A Prayer Journey
What's your story? Every traveler on this journey knows you have good days and bad days. How about the struggles that are you facing today? Do you ever feel like your prayers go unanswered? What if you could find a nugget of gold in your seeking for answers? Join me on the trail and we can tell each other our story.
Transcript
Sonny Bonani, creative, spiritual journey.
2
:Friends, thanks for joining me,
Judy, for episode 75, which I have
3
:decided to title a prayer journey.
4
:Now, we're all on a journey.
5
:We all walk this path together, a
journey home to our heavenly parents.
6
:Any experienced traveler knows that there
are days you laugh and days you cry.
7
:GH and I have created this podcast to
connect with you and to give expression to
8
:the things of our hearts, the joys and the
beauties we are discovering along the way.
9
:And all those bits of magic that
remind us that God is with us.
10
:He's in the details, he's aware of
us, and he has a perfect love for us.
11
:GH and I are just two sisters
who are in our wisdom years.
12
:That sounds better than old, huh?
13
:Who love the savior and are
dedicated to following him.
14
:Today is day 595.
15
:I have been numbering the day since
my husband and I embarked on our
16
:mission here in Durban, South Africa.
17
:Did you hear that?
18
:595.
19
:That's almost today.
20
:600.
21
:The end goal is 700, so Saturday, August
23rd leaves only 100 days remaining.
22
:I remember when we hit our day 100.
23
:It was April 11th, 2024, and I posted
a list of a hundred things I loved
24
:about serving in South Africa, which
to be honest, was kind of hard,
25
:but today I could well write over a
thousand things because it has been a
26
:journey of a thousand lessons, which
we will forever be grateful for.
27
:But this podcast, I don't want it to
be about me key and I desire for this
28
:to be a space that's uplifting and
encouraging for you so you can carry
29
:onward and forward in your journey.
30
:Just recently on August 9th, we celebrated
Women's Day here in South Africa.
31
:Wow.
32
:What a party.
33
:It was so much fun.
34
:We showed up in our pinafores.
35
:I even wore a head, duke.
36
:And these sisters sing and dance and
really know how to have a good time.
37
:My part in this was an activity.
38
:I was the spiritual side of
course, and we did an activity
39
:called Stand for Your Sister.
40
:We passed out three by five
cards and on this three by
41
:five card they were to write.
42
:Something they were facing in their
life now, a struggle, a challenge,
43
:something that if the savior stood right
beside them, they would love to hand
44
:over to him or at least understand.
45
:And so after they wrote this challenge
on their three by five card, we
46
:passed it to the center and shuffled
them up and passed them back out.
47
:And so you were to read
your sister's challenge.
48
:They were anonymous, of course.
49
:And then we asked questions like,
stand for your sister if she's
50
:struggling with mental health,
relationship problems, family problems,
51
:financial situations, depression,
loneliness, maybe a faith crisis.
52
:We just thought of all the different
things in life that a sister could
53
:be facing, and it was amazing how
many stood after we were finished.
54
:they wrote on the back of their three by
five card some words of encouragement for
55
:this sister, and then we passed them back
and set 'em on the display table for them
56
:to pick up and take if they would like.
57
:So what's your story?
58
:What would you write on
your three by five card?
59
:Let's talk about it and see if
we can find answers together.
60
:There is a Native American proverb.
61
:Tell me the facts and I'll learn.
62
:Tell me the truth, and I'll
believe, tell me a story and it
63
:will live in the heart forever.
64
:So I wanna tell you a story I've
seen how powerful stories are in
65
:helping us make sense of our lives,
and especially our own stories.
66
:Storytelling connects us.
67
:I think we are wired
for stories, don't you?
68
:Speaking, writing, reading stories.
69
:I remember hearing about a research
done on this, and I didn't take the
70
:time to look it up, I'm sorry, where
the participants, somehow their heads
71
:were wired to read the brainwaves.
72
:And when the, presenter presented
facts, dates, history, just facts, cold
73
:facts, the brain waves were disjointed.
