Seek out the one....

I had the privilege to listen to one of the most inspiring talks I've heard in a long while last week.  At a work activity we had the privilege of listening to Janice Kapp Perry.  She is a music composer of some music that had changed many lives.   There were so many good things in her talk and I'd like to share one of them.  She shared an experience where she started to include in her prayers everyday that she may seek out and find someone to bless through service.  She shared a powerful experience of serving an older lady that lost her sight.  She began to visit her and read to her, and eventually started to rub her feet.  A few weeks before this old ladies' death she had the opportunity to wash her feet.  She shared how she was able to connect to the Savior and relate with Him as He washed His disciples feet.  I decided to include this request of seeking out someone to bless in my morning prayers.

Elder Bednar teaches a powerful concept of acting and not waiting to be acted upon.  Just making the request is not sufficient enough.  Let me share my yesterday to show how waiting to be acted upon is not the right way.  In my daily routine, I requested in my morning prayer that I may bless someone's life that day.  After the day's end I reflected on how I did.  I found two opportunities that I missed because of my lack of acting, and lack of seeking out the opportunity.  While at lunch, a man asked for a bowl of soup.  I work at a place where I run across people or beggars often.  They usually are always asking for money.  I don't carry money with me.  I've got use to the begging, and am guilty of replying with the auto reply, "I'm sorry, I don't have anything."  With this particular person, he was asking for food not money.  There was a cafe nearby, and a friend and co-worker of mine took him inside and bought him a bowl of soup.  This was easy enough and something I could have done.  If I acted and sought out how to bless his life, I would have not been caught up in the auto reply of "I'm sorry, I don't have anything."  I do have something - and I missed out on sharing.

After returning late last night from watching my daughter's softball game I got a message from my mother on some help my father needed.  I quickly remembered a couple of days ago him telling my how he almost dug himself in a hole trying to install a sump pump.  I recalled my conversation with him, and not once did I offer any help.  I was more than willing to help if asked, but I was not seeking out the opportunity to help.

So, I'm not doing so well in seeking out the one.  This is harder than it seems, especially when there are so many priorities and things that you are juggling.  These are just two examples of missed opportunities, I'm sure there are so many more that I have not realized I missed.  What opportunities have you missed to bless someone else?  This is going to take some work on my part