Lately I have been thinking a lot about prayer. About the importance. About the role that prayer plays in our lives.
I have opinions as we all know. I generally stick to them :)
I know, and have always known that god answers prayers. I knew that god is a just and must follow his own laws.
I had a hard time with mighty miracles and the moving of mountains. You know REAL prayers of faith.
I believed:
Prayers are answered through other people. and really only through other people: ... So little girls can have their cats back!. Like the time I prayed for my cat who had been missing for a month: the first time I pray: I recieve a call the NEXT day from a girl who had been caring for her the whole time and that very day felt that she should call the number on the tag! Through their willingness to head the prompting of the spirit or their conscience. How else could god be just meddling with agency as such:
Ether 12:4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with asurety bhope for a better world, yea, even aplace at the right hand of God, which chope cometh of dfaith, maketh an eanchor to the souls of men,which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in fgood works, being led to gglorify God.
I clung to this.
A world made better by people who can answer each others prayers. That is why I am here. That is why we need to do all we can. So that we can make miracles happen, be instruments. I believed god works through us to fulfill his purposes and only us. That leaves us to figure out what we can improve to become an instrument in his hands. This world depends on us, our willingness to serve, to abound in good works.
As beautiful as this all is This Limited my understanding --- the idea of miracles was a difficult one for me to grasp :
what role does this prayer of faith mean if I am dependent on others and their agency?
Where I think I may have not fully understand is what roles exactly our heavenly father plays in our lives. I did not believe in a meddling father in heaven. He gave us agency and the gift of the holy ghost for a reason. So that we could choose to act for ourselves. He isn't just going to take that away from one person to fulfill a miracle in anothers--- lets us apply this to real life called Sister Powell and the 90 BUS at 4:13 pm November 22, 2013
What role did faith play in all of this:: well this is a lesson I learned just the other day as I excerted just a bit more faith a capacity in my mind to understand the myseries of god opened.
It is a rather silly story, but as we were in a hurry to return home. in haste to retrieve brownies for a needy soul: I needed bus 90 to be there. NEEDED it :) We had only 20 minutes to be there and needed every minute to spare. As we half ran walked down the side of the busy road I prayed. I prayer of real faith. I was spiritually invisioning that bus at that curb side just as we arrived :)
What was heavenly going to do just because I decided that I needed this bus and needed this now???????-- There are so many other lives involved--- is he just going to pick that bus up right off the road and plop it down just where I need it because I decided to pray with faith today....
heres the thing: As I prayed. I KNEW in that moment. that heavenly father already KNEW what I was going to ask for. That I was going to ask in this moment with real intent, with real faith --- it clicked. ::: That he had been preparing his moment. For the moment that I decided to ask with real intent. With real faith. That this morning with others agency involved the bus was scheduled to be here just in the moment that I needed it. Little choices- chain reactions- agency- tires- people- on the bus- off the bus. stop lights. work- stops- gas- endless factors that led to this moment but heavenly father already KNEW I was going to ask.
For a little exersion of faith: He unfolded just a little taste of his mysteries unto me in that moment.
Yes agency is involved
10 And therefore, he that will aharden his heart, the same receiveth the blesser portion of the word; andhe that will cnot harden his heart, to him is dgiven the greater portion of the word, until it is given untohim to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.
It all seemed so clear in my mind. That things are prepared long before we even think to ask. So simple you may all just wonder what faith lesson I missed... but my testimony of miracles, of the power of prayer, of heavenly fathers awareness of his weak little souls!
“Whatsoever thing ye shall ask the Father in my name which is good, in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold, it shall be done unto you.”
The bus was there. :) --- all I need to say.
I am grateful for his mercy in teaching me this small little lesson. It was a little moment but one that I knew had been prepared long before my little brain had conjured the plan to ask.
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Today all the missionaries in our area gather for an almost real American Thanksgiving cooked by real life American senior couples!! SO BLESSED :):) eeeeeeeeeeeeeeep
It has been a great week. I am learning so much. Russian especially :) My new companion is quite good :) haha.
I am thankful for the family that I come from. A family of understanding of people from all different backrounds.
I am so grateful for a mother who was an example of christ like love and charity. It is so easy for me to love people. What a blessing this is in this work--- I see my capacities to love being opened even further. I am grateful to be here.
To try my best at being an answer to those, who like me, have not figured out quite how to pray with real intent yet :) and dont yet have the faith to move buses :) hahaha.
I love you all
Happy Thanksgiving.
Sister Powell
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