Have miracles ceased?

There are times in your life when you get a sense of who you are and what things you need to change to become the person Heavenly Father sees you can be. That has been my experience over these past few days. I have seen my behavior from what seems like an outside perspective and I’m not quite sure that I’m happy with it. Not that I do things that are bad, by any sense. Just a lack of maturity, focus and understanding of what I really should be about.  I am surrounded by incredible senior couples that, each day, are examples of what I can become.

As an example, on Sunday I sat on the bench at church and observed Sister Searle as she prepared to play the prelude music on the organ before sacrament meeting. Scott was preparing the sacrament so I sat there alone, just watching her. Sister Searle quietly sat on the organ bench and bowed her head, I’m assuming to say a little prayer before she began to play for those who would come to the meeting. I was struck by the idea that she was consecrating and dedicating her time and efforts to the Lord and wanted his blessing upon her abilities. Also, that she was perhaps praying for us, that we would feel the Savior’s love through the music she shared. I don’t really know, but what an example she was for me that morning, in her quiet way. We don’t have to be loud to be noticed.

This post wasn't intended to be all about Elder and Sister Searle, but it has just happened that way.  Saturday afternoon we experienced, what we call, a Nauvoo miracle.  I think miracles happen every day but we don’t always notice them, or give them much thought.  But on Saturday we definitely experienced one.  Elder Searle was serving at the Browning Gun Shop with two other elders.  He had just finished a tour and took a box of brochures up the steep steps to the second floor.  When he placed the heavy box on the top step it tilted backwards and hit him in the legs.  This caused him to lose his balance and tumble backwards, down the flight of wooden stairs. He said he doesn’t remember much about the actual fall but, all of a sudden, he was at the bottom of the stairs. Because of some divine intervention, Elder Searle only suffered a head wound that required eight staples on the right side of his head, but he has no broken bones and no other head trauma. How on earth did an elderly man fall down a flight of hard stairs and not have more injuries than, what he calls, a small head wound?  He said he knows there were angels there cushioning his fall. 

Has the day of miracles ceased?  Behold I say unto you, nay.  I know there are angels that have the assignment to look after us, guide us in the right path and protect us from harm.  In our own family we have witnessed that on more than one occasion and those are experiences we count as tender mercies. 

Sunday night is the Face-to-Face with Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Seventy which is being broadcast from the western hill by the Nauvoo Temple.  It’s for the young adults of the church and I guess they don’t think we’re young enough :0)  but the young sister missionaries get to participate, which will be so exciting for them.  The focus of the Face to Face is the early history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and it coincides with the release of the book, “Saints".  Eventually there will be four volumes of the book covering church history.  On Monday morning we have the blessing of having Elder Cook, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, speak us, the Nauvoo Illinois missionaries.  So, that will be so awesome!

What a blessing, privilege and gift it is to serve here. We are surrounded by so much goodness, love and definitely the Spirit of our Heavenly Father.

President & Sister Lusvardi with
Elder & Sister Cook today.

Elder &Sister Searle