Another Gator!: Pay Attention

Elder Jones, Elder Raoulx, and Elder Griffiths in a Charlie's Angels-esque shot on Thanksgiving at the chicken farm.

I was praying lately to have some way of having my testimony of the Restoration strengthened. We were walking and we saw two teenagers sitting on a park bench. We went to go talk to them and it turns out they’re part of this group of teenagers that we've tried teaching before but they try to avoid us. The girl was more interested and she convinced the guy to listen. Her name was Danielle and his was Ricky. As we said a prayer, and as we taught them the Restoration, I could tell they weren't really interested. Suddenly the words came to my mind, "Tell them to pay attention." At first I thought, "No! I don't want to sound like a school teacher." But then I did it. Before I explained the First Vision, I told them to quit being uninterested and to pay genuine attention to what I was about to say. Immediately the spirit of that lesson changed. I invited them to watch/feel for the Spirit of God to touch their hearts as I recounted the First Vision to them. They looked me in the eyes and I told them in Joseph Smith's words what had happened. I've done this countless times before, but this time it was different. In my mind I felt like I could see the First Vision happening and a powerful feeling came over me. After I finished talking, I knew that my prayer had been answered. They paid a lot more attention for the rest of the lesson and then we got some contact info and left. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith and restored Christ's church.

I had another experience that has a little bit less to do with me teaching someone else and more to do with me being taught. It also has to do with prayer again. I prayed for my testimony of the Savior to be strengthened. That's something that's good for all of us to keep praying for. A couple weeks after saying this prayer, Elder Jones and I were recruited into the ward choir (yes, Mom, it finally happened). Recently we were singing Silent Night. As the women were singing their part they sang, "Christ the Savior is born." It hit me pretty hard. Christ was born and we all benefit from that.