Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Asking Questions: What should I expect from this lesson?

In the Lorenzo Snow manual there is a sub-heading (on page 25) "Ministering to Individuals."  It talks about leaders ministering to individuals and not letting their leadership callings get in the way.

The example they give is an event in 1891 where Lorenzo Snow raised a child from the dead.

I read the example and I asked myself both what I am expect to expect of myself, and what it is fair to expect from leaders based on this story.

If I experience great sorrow, should I expect an Apostle to come and comfort me?  Do I have the right to expect them to raise the dead if I have a child die?

If not, what is the point of the example?

I ask myself questions like that. 

Since this is the sole time that Elder Snow raised the dead I don't think that (that I should expect the dead to be raised) is a fair expectation.  Since during times of great loss I ended up without even a home teacher until God sent us Alan Black.  I don't think it is probable that I should expect more.

But what should I learn to expect from myself then?  What do I learn from that story if not what to expect from leaders?  Taking the story deeper than the surface, what should I do in likening that example to myself in doing what I should do?

What do you think?
  • What is important to pay attention to.
  • What are we to care about and to do first?
  • What should we expect of others?
  • What should we expect of ourselves?
  • How do we expect the things we should expect?