Funny Thing happened today.  I got a message from a person that was trying to find me because I was mentioned in a local news paper article.
Four Points news

Then someone googled me and and sent me a message from my website.

Overcoming Destruction

It was a bright sunny morning, the kind Florida is famous for, this was in stark contrast of the past few days of destruction. Even though it was a bright morning it couldn’t overcome the massive destruction in view. As the regional director of the Red Cross carefully drove around fallen trees and down power lines. He was looking for where he could setup a base to run his relief effort operation. Up ahead he saw a national guard humvee directing traffic. He thought I can hook up with the National Guard and work with them. He stopped and asked, were is your relief base setup. The seargent said. about 2 miles away “We are set up at the Mormon Stake house” We are taking direction from them. The were setup before we got here they seem to know exactly what is going on. The regional director though “How in the world did they get here before us?” He found the Stakehouse not a food place but one of the church buildings for “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” He soon discovered it was the head quarters for the LDS church in that Area, much like a Catholic dioceses. He also discovered why they were the first ones there. They were local residents that were fully organized and helping with the relief effort both with the needs of their own members and anyone else in need.

Why Is organization so easy for the LDS Church

I have heard many stories like this one growing up.  Members of the church being the first ones to respond to disasters.   I have always been aware of how organized and efficient the church is in doing almost everything the do.  For instance on the First Sunday of January in any unit of the church throughout the world you will receive the same instruction depending on the which class you attend.  If you attend priesthood anywhere in the world you will receive the same instruction whether you are in Japan, London or Brazil.  The same is true for Relief Society and Primary classes.  Each group being taught something that is appropriate for them, but basically the same curriculum throughout the world.  I had been in a Sunday school class a couple of weeks ago where they talked about revelation in the church and that it played an important factor. But it took me two weeks to figure it out.   I was visiting a ward in Houston and they were teaching the same lesson that had  been taught the previous week in my ward.   I again heard the word curriculum and then I began to understand what was being talked about an why the curriculum had so much to do with revelation.   It hit me like a lightening bolt.  The reason the church runs so efficiently is because each member has their own testimony that what the prophet directs is the word of God.  The leaders of the church don’t have to debate what we are going to do and how we are going to do it because we know what the Lord directs the Prophet so we don’t have to go over that again.  If we do have a questions about a particular point all we have to do is pray about it an get our own confirmation again that the prophet is inspired and we need to follow.  This in contrast with government and any other organization throughout the world that don’t run by revelation.  There seems to be endless debate and compromise. Sometimes taking months and even years to resolve.  In the LDS church when with prophet speaks we all follow, not as blind sheep, but as people that trust the prophet because we have our own testimonies that he receives revelation.  So there is no debate there is just action.

Just Action

I realized that this is why we are are so efficient as a church.  We know our leaders are inspired and so when they ask us to do something we already have a testimony that following them is the right thing to do.  If our Stake President asks,our Bishop asks, our Relief Society president asks, Our Elders Quorum asks or High Priest Group Leader asks, We act.  With revelation there is just action.

No wonder we are so efficient.

And this race is not on a smooth flat road.  The race you are running will be through a dense forest; with ups and downs,  Turns and zags, steep hills and sharp cliffs.  But go ahead and run blind folded it will be easier that way.

What if there is a way to run the race and not be blind folded?

It is amazing to me how many people are choosing to run the race, yes the human race, is choosing to fumble through this adventure of life blindfolded.  They are fumbling, feeling, groping their way along.  This existence here on earth is hard enough without being blindfolded.

The blindfold I am talking about is the blindfold of life without prayer.  We have the constant opportunity to reach out to Deity an ask for guidance and help.  One of the mistakes I have made in the past that I desired the heavens to open and show me the way.  The funny thing is that God has already has a map and has spoken volumes to us we just need to ask the questions and start searching what he has already written down.

You think when we get to heaven and say Lord I prayed my whole life and I only got a couple of prayers answered?  I think his first response will be.  I gave you and instruction manual and the answers to most of your prayers were in the instruction manual.  What instruction manual? The scriptures have been layed out before your from the beginning of time.  That is the instruction manual.

I listen to and read commentators on TV, radio, and internet.  In this economic crisis and they are all talking about the stimulus packages, the things business are doing to survive, new regulations that will stop people from doing stupid things and the commentary is endless and mostly without hope.  I can tell these folks just don’t know what to do.

Here is an answer to their economic questions Matthew 33 I could spend the rest of my life quoting scriptures, however that would be redundant. We all need to pray with a question and search the scriptures. There a things that can’t be found in the scriptures. Like when we lose something and while looking for it we pray to guidance to find it, that will not be revealed to you but we will be given inspiration if we listen.

Another example, getting up late and without a car this guy was walking to work and prayed that he would be helped. A passer by could tell by his clothing he was not out for exercise was inspired to stop and give him a ride. God listened to that prayer and inspired the passer by to help. Both realized they had been helped that day through prayer.

prayer is where we need to start and the scriptures are where we need to look.

Why does it feel like I just have too much to do and not enough time to get it all done.  Oh well, do what I can.

Got to know a couple great people this week.  Look forward to the next.

Reading on a blog today wittyniceinfo I found a cool reference to a scripture in Proverbs 21:5 My interpretation is that if you are diligent there will be rich. If you are hasty and in a hurry you will be poor.

I am discovering this to be true.  It’s the turtle that wins the race just by being diligent and keeping focused on the task.