shushy
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Post by shushy on Jan 22, 2011 14:59:34 GMT -5
I notice in the last yr a number of workers or ex workers here that I did not notice before. Im still intrigued also concerned by some things.
I have come to believe strongly in prayer and the power of prayer and proved faith.
Did you ever as a group of leaders pray together for example in the workers meeting at convention about choosing new workers, which field the worker would be delegated too? Did the Lord show you who to choose? did you get agreement before setting them apart? And when you are delegated to your post for the yr did you ever pray together in agreement for anything? Gods direction for the town? Which elders to pray with? Did you receive revelation on what it was the Lord wanted you to preach or teach?
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Post by Gene on Jan 22, 2011 16:40:42 GMT -5
Nope, none of the above.
EXCEPT -- When I was with Hubert Childers, he and I would pray together on our knees in our room before a gospel meeting. He was about 80 years old at the time. He was the overseer of our state (Texas, USA) and what I remember most about those prayer sessions was him praying for all the workers in the state. But he couldn't remember all their names. So it would come out like this: "...and we pray for Jim and...................... <pause while searching his memory for the name of Jim's companion>.......... his companion, and LaVerne and.................. her companion, and..." etc. I found it touching and amusing at the same time.
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Post by Alan Vandermyden on Jan 22, 2011 19:23:52 GMT -5
Nope, none of the above. EXCEPT -- When I was with Hubert Childers, he and I would pray together on our knees in our room before a gospel meeting. He was about 80 years old at the time. He was the overseer of our state (Texas, USA) and what I remember most about those prayer sessions was him praying for all the workers in the state. But he couldn't remember all their names. So it would come out like this: "...and we pray for Jim and...................... <pause while searching his memory for the name of Jim's companion>.......... his companion, and LaVerne and.................. her companion, and..." etc. I found it touching and amusing at the same time. Ditto. I did have two or three older companions who liked to pray together before gospel meetings, though none had the particular memory problem Gene mentioned. Our field assignments were generally a matter of great anticipation as we waited for the new list to be posted, which was after the Santee worker meeting, near the end of the California conventions. I have been told (by current CA workers) things are somewhat different in California now, with Dale S. visiting with each worker in the days and weeks preceding the worker meeting, telling them each where and with whom they will be working. He also encourages them to talk with the previous workers in the field to help make the "transition." I do see this as a positive step, removing some of the "mystique" we experienced regarding the CA list each year. I did have several years when I knew my companion and field ahead of the worker meeting, because I was involved out here in the Pacific, which involved more travel, longer time away (in those days), foreign languages, etc. Micronesia in particular was kind of a "foreign" field, though it was still administered by the California overseers (and still is). When I was first assigned to Hawai`i in the early 80s, workers often stayed here a couple of years at a stretch too, I suppose in an effort to reduce travel costs. I do remember praying earnestly the night before the worker meeting in one particular year, because I suddenly had this feeling - early that night - that I was going to be with one of the two older brother workers I most definitely did not want to be with. I struggled with it all night and settled it, and sure enough, I was assigned to work with one of them! Because I approached the year prayerfully like that, the year did go well for me, and the man highly commended me in the worker meeting the following year. Having a good year included me setting my foot down very firmly three times when I felt he was just pushing things way too far. Others in CA felt the same way about this man, though there are certain areas in which we have all grown to respect him too. To give a more complete answer in regard to this matter of praying about fields, I did feel directed by God in deciding to learn an island language - Marshallese (and there are plenty of languages to choose from in the Pacific) - and I found that to be very helpful in later dealing with - and helping - a specific situation within a family out there. Learning that language insured my involvement in these islands (which I love!), but again, I did feel directed in it - I worried about it just being me wanting to work in this beautiful place. One thing that I found particularly interesting in regard to "foreign fields" is that I never considered the idea particularly difficult. Granted, I did have a couple of very lonely years out here, and found myself in tears on a few occasions. And, I'm well aware that the Pacific islands do not bring some of the "privations" some areas bring. But, from the time I went into the work, I always wondered why anyone would want to stay in the same country, speaking English all their lives. Not meaning to sound flippant or self-righteous here - I just thought of it in that way. I bring this up because I know that some workers have had a great struggle to be willing for a foreign country. The work itself was a struggle for me, but it all seemed the same after that. And this is not intended at all to discount someone else's struggle or experience - this is just the way things worked out for me. To return to the original question in this thread, we were taught to trust the older, "responsible," workers' decisions regarding fields and companions. We were taught that they "saw the whole picture," "knew what was best," and it was at least implied that they prayed about things.
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Post by apple on Jan 22, 2011 19:53:15 GMT -5
Nope, none of the above. EXCEPT -- When I was with Hubert Childers, he and I would pray together on our knees in our room before a gospel meeting. He was about 80 years old at the time. He was the overseer of our state (Texas, USA) and what I remember most about those prayer sessions was him praying for all the workers in the state. But he couldn't remember all their names. So it would come out like this: "...and we pray for Jim and...................... <pause while searching his memory for the name of Jim's companion>.......... his companion, and LaVerne and.................. her companion, and..." etc. I found it touching and amusing at the same time. Thank you for sharing that sweet memory.
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shushy
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Post by shushy on Jan 25, 2011 15:56:22 GMT -5
Thank you all for your posts.
Al I love to hear how God leads people, how he speaks to them, how he moves them to action and inspires them. Whether through vision/dream/ feeling/ sensing/ a scripture/ a thought etc It makes our relationship with him more real. I love the rhema and the logos working together. It kills religion and brings heaven into our reality and experience. The early Apostles heard from God on a regular basis, why cant we?
Why are people not comfortable with this or discussing this? Because we have been told we are delusional or hallucinating or insane or have grandiose ideas and yet it was normal for the early church. Hearing from God.
I would like to hear more how the workers are lead by the holy spirit from their initial responding to the call, how to preach their sermons, to interreacting/communicating and praying together and getting results for anything from Gods leading and guiding to healing. Why? Its me. If I sit down with my close friends back home we will spend hours and days if we had time discussing all these things in unnanimated excitment, joy, laughter, intimacy, tears, etc joined together in unity. Revealing to one another the goodness of God and how he speaks to us, how much we love him, how wondeerful he is and the experiences we went through while he was doing a work either in our life or some other individuals life.
He's not stagnant he's constantly on the move.
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Post by Alan Vandermyden on Jan 25, 2011 17:06:23 GMT -5
I love to hear how God leads people, how he speaks to them, how he moves them to action and inspires them. Whether through vision/dream/ feeling/ sensing/ a scripture/ a thought etc [. . .]
I would like to hear more how the workers are lead by the holy spirit from their initial responding to the call, how to preach their sermons, to interreacting/communicating and praying together and getting results for anything from Gods leading and guiding to healing. [. . ]
Sure! I have to run now, but this does sound like an interesting topic. I'll try to "gather my thoughts" a bit (does that sound workerish?) - let things simmer awhile - and will try to share some of my experience in that regard.
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shushy
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Post by shushy on Jan 25, 2011 19:52:20 GMT -5
Sounds great Al.
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