74
:But when the presenter told a
story, there was this magic that
75
:happened that connected the flow
from one participant to the other.
76
:When we speak our truths,
especially in stories, we often
77
:help others discover the truth.
78
:Of their stories, I think about how
the savior used parables and stories to
79
:connect with his followers and how we
take those parables and those stories
80
:and we revisit them time and time again.
81
:Finding new layers and meaning,
finding the golden treasure in them.
82
:I wanna tell you a story that recently
happened that drove this truth home to me.
83
:And actually sparked this episode.
84
:So I brought with me from home,
these golden hoop earrings
85
:from my daughter Megan.
86
:They were made by Mary earrings, which if
any of you know how beautiful they are.
87
:And they were just my favorite to wear.
88
:And one day Eric and I were
headed out to Greygoose to
89
:walk on the trail and exercise.
90
:And it is winter here.
91
:We are not in the dog days.
92
:Of summer here.
93
:So I had eye coat and my beanie
and a scarf and we started walking.
94
:And of course my body heated up and
off came the scarf and the coat.
95
:And when I got back into the
car, I noticed one of my gold
96
:hoop earring was missing.
97
:Oh, I know I could buy another pair.
98
:But my sweet husband was kind enough
to walk and retrace our footsteps.
99
:Now, this trail we were on is also a 5K
run, and it's winter here, so the grass
100
:is gold, just like the gold hoop earring.
101
:This seemed like a task.
102
:Totally impossible.
103
:worse than a needle in a haystack.
104
:So we started walking and
we walked and we walked.
105
:And as we walked the
path, I had this thought.
106
:I knew that God could open my
eyes and see that gold airing.
107
:I knew it.
108
:I had enough faith that as
small as this miracle seems.
109
:Insignificant.
110
:Really in the scheme of things.
111
:He could show me the earring.
112
:I thought about the parable of the lost
coin, how the woman swept, swept, swept,
113
:swept her house and found the lost coin
and called her friends to come and rejoice
114
:with her because her lost coin was found.
115
:Then I thought about the lost
sheep, how this shepherd leaves
116
:his 90 and nine to go out and find
the one he leaves and travels.
117
:Far into the wilderness and he finds
his little sheep, puts him on his
118
:shoulders and returns rejoicing.
119
:Then I thought of the prodigal son.
120
:The story of the young man who leaves
his home, takes his inheritance and
121
:squanderers it, and finds himself in
a pigsty hungry, cold, and wanting
122
:more than anything to return home.
123
:And when he does, his father runs to
meet him, embraces him, puts on him the
124
:finest coat and the finest ring, and has
the fatted calf killed and a party of
125
:celebration for his son had returned.
126
:Now, the first two, there's a lot
of action in them sweeping, going
127
:out and searching in the wilderness,
and we hear time and time again
128
:how faith is an action word.
129
:But what about this father and
the mother of this prodigal son?
130
:They seem to be waiting at the window,
maybe with the coat and the ring and
131
:the fatted calf prepared for this
return, waiting on the Lord for a
132
:prayer that seemed unanswered or not.
133
:So, and come follow me.
134
:Back in July 25th, there is a
story from Virginia Pierce of a
135
:friend of hers who much like the
prodigal, son's her children, had
136
:grown up and left home, but also.
137
:The spiritual home that she had planted
within them, the gospel of Jesus Christ.
138
:And this mother prayed to know what
to do, and she felt prompted to go
139
:and increase her temple attendance.
140
:And this is what she said, quote, after
10 years of increased temple attendance
141
:and constant prayer, I'm sorry to say that
my children's choices have not changed.
142
:But I have, I'm a different woman.
143
:I have a softer heart.
144
:I'm filled with compassion.
145
:I have given up my time limits
and am able to wait on the Lord.
146
:I experience frequent
manifestations of the Lord's power.
147
:He sends tenders, mercies, small
messages that acknowledge his
148
:love for me and our children.
149
:My expectations have changed instead
of expecting my children to change.
