Lessons I learned from Inmates

Before my mission I went to college. While at college I participated in a travelling show choir. One of our shows was at a local prison. There we did two shows with a variety of music from patriotic, to spiritual, to Broadway, and don't forget to throw The Beach Boys in there. I was excited about this opportunity. A group of us arrived early to set up the key boards and sound equipment. We rolled in all of the equipment,  it was checked, and then we passed through some security doors. The music equipment was quickly set up and before we knew it the rest of the choir and inmates were coming through the doors for the performance. Both performances went very well, but there are a couple of moments which I will never forget.

First, we sang an Acapella version of America the Beautiful. As we sang I looked around and saw these tough men crying. They were crying in gratitude for the country which they lived in. I would have thought they would have been a little frustrated, but they were not. They realized the great country that we live in.

Second, I remember the spirit that was present. We sang spiritual songs about Christ's Atoning sacrifice, leaving a good example for our posterity, and forgiveness. Out of all of the performances that we did that year this was the one that will stick in my mind the longest because of what the spirit taught me after.

After the performances we packed up and left. It was a spiritual feast where I saw men cry, pray, and give thanks to God while we sang about their Savior and Redeemer. As I was thinking about the experience after the spirit taught me why the spirit was so strong there. It was because the Atonement was in use. These inmates were actively repenting, changing, and pouring their lives through the strainer of the Atonement and allowing Christ to remove the impurities. We went into a building with bars, walls, and security cameras ,but while we were performing all of those things went away. We all felt free and close to our Savior. The Savior has figuratively spent many long, sleepless nights there with some of those inmates helping them through whatever they were going through. Christ never left them. Neither will he leave us.  Bars nor high security buildings will keep him out.  Only a closed and hardened heart.

I hope that I will actively use the Atonement always like those inmates were. They showed heroic faith in their relationship with which they had with their Savior. Christ is there ready to help us on condition that we let him. I pray and hope that we do, and in the process the chains of the adversary are shattered

The Lord Always Knows Best

One day Elder Trout and myself felt inspired to go and vist a couple of less active members.  As we tried each house we would find no one home. After this happening a couple of times we ended up with an individual whom we were lacking the house number on their address. We walked to a members home to find out the specific home for this less active.  We knocked on the members door and no one answered.  In frustration we decided to knock all of the doors on the street to find whom we were looking for.  The first house told us to come back.  A little ways down we knocked on another house to which a young mother and her daughter answered the door.  They were excitted to learn more about Christ's message about families.  We taught them a little and set up a return appointment.  By the time we were done talking to them we did not have time to try the other doors on the other side of the street to find the initial person whom we were looking for.  On the way to our next appointment we talked to a man in his garage who had just lost a son.  We were able to direct him to Christ and resources which could help him understand why and give him comfort.

The Lord taught me alot through this experience.  He did not want us to go over there because of that less active member whom we were looking for.  He had others in mind , so from now on when something does not go the way that I thought it would or should I am going to strive to have faith to allow the Lord to accomplish what he had in mind for everything happens for a reason.  We all have the opportunity to allow Heavenly Father to use us to help others around us.  How grateful I am for that.  There are numberless blessings waiting in the wings of our lives just waiting to come on stage.  It is our job to give the stage to them by our faith produced actions.