Today was my last time teaching elders quorum in the Mesquite Canyon ward. In less than four short weeks (just one day before I'd normally be scheduled to teach again), our family will bid farewell to the wonderful city of Mesa, Arizona, and I will leave this great calling behind. I have learned so much from these teaching experiences, and I will truly miss the opportunity to prepare and deliver these lessons each month. During the past year, the Lord has shown me more clearly how to teach by the Spirit - to basically move myself out of the way and allow the Holy Ghost to reach hearts and minds, including my own.
I have found that inspiration comes clearly and powerfully when I pray specifically to know what Heavenly Father and the Savior would have me say to the quorum. This happened to me before church this morning as I finalized my lesson preparations. I suddenly felt prompted to add a few last-minute notes to my lesson outline. Here are the words I typed:
Who here has given a blessing of healing to your wife or to your children? Are we under-appreciating this remarkable spiritual gift? Are we taking it for granted? Are we approaching it too casually or thoughtlessly? Can we improve the way we use this gift?
As I presented the lesson in elders quorum today I followed my outline very closely, many times reading notes directly from the page. Somehow, though, I failed to see or remember these particular questions. My time was quickly coming to a close so I decided to wrap up and finish the lesson. I started my concluding remarks but was stopped almost instantly when I saw a hand go up in the front row. It was my father-in-law, Dean Klingler, who was in town visiting for Gwen's fourth birthday. I could tell from his expression that there was something important he wanted to say to the group - something that moved him to seize this final opportunity to comment.
He started out by saying he's been around quite a while, so he's picked up on a few life lessons worth sharing. Then with great sincerity and emotion he said - as closely as I can recollect - the following words:
"As priesthood holders we don't use this gift enough in our homes with our family members. When our wife gets sick, or when our children get sick, we don't always take those opportunities to bless them. No one ever looks back on their life and says they gave too many blessings to their family members. But you will certainly look back and remember the many times and opportunities that you failed to bless your loved ones when you could have."
His heartfelt counsel filled me with the Spirit. In fact, the entire room seemed to be filled with the Spirit at that moment. In a manner more convincing and more powerful than I ever could have expressed, my father-in-law related the exact message I had inadvertently failed to deliver. Heavenly Father and the Savior knew that at least one person in that room - and perhaps all of them - needed to hear those specific words. And because of Their great love and concern for Their children, a way was provided. I was reminded that They will do everything in Their power to reach, inspire, bless, and improve lives in such personal and profound ways. I felt humbled and privileged to witness the kind and miraculous workings of the Lord today.