150
:My prayers have changed.
151
:I express more love and I'm more
thankful the Lord works in marvelous
152
:ways, and I truly am filled with the
peace that passes all understanding.
153
:When I read that, I
thought, wow, I relate.
154
:Her story is my story, and I
bet it's many of your stories.
155
:I know it was many of the
stories of the Women's three by
156
:five cards at Women's Day, but.
157
:So this week in the doctrine
covenants, and come follow me.
158
:We studied doctrine covenants 88.
159
:we read in 63 and 64.
160
:Draw near unto me and I
will draw near unto you.
161
:Seek me diligently and you shall find me.
162
:Ask and you shall receive.
163
:Knock and it shall be
opened unto you whatsoever.
164
:You ask the father in my name, it shall be
given unto you that is expedient for you.
165
:Expedient.
166
:What does this mean?
167
:You look down in the footnotes and
it says Doctrine covenants 18, 18.
168
:Which reads, ask the father
in my name and faith.
169
:Believing that you shall receive and
you shall have the Holy Ghost, which
170
:manifest as all things which are
expedient unto the children of man.
171
:And you look in the footnotes and it just
takes you back to doctor in covenants 88.
172
:So I went and looked up, what
does this word expedient mean?
173
:It means suitable for a purpose,
a way to achieve a goal quickly.
174
:And easily.
175
:Oh, okay.
176
:I also like looking up the root word,
whether it's Hebrew, Latin, Greek,
177
:Egyptian, this one happens to be Latin and
is Expedit free from feet out of a bind.
178
:So the ex.
179
:It means out of, and ped means
foot, like foot pedal, and so
180
:free from feet out of a bind.
181
:I don't know about you, but this
conjured up images of a snare.
182
:A snare that you catch an animal in.
183
:So in South Africa, we have some
beautiful wild game preserves and we've
184
:been on some amazing wild game drives.
185
:But There's a big problem here in
South Africa and that is poaching and
186
:the poachers of course use rifles, but
there's also a wire snare that is used.
187
:I started noticing that in
the gift shops there is this
188
:company called Down to the Wire.
189
:Where they take the snares that animals
have been caught in and create these
190
:handcrafted products from the snares,
bracelets, and earrings, and the
191
:proceeds go to help, with anti-poaching.
192
:So if we're to use this image
of being caught in a snare.
193
:As expedient for us to be freed from a
situation in doctrine covenants 88 64.
194
:Let's Reread it with this
image of a snare in mind.
195
:Whatsoever you ask the father in
my name, it shall be given unto
196
:you that is expedient for you.
197
:Now, I think we can all think of
situations that feel like a snare that
198
:It's important for us to get out of.
199
:Now, I don't have permission
to share this story.
200
:So I won't mention names.
201
:I'm gonna just generalize because right
now this family is in a snare or that
202
:are called the Valley of the Shadow of
Death with their child fighting cancer.
203
:This family has well over a hundred
thousand, I don't know how many
204
:followers praying for them when
their story went viral all over the
205
:world with daily Post it captured.
206
:So many people's heart, I think it's
impossible to calculate how their faith
207
:in the raw struggles in their being
vulnerable and sharing the courage and
208
:the battle, and sharing their light.
209
:I bet it has changed hearts and has
rippled out and helped lift others.
210
:I am sure one might wonder with as many
followers pleading and begging for a
211
:miracle, some might wonder if there
really is a God who hears prayers.
212
:Some might even be angry at him.
213
:And miss the miracles.
214
:I haven't walked this path of losing
a child, so I won't even begin to
215
:put a voice to the unthinkable.
216
:My point of mentioning this is
because this is so many people's
217
:story of a really big and important
prayer that seems unanswered.
218
:There is a woman that I adore.
219
:Her name's Chico Koski.
220
:She served as the first counselor in the
general presidency of the Church of Jesus
221
:Christ of Latter Day Saints back in 1990
222
:I remember loving her talks.
223
:In fact, I revisit them
every now and then.
