Ask, and it shall be given you

In my study of the Bible, and over my lifetime of going to church, I have heard many times the promise Christ makes , usually assumed to be about prayer: "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Luke 11:9-10). I think it's about prayer, too, because who else are we going to ask for something we need? If I want something, I'm a lot smarter to ask for it from someone who has it than to ask someone I know doesn't have it. God has all, and has promised all, and so if He and His Son make this promise, They can back it up. After reading this verse yet again, I decided to try it, pure and simple. Of course, I'm always praying for these, requesting safety, etc., but this time, I decided to just outright ask for what I needed. It was something good, and something I knew He could give me. And guess what? So far I've gotten it. After Joseph Smith got his answer, which came in a way he hadn't realized it would, he still had a lot of responsibility, as we all do when we ask for something from God, and the receive it. But the testimony gained from receiving something I didn't have before, just by asking for it, helps with the added responsibility.

Thanks for Remembering

So, maybe this is a bit random, but the other day as I was crossing the street between the JKB and the Tanner Building, a guy walking one direction said hello to one of his classmates crossing the other direction. The other classmate stopped, and said, "You're Jeff, right?" So far, this is not any different than the ordinary exchange between two people who barely know each other. But Jeff's response made me think. With a smile, he said, "Hey, thanks for remembering." All at once, I remembered that people really do appreciate being remembered, especially with specifics like names. Just last week I heard somewhere that using people's names when you talk to them or are teaching them helps them to feel more involved, apparently helping them to learn more and remember more, and all around have a more effective and enjoyable exchange. It's a technique we talked about in the mission field, how significant and powerful it was that God called Joseph Smith by name when appearing to him, and how using the names of the people we were teaching made them feel more involved. It also helped us to personalize our teaching of the gospel to them. It was difficult remember people's names, since I met so many each day, but for those names I did remember, more times than not it pleased them. It's as though forgetting a person's name erases the connections made in the last dialogue, but remembering that person's name, even if a lengthy time has passed, enables progress to continue from those connections made at the time of meeting. Sometimes on campus, I see someone I recognize by face, but not by name. Sometimes they call me by name. If I don't know their name when they call me by name, I feel bad (because I'm not famous yet), so when I remember someone's name, and they don't remember mine, I know how they feel. Names are important, and the first step to beginning a successful friendship, in my opinion. I'm grateful for Jeff, who reminded me how grateful I am when people remember my name, and how I should make a conscious effort to remember people's names better.