This is an amazing story a young man shared with my interpersonal communications class. This story illustrates true discipleship.
Author: GENE GARNER
After reading this devotional from Brother Southwick it reminded me of a profound experience that occurred on my mission; an experience that I would never forget.
I served in the Utah Salt Lake City mission and during our P-days we would go down to Temple Square and go to the Temple and possibly do some shopping at the malls in downtown SLC. My companion and I were walking east on South Temple on the opposite side of the Joseph Smith Memorial building. As we were walking toward the cross walk light that connected Temple Square to ZCMI mall food court I glanced over to the opposite side where we were walking and saw this elderly women who was dressed in all white. She had a pair of sunglasses and had a sign that read "Not the true church" nestled next to her. It looked as if she was trying to convey a message to the passersby and handing out literature to those who were trying to cross the street toward the ZCMI food court. As my companion and I were observing the elderly women, we then saw an Apostle of God walk out of the Church Administration building located next to the Joseph Smith Memorial building toward the crosswalk. I told my companion that was Elder Holland and he didn’t believe me thinking an Apostle might get shot on the streets of SLC. But sure enough it was Elder Jeffery R. Holland from the Twelve. We then proceeded to cross the street and heard this elderly woman speaking to Elder Holland and telling him how Mormons were going to “hell” and they have false prophets and false teachings and are of the devil. Elder Holland looked patient and examined every word this woman was speaking. As my companion and I finished crossing the cross walk and we heard this woman closing her speech by saying, “You need to know the truth, you need to find God,” then handed Elder Holland a pamphlet of anti-Mormon literature. We expected Elder Holland to teach her about the church or tell her that she was wrong or possibly rebuke her for what she was teaching to others. The experience that follows will ever be imbedded in my mind as this woman ended her conversation Elder Holland then took this elderly woman’s frail hands in to his and then ever gently kissed this woman’s forehead and whispered to her, “God bless you daughter.” That’s all that was said and he then walked toward us and we got our pictures taken with him. That moment in time remains frozen and that experience has provided me a great testimony of becoming “Christ like.”
I agree with Brother Southwick how the great measure of our discipleship is how we view others. Along those same lines I believe how we view others determines our relationship with our Father in Heaven. It brings to mind the definition of Prayer in the Bible dictionary, “As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part… Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant…” Hoping our will is in connection with our Father’s will, which Moses states, “To bring to pass immortality and eternal life to men.” (Moses 1:39) I believe the closer we are to our Father in heaven the closer we are with his sons and daughters even our brothers and sisters. Having that intimate relationship with our Father I believe we will see others as he sees them knowing that every individual is great in the sight of God. (D&C 18:10) By having that realization of the significance of every ones potential and how “great” they really are we will then look, talk, associate, think, and understand that they are truly great, even the very literal heirs of God.
Sorry this was so long, not sure if any of you will go this far into my novel but these were just some impressions on my mind. Thanks!
After reading this devotional from Brother Southwick it reminded me of a profound experience that occurred on my mission; an experience that I would never forget.
I served in the Utah Salt Lake City mission and during our P-days we would go down to Temple Square and go to the Temple and possibly do some shopping at the malls in downtown SLC. My companion and I were walking east on South Temple on the opposite side of the Joseph Smith Memorial building. As we were walking toward the cross walk light that connected Temple Square to ZCMI mall food court I glanced over to the opposite side where we were walking and saw this elderly women who was dressed in all white. She had a pair of sunglasses and had a sign that read "Not the true church" nestled next to her. It looked as if she was trying to convey a message to the passersby and handing out literature to those who were trying to cross the street toward the ZCMI food court. As my companion and I were observing the elderly women, we then saw an Apostle of God walk out of the Church Administration building located next to the Joseph Smith Memorial building toward the crosswalk. I told my companion that was Elder Holland and he didn’t believe me thinking an Apostle might get shot on the streets of SLC. But sure enough it was Elder Jeffery R. Holland from the Twelve. We then proceeded to cross the street and heard this elderly woman speaking to Elder Holland and telling him how Mormons were going to “hell” and they have false prophets and false teachings and are of the devil. Elder Holland looked patient and examined every word this woman was speaking. As my companion and I finished crossing the cross walk and we heard this woman closing her speech by saying, “You need to know the truth, you need to find God,” then handed Elder Holland a pamphlet of anti-Mormon literature. We expected Elder Holland to teach her about the church or tell her that she was wrong or possibly rebuke her for what she was teaching to others. The experience that follows will ever be imbedded in my mind as this woman ended her conversation Elder Holland then took this elderly woman’s frail hands in to his and then ever gently kissed this woman’s forehead and whispered to her, “God bless you daughter.” That’s all that was said and he then walked toward us and we got our pictures taken with him. That moment in time remains frozen and that experience has provided me a great testimony of becoming “Christ like.”
I agree with Brother Southwick how the great measure of our discipleship is how we view others. Along those same lines I believe how we view others determines our relationship with our Father in Heaven. It brings to mind the definition of Prayer in the Bible dictionary, “As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part… Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant…” Hoping our will is in connection with our Father’s will, which Moses states, “To bring to pass immortality and eternal life to men.” (Moses 1:39) I believe the closer we are to our Father in heaven the closer we are with his sons and daughters even our brothers and sisters. Having that intimate relationship with our Father I believe we will see others as he sees them knowing that every individual is great in the sight of God. (D&C 18:10) By having that realization of the significance of every ones potential and how “great” they really are we will then look, talk, associate, think, and understand that they are truly great, even the very literal heirs of God.
Sorry this was so long, not sure if any of you will go this far into my novel but these were just some impressions on my mind. Thanks!
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