Today's reading covered Alma's first visit to Ammonihah where he tried to preach the word of God but was rejected. He leaves town discouraged but wrestled "with God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the people who were in the city; that he would also grant that he might baptize them unto repentance." (Alma 8:10) What a very Christ like message of love, concern, and compassion even for those that rejected him and his message. I love this example that each of us can learn to follow. Praying on behalf of those who have rejected Christ and his teachings or who have harmed us in any way. Our prayers cannot change or take away anyone's agency but it can soften our heart to be open to promptings on who we can help, help us see things with greater gratitude, and interact with these people with compassion instead of judgement.
The other part of today's chapter that stood out to me was from Alma 8:18. After the angel (yes this is Alma's second known interaction with angel, wonder if it was the same one?) finishes his message telling Alma he must go back to Ammonihah and try again Alma "returned speedily to the land." First off I don't think I would be that thrilled to be headed back to a city where people didn't really care for me or my message but Alma does is speedily. How quick are we at responding to promptings? Now stay tuned for all the amazing things the Lord is able to do with Alma because of this obedience.
As I reflected on this idea of being quick to respond to promptings I recalled two stories from President Thomas S. Monson which can both be found in his biography, To The Rescue. The first is a story about when President Monson was a new bishop. He had received word that a elderly gentleman in his ward was rushed to the Veteran's Hospital in Salt Lake with serious health issues. At the time President Monson made the decision that he would immediately go to this man's bedside as soon as the Stake Priesthood Leadership meeting he was required to attend and was just heading out to got done. While sitting in the meeting he received the prompting that he needed to go to this an immediately. Feeling awkward about the idea of just standing up and walking out on the stake president he just waited but as soon as the meeting was over he rushed out and drove straight to the hospital. As he ran down the hallway and reached the door of the man's room a nurse came out and asked, "Are you Thomas Monson?" to which he responded, "yes." The nurse explained that the man had kept calling out for him right up until he passed away just a short time before President Monson's arrival. President Monson shared that it was that moment he made the resolve to respond to every prompting quickly.
Fast forward a few years later President Monson had a similar experience with his friend Stan. His words are below:
"Stan, a dear friend of mine, was taken seriously ill and rendered partially paralyzed. He had been robust in health, athletic in build, and active in many pursuits. Now he was unable to walk or to stand. His wheelchair was his home. The finest of physicians had cared for him, and the prayers of family and friends had been offered in a spirit of hope and trust. Yet Stan continued to lie in the confinement of his bed at the university hospital. He despaired.
"Late one afternoon I was swimming at the Deseret Gym, gazing at the ceiling while backstroking width after width. Silently, but ever so clearly, there came to my mind the thought: “Here you swim almost effortlessly, while your friend Stan languishes in his hospital bed, unable to move.” I felt the prompting: “Get to the hospital and give him a blessing.”
"I ceased my swimming, dressed, and hurried to Stan’s room at the hospital. His bed was empty. A nurse said he was in his wheelchair at the swimming pool, preparing for therapy. I hurried to the area, and there was Stan, all alone, at the edge of the deeper portion of the pool. We greeted one another and returned to his room, where a priesthood blessing was provided.
"Slowly but surely, strength and movement returned to Stan’s legs. First he could stand on faltering feet. Then he learned once again to walk—step by step. Today one would not know that Stan had lain so close to death and with no hope of recovery.
"Frequently Stan speaks in Church meetings and tells of the goodness of the Lord to him. To some he reveals the dark thoughts of depression which engulfed him that afternoon as he sat in his wheelchair at the edge of the pool, sentenced, it seemed, to a life of despair. He tells how he pondered the alternative. It would be so easy to propel the hated wheelchair into the silent water of the deep pool. Life would then be over. But at that precise moment he saw me, his friend. That day Stan learned literally that we do not walk alone. I, too, learned a lesson that day: Never, never, never postpone following a prompting" (Thomas S. Monson, "The Spirit Giveth Life", General Conference April 1985).
Two very beautiful reminders of the importance of following promptings. I hope you take a minute today to think about a time you responded quickly to a prompting and saw a positive outcome and perhaps like President Monson we need to think of a time when we weren't to quick to respond and what that outcome was as a reminder to be quick.
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