Sis. Kay Bashford gave a wonderful lesson from the talk 'Small and Simple Things' by Elder Valenzuela from the October 2013 General Conference. In the Book of Alma, in The Book of Mormon, Alma is talking to his son Helaman. He says, "Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls" (Alma 37:6-7). Sis. Bashford reminds us that the word 'means' can mean process, resource, way, a manner, or course.
There were many examples from sisters in our ward about how a small and simple act brought about a great change. Sis. Sue Schilling told the story of how the notes in her fathers' scriptures helped her sister, who had been inactive for many years, come back to full activity in the church. Sis. Jackie Milonas just last Saturday told a non-member friend who was in the hospital that she could receive a priesthood blessing. These small and simple ways have the potential to bring about much good to those around us.
In Elder Valenzuela's talk he reminds us of Naaman, a captain of the kind of Syria, but also a leper. When he was searching for a cure for his leprosy the prophet Elisha sent a messenger to him and told him to go and wash in the river Jordan seven times. Naaman was waiting for a mighty miracle to cure his leprosy, but it was a small and simple thing that he was commanded to do in order to become clean.
It is by small and simple things that we will be able to reach out to those around us and rescue them, as Elder Valenzuela has promised us. "And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kindom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many sould unto me!" (D&C 18:15-16)
See the entire talk HERE.
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