224
:But I also had one of her books called
Lighten Up, and when I was thinking
225
:about creating this episode, one of
her stories came to my remembrance.
226
:And so I began searching for that story.
227
:See another example of
the power of a story.
228
:I.
229
:Quote, when we are in the valley
of the shadow, it is a time
230
:of questions without answers.
231
:We ask, how can I bear this?
232
:Why did such a good woman have to die?
233
:Why aren't my prayers being
answered in this life?
234
:We will not.
235
:Receive answers to many questions
of why, partly because the
236
:limitations of mortality prevent us
from understanding the full plan.
237
:But I testify to you that the answer
of faith is a powerful one, even in
238
:the most difficult of circumstances
because it does not depend on
239
:us, on our strength to endure.
240
:Or our willpower or our
intellectual understanding or on
241
:the resources we can accumulate.
242
:No, it depends on God.
243
:Whose strength is omnipotent?
244
:Whose understanding is that of
eternity and who has the will to walk
245
:beside us in love sharing our burden?
246
:He could.
247
:Yeah, he could part the Red Sea before us,
or calm the angry storm that besets us.
248
:But these would be small
miracles for a God of nature.
249
:Instead, he chooses to
do something harder.
250
:He wants to transform human
nature into divine nature.
251
:And thus, when our Red Sea blocks
our way and when the storms threaten
252
:to overwhelm us, he enters the water
with us, holding us in the hands
253
:of his love, supporting us with.
254
:His arms of mercy.
255
:When we merge from the valley
of shadow, we will see that he
256
:was there with us all the time.
257
:So lovely.
258
:Such imagery.
259
:I am confident saying that he is
always in our story and we don't have
260
:to overcome challenges on our own.
261
:We can rely on the strength that
comes through the Savior's atonement
262
:and his perfect love for us.
263
:We do not need to solve what is written on
our three by five cards because the Lord
264
:knows this challenge that you are facing
and waits to free us from that snare.
265
:There is this beautiful book, written
and illustrated by Charlie McKay titled
266
:The Boy The Mole, the Fox and the Horse,
these unusual friends are having a
267
:conversation about these hard things.
268
:Quote, what do we do when our hearts hurt?
269
:Ask the boy.
270
:We wrap them with friendship, share
tears and time till they wake.
271
:Hopeful and happy again.
272
:Set the horse.
273
:I invite you, my friends, to take a minute
to write some thoughts about your story.
274
:What are you struggling with?
275
:And in prayer, seek to be able to
find the gold, the golden gift, the
276
:gift that the struggle has to offer.
277
:'cause I promise you,
they are always there.
278
:No.
279
:I never found my gold earring,
280
:I guess it just wasn't expedient for
me, but I did find a little nugget
281
:of wisdom as the spirit taught me.
282
:Go and seek that golden nugget.
283
:And how going through this struggle has
changed your story, has changed your
284
:heart, your expectation, and your prayers.
285
:In other words, seek.
286
:And search your heart to see
your savior walking beside you,
287
:helping you out of that snare.
288
:My petal blessing ends with a blessing.
289
:Of course it does.
290
:That says quote.
291
:That I am blessed, that I may await
the direction of the Lord according to
292
:his spirit and influence in my life.
293
:And so I will,
294
:gh, and I know that your
time and attention is.
295
:A currency that everyone is bidding for.
296
:So thank you for spending this
precious moment with us on the
297
:Creative Spiritual Journey podcast.
298
:if you've enjoyed our time together and
know someone else who might benefit from
299
:this message, please share it with them.
300
:And if you will, give us a thumbs
up and even write a review.
301
:because even Gia and I need a thatta
boy to keep us motivated to keep going.
302
:Let me finish with some Zulu
wisdom, a Zulu proverb that says
303
:The path is made by walking.
304
:Of course it is.
305
:which means seekers.
306
:You must move forward even when the
destination is unseen, and remember
307
:that God is guiding you in your journey.
308
:Thanks friend.
309
:And Gia Kanda.
310
:I will see you on the trail.