Wednesday we had zone conference. It was on the Holy Ghost and receiving personal revelation. It was great, and I learned some new things that changed the way I think about the Spirit. One of the things specifically talked about was prayer. There are a lot of scriptures that talk about how prayer invites the Spirit into our lives. I had been thinking about prayer for a while before the conference. I read an account of someone who was praying with Brigham Young. At this time, he was the president of the church. The man said he needed to open his eyes to see if God or Jesus Christ was in the room with them because Brigham Young prayed with such power and intimacy.
Since reading this account, and another similar account about Joseph Smith and Sister Cahoon speaking on prayer, I have given quite a bit of time pondering about it. I also have been putting a lot more effort into my prayers. Thursday we had a woman who we prayed with tell me that there was something different about me after the prayer. We also had a conversation with a man after church yesterday. His brother in law was also there. He did not understand the importance of priesthood organization, nor did he seem to want a 20-year-old to open the Bible and show it to him. Afterward, he asked that all four of us hold hands and pray. He prayed first, and gave a long, emotional prayer and then asked us to pray so I offered it. My prayer was simpler and I did not display as much emotion as he did. Afterward, he told me that I, "had a head on my shoulders." Later that member that prayed with us, said that he could feel the Spirit in my prayer and the lack of it in the other.
I typically do not tell stories like these ones on here, because they are special and sacred to me. However, I felt that I should to illustrate the power of prayer. The intent is not to point out how great I think I am. Prayer gains its power as we use it to align our wills with God's, offer gratitude, and pray for divine assistance for ourselves and especially others. With that said, prayers are answered in the Lord's way and timing and I had another experience this week that made that point especially clear.
As far as other news, we have transfers tomorrow. Elder Olsen is leaving for Mississippi. I am glad for the time we had together and I will most definitely miss him. I am going to Little Rock for a few days to receive some training. I should be back in Moutain View Thursday night with my new companion. I will let you know next Monday who he is. I am crossing my fingers that I will get an islander or someone who had their original assignment to Ghana.
This must be my longest email I have sent in a while, and I am sorry for that. I love y'all and I hope that each of you are happy and safe! Let me know how you are doing.
-Elder Garrison
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