Today, I would like to begin my remarks with a very short fill in the blank quiz. Don’t worry, it is only a single question and there are many “correct” answers. Are you ready? Here’s the question. Use an adjective and fill in the blank:
We live in ___________ times.
Time’s up. What adjective did you choose? Here are a few that I thought of: amazing, confusing, stressful, wonderful, turbulent, incredible, and perilous. But the adjective I will address today is “miraculous,” as in we live in miraculous times—times of miracles.
Miracles are by their very nature sacred events and as Elder Dallin H. Oaks explains, “Most of the miracles we experience are not to be shared. Consistent with the teachings of the scriptures, we hold them sacred and share them only when the Spirit prompts us to do so.” [1] He also quotes Doctrine and Covenants 63:64 which reads, “Remember that that which cometh from above is sacred, and must be spoken with care, and by constraint of the Spirit.” With these cautions in mind, my emphasis today will be on the nature and role of miracles in our lives and how we can recognize them and less on specific examples of miracles themselves.
Before we go on, let’s define what we are referring to when we speak of miracles. The Encyclopedia of Mormonism describes a miracle as “a beneficial event brought about through divine power that mortals do not understand and of themselves cannot duplicate.” [2] Taken at face value, you may read this definition and think to yourself, “Well, I’ve certainly never experienced anything like that!”
To be sure, we live in a day where the notion of divinely inspired events is routinely rejected by the unbelieving masses. Even some who profess to be believers often downplay or outright reject the possibility of miracles occurring today. The thought seems to be that miracles are things that happened long ago, but they are no longer happening or even necessary today. Many argue that even Biblical miracles can be dismissed as such by asserting that recently acquired scientific knowledge provides us with better (read “rational”) explanations for how these events occurred. God, it seems, is being taken out of the picture. So, it is easy to understand why even many believers doubt the veracity of miracles performed anciently and completely reject the possibility of miracles happening today.
In the Book of Mormon, Moroni records a powerful and comprehensive testimony of the unchanging nature of God and His role as a God of miracles. In it he says:
“I speak unto you who deny the revelations of God, and say that they are done away . . .
Behold I say unto you, he that denieth these things knoweth not the gospel of Christ; . . .
For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever . . .
And now, if ye have imagined . . . a god who doth vary, . . . then ye have imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not a God of miracles.
But behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles, . . . and it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.
And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, . . . Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.
And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because . . . they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust.” [3]
Moroni saw the circumstances of our day: the skepticism, doubt, and unbelief that would dominate the hearts and minds of many. And considering this situation, he recorded his powerful testimony to refute this notion. If we are to take Moroni’s words at face value, doesn’t it stand to reason that we can all experience miracles in our lives? They are happening, but perhaps we are not properly equipped to see them.
One of the principles I teach my photography students is the importance of using the correct lens for a given situation. For example, a macro lens should be used if you want to photograph very small subjects up close. If you are photographing distant subjects, a telephoto lens will make them appear much closer. Conversely, a wide-angle lens would be your best choice when photographing in small, confined spaces or large, vast spaces. Another special purpose lens is a soft-focus lens. They are not very common anymore, but back in the day when photographers shot on film, soft-focus lenses were sometimes used to make portraits that hid some of the details. They blurred the subject to hide wrinkles, scars, and other cosmetic imperfections. You’re probably wondering why I’m describing lenses when we are discussing the subject of miracles. Permit me to draw an analogy.
Like Moroni, I believe that we live in a day of miracles. I also believe that many of us likely have experienced miracles, but we may not have viewed them through the proper “lens.” The best lens for viewing miracles is the clarifying lens of faith. Like any good-quality lens, there is a price to pay before you can acquire it. And what is the price? Moroni explained that cost when he stated (and I am paraphrasing), “The reason why [we] cease to [see] miracles . . . is because that [we] dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom [we] should trust.” [4] The price we must pay in order to clearly see the miracles around us is for us to exercise faith, be obedient, and know God.
If we are unwilling to pay this price, Satan will gladly offer us an alternative: a lens of skepticism. This lens is similar to a soft-focus lens in that it allows us to see things, but not see things clearly. It is easily available but of no real worth. He offers it to us freely, hoping that once we begin using it we’ll forget about it and become accustomed to viewing things slightly out of focus. Through a lens of skepticism, miracles cease to be miracles, instead becoming strange occurrences or unusual, serendipitous acts. Take my advice: don’t waste your time using this lens!
