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A heartwarming story . . .

DADDY'S EMPTY CHAIR ~

A man's daughter had asked the local minister to come
and pray with her father.

When the minister arrived, he found the man lying in bed
with his head propped up on two pillows.

An empty chair sat beside his bed.
The minister assumed that the old fellow had been
informed of his visit.

"I guess you were expecting me, he said.

"No, who are you?" said the father.

The minister told him his name and then remarked, "I saw the empty chair and I figured you knew I was going to show up,"

"Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man.

"Would you mind closing the door?"
Puzzled, the minister shut the door.

"I have never told anyone this, not even my daughter," said the man.

"But all of my life I have never known how to pray.

At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer,
but it went right over my head."

I abandoned any attempt at prayer," the old man continued,

"until one day four years ago, my best friend said to me,

"Johnny, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus.

Here is what I suggest."

"Sit

down in a chair; place an empty chair in front of you,
and in faith see Jesus on the chair.

It's not spooky because he promised, 'I will be with you always'.

"Then just speak to him in the same way you're doing with me right now."

"So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day.

I'm careful though If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm."

The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old man to continue on the journey.

Then he prayed with him, anointed him with oil, and

returned to the church.

Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her daddy had died that afternoon.

Did he die in peace?" he asked.

Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek.

When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him dead.

But there was something strange about his death.
Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on the chair beside the bed.

What do you make of that?"

The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said,
"I wish we could all go like that."

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How to recognize the promptings of the Spirit in our lives

I have to speak in Stake Priesthood meeting tonight.

My talk outline is below:

Lehi

Youth in Stake
Great youth leaders
Ward Conferences



How to recognize the promptings of the Spirit in our lives

Ask for raised hands to see who would like to feel more of the Spirit in our lives

How many of us are willing to give up some “roadblocks to revelation” that we currently engage in?

Spencer W. Kimball said "The Lord is most anxious to give you the Holy Ghost when you have really humbled yourself and paid the price in reaching, fasting, praying, studying, pondering, cleansing and purging."


How does the Lord usually communicate with us through His Spirit?
From an experience of the prophet Elijah, we learn how the Spirit most often speaks to us: “The Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice” (1 Kings 19:11–12).


3 Nephi 11: 3.
it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn.








TAKE TIME TO PREPARE AND PONDER

1 Nephi 11:1
For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord

Importance of “alone time” and daily "stop, look and listen time" in order to give the Spirit a chance to speak to an individual while no one else is around.

It is a good idea to have the scriptures and a journal nearby during such times.

In our fast-paced culture there is rarely going to be a time or place in which the Spirit is going to be easily felt unless a person purposefully sets aside that time.

Importance of praying for those we have been given accountability over due to our callings in life and in the church.

The Spirit can most easily give inspiration for those we think of often.

Pres. Smith—pray for the families we home teach.
HOW CAN WE BE EXPECTED TO RECEIVE INSPIRATION AND PROMPTINGS FOR PEOPLE WHOSE SITUATIONS (AND SOMETIMES NAMES) WE DO NOT KNOW?






















OBEY WHEN COMMANDED

• A persistent, righteous thought seems to come back after you have dismissed it.

We hear often of peoples’ experiences of ignoring a prompting, but it returns multiple times until heeded.

3 Nephi 11:4-6
4 And it came to pass that again they heard the voice, and they understood it not.
5 And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did open their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sound came.
6 And behold, the third time they did understand the voice which they heard . . .

• The thought prompts you to act in a manner you would not normally consider, but when pondered upon, its truthfulness and correctness resonates with you.

6 And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.
7 Nevertheless I went forth, and as I came near unto the house of Laban I beheld a man, and he had fallen to the earth before me, for he was drunken with wine.
8 And when I came to him I found that it was Laban.
9 And I beheld his sword, and I drew it forth from the sheath thereof; and the hilt thereof was of pure gold, and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine, and I saw that the blade thereof was of the most precious steel.
10 And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed the blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay him.
11 And the Spirit said unto me again: Behold the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands. Yea, and I also knew that he had sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he would not hearken unto the commandments of the Lord; and he also had taken away our property.
12 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;
13 Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.
14 And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise.
15 Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law.
16 And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass.
17 And again, I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my hands for this cause—that I might obtain the records according to his commandments.
18 Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Laban by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own sword.


“Each of us is influenced strongly by our own desires and preferences. We may even mistake these influences as the ratification or prompting of the Holy Ghost. It is therefore significant when we feel prompted to do something contrary to our personal preference. That is good evidence of authenticity. Conversely, a feeling that seems to confirm a person in some action he or she strongly desires should be received with caution and subjected to more than one test of validity. In that circumstance a person could well ask himself, ‘Am I humbly submitting myself to the will of my Heavenly Father and asking for his guidance, or am I proudly submitting my will to my Heavenly Father and asking for his approval?’ Humility is more likely to receive inspiration; pride is more likely to be deceived and fall.”
Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “I Have a Question,” Ensign, June 1983, 27.

• The thought increases your awareness of a situation so you can make a good decision.

Double entendre—good in “sound” and “good” meaning “righteous”

Moroni 7: 12-13
12 Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.
13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.

ACT FOR OURSELVES

2 Nephi 32:5
For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do.

Does this mean we should just become an empty container awaiting the Lord tell us what to do? NO!

D and C 58:26
For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.


The only thing we truly have to give to Heavenly Father is our will. He wants to bless us, but He wants us to learn accountability and responsibility.


STORY:
Meeting for stake presidencies where General Authorities taught. The presiding authority called on members to share an experience in which they had been led by the Spirit. Among men of much experience, one ventured to say that many times he wasn’t completely sure whether an impression was inspired until afterward when he saw the outcome. The presiding authority replied, “Would you feel better if you knew it’s that way much of the time?”

We are taught that if we take upon us the name of Christ, always remember Him, and keep His commandments, we will have His Spirit to be with us (see Moroni 4–5).
By entering this covenant, we can act in faith with the assurance that our righteous feelings and actions mirror the desires of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Instead of worrying about where a prompting originates, we can listen and act for righteousness’ sake.

That is the crux.


TAKE TIME TO PREPARE AND PONDER
OBEY WHEN COMMANDED
ACT FOR OURSELVES