Miracle of the 20 Referrals

The Helaman Sons Letters Issue No. 17 – The Miracle of the 20 Referrals

At 7:00 a.m. on Sunday, July 30 (1989) we met in an early morning Presidency meeting at the Visitors’ Center.  After discussing various topics, we began talking about our goal that month of 40 referrals.  Because we only had 20 referrals at the time, our first inclination was to abandon the goal.  Then Don began to talk about faith, and some of the things Elder Gene R. Cook had said in his fireside.  At that point something incredible happened.  We had an amazing outpouring of the Spirit.  I have never felt the Spirit to that degree in a Presidency meeting.  The Spirit testified to each of us that the 40 referrals was still within our reach, if we exercised our faith.  We each shared our testimonies and our feeling that with the Lord’s help we could do anything.  At that point we knelt in prayer and pled with the Lord for this blessing.  Again He confirmed to us that if we would sacrifice, it was possible.  When the prayer was over, many of us were weeping.  We shared our love for one another, and then went out to spread the vision!  At the Sacrament meeting that day (a Visitors’ Center Sunday), the Spirit was also strong.  Each speaker presented his message with the Spirit.  As each Youth Guide and Ammonite learned of the goal, we could see the light of faith burn in his or her eyes.  I think most of us spent that day doing about the same things; we invited not yet member friends for a tour, invited members to bring down their friends, and prayed to the Lord that He would give us this blessing.  Not one doubt was expressed the whole day!

That night we had almost 30 youth at the Visitors’ Center.  We worked!!  Groups of Guides and Ammonites went over to Pioneer Park to invite people over for tours.  No Guide was sitting down!  I think everyone had a prayer in his heart that we would be able to reach the goal before Monday night.  At the end of the night, the referral count was 20!!  The Lord had helped us obtain all the referrals we needed in one night!  We rarely had 20 referrals in a whole month.  Yet the Lord was mindful of our faith and hard work, and He blessed us more than we had ever imagined.  The excitement in Room 3 at the end of the night was only surpassed by the gratitude that each one of us felt toward the Lord.  He had helped us bring to pass a spiritual miracle!  Many testimonies were strengthened that day.  I think that all of us gained a better understanding of what the Savior meant when he said,

            If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.  Mark 9:23

David

How did all of this occur?  First, a valiant leader, Don, talked of faith and ideas about faith.  As he did, something amazing began to happen:

1.                  There was an OUTPOURING of the Spirit that was amazing.

2.                  The Spirit testified the goal was within reach, if we EXERCISED our faith.

3.                  We SHARED testimonies and feelings that with Lord’s help we could do anything.

4.                  We knelt in prayer and PLED with Lord for THIS blessing.

5.                  The Spirit confirmed if we would SACRIFICE, it was possible.

6.                  We shared LOVE for one another.

7.                  Went out to SPREAD the VISION!

8.                  As each learned of goal, light of faith BURNED IN THEIR EYES.

9.                  Worked, worked and PRAYED.

10.              NOT ONE DOUBT WAS EXPRESSED THE WHOLE TIME

11.              Many came and WORKED, no one was sitting down.

12.              PRAYER in each heart for goal by Monday.

13.              The Lord was mindful of our FAITH and HARD WORK and He BLESSED US more than we had ever imagined, by giving us all 20 referrals in ONE night. 

14.              There was a SPIRITUAL MIRACLE which caused HAPPINESS and GRATITUDE.

15.              TESTIMONIES were strengthened.  SCRIPTURES came ALIVE.

I was there that morning for the Presidency meeting.  I am continually amazed at how sincere the young Youth Guide leaders were.  Under No. 3 above I remember what happened to Ben.  David started out by bearing his testimony, followed by Doug and Shad.  They each professed faith in the Lord and that the goal could be reached.  Then it was Ben’s turn.  Ben said, “When David was bearing his testimony something happened to me which was strengthened by each succeeding testimony.  When we started I didn’t believe I had the faith, but by the time it was my turn to bear testimony I had changed…and I BELIEVED!”  I personally think that this was the day Ben received his testimony that the Gospel is true.

It says we knelt in prayer and pled with the Lord.  There is a difference between asking and pleading and I learned more about it that morning.  It was very quiet in the room, and in the prayer David was voice.  As he prayed and pled with the Lord for THIS particular blessing of receiving our referral goal, I began to hear tears dropping to the carpet!  I began to understand how important this goal was to these young leaders.  It was not the referrals alone they were praying for, although having the Gospel touch any life is wonderful and a great blessing.  He was praying for the youth in the Program to have something spiritual happen in their lives that would make them different than they had been.  He was praying for a mighty change to take place in their hearts and their lives…and it DID!

After this marvelous spiritual experience in that Presidency meeting, each one of the leaders then was able to look the Youth Guides in the eyes and share their total belief that the goal would be reached.  There was not one doubt and because the leaders believed the rest believed, too.  However, faith without works is dead, so they made a plan and worked the plan with all their might.  Everyone who could came and worked.  They thought of new ways to do things, new places to find nonmembers, and as they worked they continued to have a prayer drawn out in their hearts that the goal would be reached.

Since the spiritual and temporal work had been done, the Lord provided what was up to then a HUGE amount of referrals in one day.  It was so large that it can be classified as a miracle to have received that many.  On the 30^th of July in Mesa, Arizona, just to be able to find anybody outside who was willing to take time in the stifling heat to go on a tour is miraculous in itself! What was the end result?  Not only was the whole Program energized and excited, in addition each Youth Guide felt an immense debt of gratitude for the blessing of receiving the goal.  Testimonies were strengthened and for perhaps the first time in many young lives the scriptures really came alive… If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.  Mark 9:23

Bro. P.