a regular basis? What about the times I have asked the Relief Society/Elders President for something and they don't get back to me and I get all upset about it? Or when I see a member of the bishopric or stake presidency at a store, on the street, or in the mall and they don't even acknowledge me and start wondering he they were avoiding me on purpose?
Have you ever had those experiences or one like it? I am sure the list could go on and on and on. I began wondering if I really have been a sign seeker. Do I let these things, events, or comments/lack of comments determine my faith and belief in Jesus Christ? Do I need these things to know that he is my Savior?
As I pondered these things and the events/whisperings of this week, I start to wonder if I was the cause of others sign seeking. Have I been the person not saying hey, not visiting, not getting back to someone, not being prepared for a meeting, activity, class, or such? Have I let my sign seeking prohibit me from being an answer to someone else's prayer. I wonder how many times I would have received my sign when I was doing instead of wanting.
I still have a long ways to go. I am going to try and be better at heeding those whisperings and not relying on someone else making it happen for me. I am going to try and be less of a sign seeker. How about you?
Our week -
It all started with a wonderful family gathering. We were happy to share our home with as many people as could join us. Then some of us jumped on an aeroplane and headed different directions. I spent most of the week in the windy city.
While I was gone, there were other family gatherings that I missed. The Queen go busy and decluttered where I was cluttering. She is amazing.
The Professor volunteered at the 24th Parade Preview, got on a new plan, and upgraded her forms of communication.
Tall Man and Ehl-Bo introduced Lego to Pendi and so many more. It has been fun hearing how they are adjusting to the new routines of being a little family.
I am sad to report that I have not been as good as I should have been in finding out what is up with Puddin and Lady Hawkins. Like them, life has been busy. I have been hearing about them vicariously through the Queen and the Professor. We are excited to hear reports of Lady Hawkin's new job that starts this week.
SnackPack started working in a new location and has been loving every minute of it. Since I have been home, it feels like I have only seen him before he walks out the door in the morning and late at night when he comes home. Life is full, but we I am grateful for the time we shared over sushi.
I returned to the valley early Thursday. Worked for a couple days and tried to follow some whisperings. The Queen and I started our new Saturday morning shift at the Oquirrih Mountain Temple, caught up with old friends at a wedding, and burned the candles as best we could. Glad that it never seems to end.
Hope you all have a great week. Let's see what adventures we can create.
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