Now, after outfitting yourself with the clarifying lens of faith, there is still more that you must do to fully experience the miracles that the Lord has promised to perform: you must practice seeing them. In last week’s devotional, Sister Susan Orme taught some strategies for feeling the Savior’s encircling arms of love when she advised us to choose uplifting sources of entertainment and also the importance of having pictures of temples displayed prominently in our homes. Similarly, we must work daily to recognize the hand of God in our lives in even the smallest of details. Sister Sydney S. Reynolds provided an insightful example of learning to see “small” miracles in her April 2001 general conference talk titled, “A God of Miracles.” Her talk focuses on some powerful miracles that her son-in-law and daughter experienced when their premature twins were born three-and-a-half months early. But months before these miracles occurred, Sister Reynolds had already learned to see the small daily miracles that God abundantly provides.
Just as important as these “mighty miracles” are the smaller “private miracles” that teach each of us to have faith in the Lord. These come as we recognize and heed the promptings of the Spirit in our lives.
I am grateful for a teacher who encouraged his students to keep a journal of the whisperings or promptings of the Spirit in their lives. He directed us to note what we felt and what resulted. Little things became evident. One day I was frantically trying to complete some assignments and prepare for a trip. I had just been down to the laundry area of the dorm to move my clothes from the washer to the dryer. Unfortunately, all the dryers were in use, and they all had many minutes to go. I went back upstairs discouraged, knowing by the time those dryers finished, I had to be on the road. I had barely returned to my room when I felt prompted to go back downstairs and check the laundry again. Foolishness, I thought—I had just been there, and I didn’t have time. But because I was trying to listen, I went. Two of the dryers were empty—and I was able to meet all my commitments. Could the Lord possibly have been concerned about smoothing my way in such a small but, to me, important matter? I have learned since through many such experiences that the Lord will help us in every aspect of our lives when we are trying to serve Him and do His will. [5]
The process of learning to see the miraculous hand of God in our life is in some ways like learning to how to make “good photographs.” Both of these skills are developed through daily practice helping us learn to be observant, sensitive, and patient. Allow me to interject another photography analogy to illustrate this point. In my introduction, you learned that I enjoy both photography and road trips. I am especially happy when I can combine these two activities together. One highway which I have driven and explored in detail is route US 89, a north/south highway that traverses the Western United States from Canada to Mexico. On three separate occasions I have driven the highway photographing the sights and interests I encountered as I traveled. The first two times that I did this I had made up my mind beforehand the things that I determined to be interesting, putting them on a mental “checklist” to ensure that I would capture them with my camera. The images I took were okay, but perhaps a little too predictible; I concentrated on what I thought a good subject should be. I liken this approach to looking for miracles on our terms (seeking for signs). Too often we decide what we think a miracle should be, and if it doesn’t match our predetermined notion, we ignore it. We may have been the beneficiary of a miracle, but it may not have been the miracle we wanted. Or perhaps we received a miracle but because it wasn’t something great or awe-inspiring, we overlooked it. Think of the example of Naaman, a captain of the host of the king of Syria and a leper.
After seeking healing from the prophet Elisha, Naaman is incensed that the prophet replied, not in person, but through a servant and further that the instruction was for him to simply go and wash seven times in the river Jordan. Because it wasn’t a dramatic miracle from Elisha directly, he initially refused to accept it. Not until Naaman humbled himself could he see the offered miracle for what it was.
Now back to Highway 89. I have recounted the experience of my first two photographic trips along the highway, but it was on my third trip where I really challenged myself to see the possibilities that the highway offered. This trip was undertaken with a much different goal in mind: I determined that I would travel the entirety of the highway—more than 2,200 miles—and that I would make a photograph every mile. This time the project took more than a year and dozens of excursions to complete. What I learned over those months of driving, stopping, looking, thinking, and photographing made me a more intense observer and a better photographer. In the same manner, we need to practice seeing the miracles that God has provided and that He continues to provide to us daily. It isn’t always easy. Let me share an example of a small miracle which I nearly missed because I was out of practice and viewing things through a lens of skepticism. This miracle happened years ago when my son Chris was very young. Chris had come to tour the space research facility where I worked with his elementary school class. At the end of the tour, I was supposed to take Chris and run some errands before heading home. As usual, I was in a hurry. Our car at that time had a slowly failing battery—it sometimes took two to three tries before the car would start. When we got into the car to run our errands, I turned the key and to my dismay all I got was “click-click-click.” I tried it again. Same result. Again. Same result. I probably repeated this eight to ten times and by then even the clicking was getting weaker. I was upset and I slammed my palms on the steering wheel in frustration. Then from the back seat I heard Chris say, “Don’t worry, Dad. I will say a prayer that the car will start.” I thought to myself, “Don’t bother. The battery is dead. It ain’t going to start.” I was just about to get out of the car to call my wife when Chris said, “Try it again.” I almost didn’t. I knew better. A prayer wouldn’t change anything. But it did. I turned the key once again and . . . the motor turned over!
