No Coincidences

Tag: mission

  • What is the Power of Faith?

    What is the Power of Faith?

    What is the power of faith?

    Well, by it the worlds were made so… what can our faith do?

    I’ve written about a miracle I saw happen in my post Miracle Baptisms.

    I was once told a story that strengthened my faith and taught me something about the power of faith. By the way, this is a true story, not made up. If you don’t believe me, have faith.

    The story goes like this…

    There was a guy attending ASU.  His parents planned a big cruise vacation over the winter break.  This guy had been praying and looking for an opportunity to share the gospel with someone. Who? He didn’t know, just someone.  He had made a commitment to baptize a friend before the end of winter break.

    When his parents told him about the plans for the cruise he declined. His parents were shocked.  “Why??? We’re going on a family cruise!” He explained he already had plans.

    Best Large Cruise Ship Winners (2021) | USA TODAY 10Best

    “What plans?!” They asked. “What could be more important than our family cruise?”

    “I’ll be baptizing a friend at that time,” was his response.

    Oh… they thought.  Well, that is important.  They asked who the friend was.  He told them he didn’t know, yet. 

    Let’s break this down.  Here was a cruise.  It existed.  It was paid for.  It was happening.  It was a guarantee. 

    This guy, though, had another guarantee.  He had a commitment.  He would be baptizing someone at that time.

    Soon after the conversation with his parents (aka the testing of his faith) he was sitting outside on campus reading the Book of Mormon.  An acquaintance from class walked by and asked what he was reading.  A few weeks later our hero was baptizing this friend at the precise time his family was on their cruise.

    Some would say the cruise was a sure thing and the baptism was not.  The baptism was a pipe dream, a shot in the dark.  It was unlikely to happen.

    What role did faith play in this story?

    Obviously, faith was everything.

    Soon after declining a sure thing, an all-expense paid cruise vacation, the interaction happened.

    While this guy could have been on a cruise, he was doing something vastly more important, baptizing a friend.

    What is a cruise when compared to the eternal salvation of a soul, of one of God’s children?

    I don’t know the rest of the story. I don’t know what happened with the individual that was baptized. My faith tells something special happened. What if this individual joined the Church of Jesus Christ and devoted himself to it? What if he went on a mission? What if he baptizes five individuals on his mission and shares the Gospel of Jesus Christ with countless others? What if he marries in the temple and has five children? What if those children are raised to worship Christ and bear testimony of Him throughout their lives?

    Fact – that cruise turned into one baptism.

    Faith – that one baptism turned into thousands hearing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and coming closer to their Savior.

    Where does faith end and fact start? – That’s up to us.

    “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.”

    Doctrine and Covenants 18:10

    “And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!”

    Doctrine and Covenants 18:15
  • Jonah and the Whale

    Jonah and the Whale

    Answer to prayer – but not what you expect!

    One of the most spiritual experiences I ever had, referenced in the post You Sent a Dog to Comfort a Boy, happened in the basement of my Aunt and Uncle’s home.  Go read the post to get some back story on why I was there, ie soul searching.

    During that trip, by some coincidence, my cousin had his farewell to go on his mission.  I went to the farewell and I felt stuff.  I felt an urge.  I felt guidance.  I came to Utah to search my soul and here it was. 

    That night I went back to the bedroom I’d been staying in.  With just Bengie (my aunt, uncle, and cousin’s dog) in the room I knelt, and I prayed.  I prayed like I hadn’t in so long.  I asked what I was supposed to do.

    Have you heard the story of Jonah and the whale?  For those who don’t know, the Bible tells us that Jonah, a prophet of God, was commanded to go to Nineveh to prophesy to its inhabitants.  He was to command them to repent and preach of their forthcoming destruction if they refused.  Nineveh was described as a scary place.  It was a near certainty Jonah would be murdered upon telling the inhabitants of their wickedness.

    I always heard that story and couldn’t imagine, couldn’t comprehend.  GOD told Jonah to do something.  If God tells you to do something – you do it!  It doesn’t matter how afraid you are or how scary it is.  You DO WHAT GOD COMMANDS.  Especially when it’s that clear.  If God told you to do something, you would listen, wouldn’t you?

    That’s what I always thought.

    That night in the basement I asked what I should do next with my life.  The answer couldn’t have been clearer if an angel appeared in the room and said it to my face.  I knew.  I needed to go on a mission.  I can’t stress this enough.  I knew what I was supposed to do.

    Then the doubts.  “I can’t go on a mission.  Where would I even begin?  I have so much to repent of.  I don’t even know who to go to” were my thoughts.  Also, I would have to give a GOING AWAY speech like I just watched my cousin give that very day.  Out of the question.  The thought of getting up in church and giving a talk was enough to make me feel sick.  I couldn’t do it.  I was too afraid.  On top of that I had big plans in the coming weeks.  It was my friend’s birthday and we had partying to do.  You know, the important stuff.  I couldn’t repent NOW.

    In the story of Jonah he gets on a ship to run away (From God- I know, crazy).  But here I was, running away from God.  I pretended like I didn’t know the answer to my prayer, but I knew.  I ran.  I ran away.

    I didn’t get swallowed by a whale.  Instead I moved on, distracted and forgetting.

    After Jonah’s whale incident, he finally agrees to do what God asked of him.  He was spit up on the shore of Nineveh and followed what God asked him to do.

    I think in a way, the few years after that moment in the basement, I was figuratively in a storm and swallowed by a whale.  Not for three days but for four years.  Eventually God had the whale spit me back up on shore. 

    You’d think I missed my chance, right?  I never went on a mission.  For a long time I thought I could never be forgiven for ignoring God.  Then I got my patriarchal blessing.  In it I am told to trouble myself not over lost days.  I can’t explain in words the comfort that simple phrase gave to me.

    Back to Jonah.  He ignored God.  Yet still, somehow, God used Jonah’s mistakes to bring about His work.  I don’t know how God makes up for our mistakes.  It recently occurred to me that in that basement I gave the first sincere prayer in a long time.  Then I ignored God.  I showed a modicum of faith followed by an excess of fear.  After that I found a job in Arizona, I settled down, and have been here in Arizona ever since.  Then I returned to church.  Now I’m here, writing to you, hopefully you’ve stuck with me this far.

    It’s so much better to do what God asks the first time.   I think we avoid a lot of heartache if we do.  But never forget – trouble yourself not over lost days.  God will have you spit up on shore when you’re ready.  When you’re really ready to trust in Him.  It took me some time.  Somehow, He accepted that.  Somehow, He waited.  I’m not saying I’ll ever fully make up for disobedience, not sure exactly how that works.  But I know that Christ will forgive me because He loves me.  There is no greater comfort than that.