GO IN THERE

I was able to go to institute last night...truly I am grateful for any chance I am given to fill my soul with things of Christ. I wish at times I could overcome the natural man, and not over sleep or waste my time, that I might take more time to fill my soul with things of God. Whether that filling time be of study, service, learning lessons from others--I love the things of light! And oh the people of/with "light" the Lord puts around me. I LOVE to see when someone is giving their life over to Heavenly Father. I have so many examples of this.

A dear friend who has chosen to put Heavenly Father first--who constantly amazes me at her willingness AND desire to do the right things. My parents--who make me want to live better every day. For sisters and brothers who show me constantly by example how to love. A best friend who allows me to live my Sundays. Another friend who reminds me the importance of praying. A teacher who after an awkward moment for a student, asked questions so that the class could fall in love/understand/see who the student really was/is better. For a prophet, who lives by example and because of journal keeping and other resources has set a righteous example of "how" one becomes more like Christ.

My heart is swollen. God is so good.

After institute last night as I was going home, I felt to go into Wallgreens. My ipod alarm clock is broken so I figured maybe God would lead me to one in there. I walked in the store and circled the perfume section first. Now to appreciate this--my sister Krysti has well over 30 different perfumes--and she smells amazing in ALL OF THEM! I will be around her and comment that I love the smell. On a handful of occasions, I have gone and sprayed on the amazing smelling stuff on me--and within mins I am washing it off or wishing it would come off. My body chemistry does not produce the same smell as my sister. So rather disappointing what smells good on her usually STINKS on me! I only have a handful of smells I can do.

Well one particular new smell, I found that I like how it smells on me. I walked past the counter and was amazed at the price. about 25 bucks cheaper than at Kohls. I didn't stay at the counter long because it was 35 bucks, and I didn't want to be spending money, but also didn't want to be spending money on perfume.

I knew God wanted me in the store. I just needed to find out why. I walked down the isle and nothing called to me. I walked over and viewed the rather pricey alarm clocks. I walked around aimlessly not knowing what God wanted me to do. I had been in the store for nearly 10 mins just walking around. I then had the impression to buy the perfume. Now, I have fought God before on buying things when I had rather saved the money, BUT too often has God taught me that He works through purchases. So I walked over to the front counter and the man said he would send someone over to help with the perfume.

A kid came out and he was very familiar to me. I told him that I thought I knew him. He said he was from California while giving me the look like I was crazy. So I just pushed aside the familiarness and we chatted over my perfume drama. He helped me take out the perfume and then walked me over to the counter. I asked him if he went to UVU (Which I haven't gone for almost two years? really has it been that long?!) and he said that he was an interpreter. His name tag made me believe that he spoke spanish--so I asked interpreter for what? He said sign language. Well after a few mins, we connected the dots. He came to my old singles ward for a while while I was still there, and now was a currant member of that ward. I KNEW I had seen him before! And I know his roommates who also attended that ward when I was there.

He has tried to pass the written exam to get certified 4 times for being an interpreter and has not passed. We talked about the need of praying and asking for help. I then asked him if he had met with the Bishop. He very opinionatedly (is that a word? If it is not, it should be. :)) said that the bishop had not ever come and shaken/introduced himself since he has been in the ward officially for two months. This kid felt that because he was an interpreter, and the Bishop passes him often because of sitting close to the front of the chapel, that he was horribly wronged by not being noticed by the Bishop. I prayed to know how to not push his buttons...and I asked him the question, "Well have you ever gone up to the Bishop and introduced yourself to him?" The question he wanted to justify, but he knew it sounded ridiculous. he had not done that. And then tried to say as a Bishop, the bishop should do it--however he caught himself in his own flawed thinking and what he was hearing himself say. He then said, "ya, maybe I should do that". I then had the sweet ability to tell this kid that I knew his Bishop first had and had worked every Sunday with him for two years, and that his Bishop was and is a man of God. And surely he has a lot of people to meet in such a diverse and sometimes transient ward. This kid, seemed for the first time to have some understanding towards the Bishop.

He was called over to help in camera section of the store. I challenged him to pray and ask for help from God to help him with his test. He really did look at me like it was the most foreign idea to pray and ask for help. I suggested that he covenant with the Lord... and some other things were quickly said. He politely smiled and then went his way.

I left the store not only smelling AMAZINGLY good ;) but with deep gratitude to have felt prompted to go in there. I got in my car and wanted to say a prayer, but noticed a woman next to my car just staring at me. The temptation was just to wait to pray when I wasn't in view of peering eyes, but that was a silly more selfish thought. So right then and there I bowed my head and thanked the Lord for allowing me to talk to that kid about a bishop and the gospel that I love so much. I have no idea what will come of that meeting, if anything. But I do know that that kid felt the truth of what was sad about the man of God who leads his ward. And I know he felt his heart pricked with some softness on his situation.

"Go in there" "buy perfume"... God's hand can be seen everywhere!

And as a kind perk--he has made this daughter smell all the more better! (He didn't have to throw in that bonus...!)

I love my Heavenly Father. A lot! I love Jesus Christ, a lot!

The Church is TRUE!