I took a moment, said a silent prayer of my own, one of thanks and seeking forgiveness for my faithless skepticism.
Was that small event really a miracle? For me it absolutely was. It was a miracle showing that God cares about even the little things in our lives. It wasn’t flashy or showy. No mountains moved. No one was healed. But it was a miracle. God was teaching me to see.
In the April 2018 general conference, President Russell M. Nelson made this statement, “Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again. We will see miraculous indications that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, preside over this Church in majesty and glory.” [6] On this week’s devotional discussion board I asked what miraculous indications you have seen since President Nelson made this statement. I was so impressed with the observations made by so many of you who responded. Some of the observations were temples being built throughout the earth in ever increasing numbers; home centered, Church supported worship; the change to ministering; the Come Follow Me curriculum; and the timing of President Nelson’s whirlwind, world-wide tour to visit faithful Saints in 28 countries prior to travel restrictions being implemented. Thanks to everyone who participated on the devotional discussion board. It is wonderful that you are using your clarifying lens of faith to see that each of these are indeed miracles!
My last example of a miraculous indication is a personal one which happened one month after President Nelson gave that talk.
The first week of May 2018 was a turbulent time for our family. Our daughter Jenny was scheduled to deliver our first grandchild. She and her husband, Joe, were living in Orem so my wife, Marie, had gone down to help out a few days before the scheduled delivery. I stayed in Rexburg to teach my classes and planned to drive to Orem early on the morning of the delivery.
Previous to becoming pregnant, Jenny developed a potentially dangerous autoimmune condition that causes excessive bruising and bleeding. The bleeding results from unusually low levels of platelets—the cells that help blood to clot. It is critically important to moniter this condition when delivering a baby; if your platelet count drops before delivering, you have a greater risk of heavy bleeding.
On the morning of May 7 everything looked good and Jenny, Joe, Marie, and Joe’s mother, Amy, were all at the hospital awaiting the big moment. It was around noon when the text messages from Marie notified me of some progress in the delivery room. Jenny was pushing hard. The baby’s head was crowning. I was now in the hospital parking lot, anxiously awaiting each text. Finally, the baby was out! It was a boy! I texted my response and asked if I should come inside. There was no response to my text. After several minutes I resent the text and again, I did not receive a response. I had an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach. I decided to go inside and see what was happening.
When I opened the door to the outer waiting room both my wife and Joe’s mother were in the room and they were crying. It took a minute to get the details from them. I learned that the baby was okay; he had been taken to the NICU. Jenny on the other hand was not doing well. She had hemorrhaged during the delivery and had been taken to intensive care. Only Joe had been allowed to go with her. For the next hour we didn’t know much of what was happening. When we got a report on Jenny’s condition, we learned that it had been a very close call. Jenny had lost so much blood so quickly that her vital organs had begun shutting down. In the ICU she had been put on a respirator, intubated, and given several units of blood. The doctors had slowed her bleeding but had not been able to stop it completely. We were not allowed to see her until just before midnight when her condition stabilized and Joe and I were able to go to her room and give her a priesthood blessing. That night at the hotel as Marie and I said our prayers together, we thanked the Lord for the miracle of Tanner’s healthy birth and that Jenny had been spared and had a good prognosis. Five days after giving birth, Jenny was discharged from the ICU and today everyone is healthy and happy. You probably think that this happy ending is the extent of the miracle, but there is more. We did not realize it at the time, but it just so “happened” that Jenny’s labor coincided with a personnel shift-change in the labor and delivery ward. This allowed there to be double the number of doctors and nurses available as usual and it turned out that all of them were needed to get Jenny stabilized. Additionally, because of her rapid loss of blood, several units were needed on an emergency basis and thanks to the close proximity of other large hospitals, those units of blood arrived in just minutes. Viewing this medical emergency through a clarifying lens of faith I could see that miracles had happened even before we knew they were needed.
Brothers and sisters, I want to add my voice to that of Moroni’s as well as a host of other prophets, both ancient and modern, who proclaim that God lives. He is an eternal being—the same yesterday, today, and forever. As such, He is a God of miracles. He did provide many miracles for His children anciently, He continues to work miracles for us today, and He will yet perform miracles as He leads His Church and guides us in our own lives. May we remember the important role of faith, obedience, and knowing God as we practice becoming better ”see-ers” of His miracles is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] Dallin H. Oaks, “Miracles,” CES fireside, May 7, 2000.
[2] Daniel H. Ludlow, ed. Encyclopedia of Mormonism, vol. 2, 1997, 908.
[3] Mormon 9:7–11, 15, 19–20, emphasis added.
[4] See Mormon 9:20.
[5] Sydney S. Reynolds, “A God of Miracles” Ensign, May 2001.
[6] Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives” Ensign, May 2018.