Vic and I spent most of last week at BYU-sponsored Education Week. We had volunteered to be hosts, which means you answer questions and sort of monitor the entrances and exits in the particular building and class and times you're assigned to. Being hosts meant we were able to attend the entire rest of the week for free. We started with the 9:50AM class, and ended at 9:30PM, Tuesday through Friday.
It was AMAZING! Sometimes we attended classes together, and sometimes not. There was one class that Vic, Anne and I all attended, and another one that I raced the length of the campus the last 3 days to go to with Anne.
The really interested thing to me is that, although we were drawn towards some really different classes, a couple of common themes seemed to come through to us from each of them, no matter how different the subject matter. Apparently, the Lord felt that it was time to get our attention and teach us some REALLY cool stuff.
The ongoing result has been that we felt, and continue to feel, the real need to become more unified, purposeful and dedicated as individuals, as a couple, and as parents (and grandparents). There is so much we heard, and even more, so much that we FELT, that if we don't act on it, we would be REALLY STUPID.
The other very interesting thing -- a "coincidence", if you believe in them -- is that some of our adult children are going through difficult and/or transitory times; the kinds of experiences for them that we can't physically HELP, but where they definitely need support. It has been a very good time to feel that extra charge of faith that we received while at Education Week, so that we "happened" to be "in tune" to be able to add a little counsel in one case, loving support and heartfelt prayers, FEELING more sure than ever that those prayers and our love did and will continue to make a difference to our kids we love so much. Prayer has solid impact. We have learned that.
There was something I learned in our last class on Friday night that I'd never realized before that I'd like to share.
We usually feel like if we're not living worthily, our prayers will not be heard. AND that is a good motivation to become as worthy and obedient to the things we know as we can so that we can feel guidance when it comes.
Brother Ted Gibbons taught something really interesting, though. He began quoting and showing us many scriptures where the pray-er was either seriously unrighteous, or even an out-and-out sinner - even to the point of being called an evil man. Then he quoted where the Lord says, "Weary me no more about this", or words to that effect. Brother Gibbons showed many, many times where this happened. His point wasn't as much that the Lord was tiring of hearing from these men; his point was that the Lord WAS hearing the prayers of these men, unrighteous sinners that they were! So should we ever let feeling unworthy keep us from praying, rationalizing that "He won't hear us anyway"? Clearly, absolutely NOT.
I once told a grown child who had left the Church and was having some painful and serious problems, "You don't have to be a member of the Church to pray and get answers." I felt it was true when I said it, yet wondered at what I had said; wondered whether someone who had purposefully turned away from the Truth they'd been raised with could in fact get answers. Turns out I was right, and hadn't the faith or wisdom to know it. ANYONE who needs answers WILL BE HEARD. Period. It's as simple, and amazing, as that.