>>WHAT A THRILLING LIFE
AWAITS YOU. >>THE ACQUISITION OF KNOWLEDGE
IS A SACRED ACTIVITY. >>A TRULY EDUCATED MAN
NEVER CEASES TO LEARN. >>THE FUTURE IS IN YOUR HANDS. THE OUTCOME IS UP TO YOU. >>THIS BYU DEVOTIONAL ADDRESS
WITH DALLAN MOODY WAS GIVEN ON MARCH 6, 2012. >>GOOD MORNING,
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AND WELCOME TO
OUR CAMPUS DEVOTIONAL, WHERE BROTHER DALLAN R. MOODY
WILL BE OUR SPEAKER. WE WELCOME HIS WIFE, APRIL,
WHO IS SEATED ON THE STAND, AS WELL AS THEIR
FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO HAVE JOINED WITH US. ORIGINALLY FROM
KENNEWICK, WASHINGTON, HE RECEIVED A BACHELOR'S DEGREE
IN STATISTICS WITH A MINOR IN MATHEMATICS
FROM BYU. HE LATER EARNED AN MBA
FROM UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY. FOLLOWING HIS GRADUATION
FROM BYU BROTHER MOODY WORKED FOR
A TECHNOLOGY COMPANY, THEN SPENT SIX YEARS
WORKING FOR THE LDS CHURCH AUDIT DEPARTMENT. WHILE WORKING FOR THE CHURCH,
HE PASSED THE CERTIFIED INTERNAL AUDITOR EXAM
AND PERFORMED AUDITS IN VARIOUS PLACES
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. DALLAN JOINED BYU ATHLETICS
IN 2008 AS THE ASSOCIATE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
OVER FINANCES, MERGING TWO OF
HIS GREAT PASSIONS: NUMBERS AND SPORTS. HE IS PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE
FOR OVERSEEING THE DAY-TO-DAY FINANCIAL OPERATIONS
OF THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING SCHOLARSHIPS,
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, AND BUDGETS. BROTHER MOODY SERVED
A FULL-TIME MISSION TO LONDON, ENGLAND. HE HAS SERVED
AS A BISHOP IN OREM AND CURRENTLY SERVES ON THE
AUDIT COMMITTEE OF HIS STAKE AND IN THE HIGH PRIEST GROUP
LEADERSHIP IN HIS WARD. HE AND HIS WIFE, APRIL,
ARE THE PARENTS OF FOUR BOYS, AGES FIVE THROUGH 12,
WHO ARE ALL ENTHUSIASTIC BYU FANS. AND NOW WE'LL HEAR FROM
BROTHER DALLAN MOODY. >>AS A BRAND NEW MISSIONARY
IN ENGLAND, I WAS ASSIGNED TO
THE SOUTHERN COAST FOR MY FIRST AREA. ONE SUNDAY AFTERNOON,
MY COMPANION AND I DECIDED TO GO TRACTING
IN THE SMALL TOWN OF SANDWICH, LOCATED JUST A FEW MILES NORTH
OF THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER. AFTER A FEW HOURS
KNOCKING ON DOORS, FEELING LIKE WE MUST HAVE
TALKED TO EVERY LIVING PERSON IN THE PLACE,
AND WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS AT ALL, WE SAT DEJECTEDLY DOWN
ON A NEARBY BENCH. ALTHOUGH IT WAS SUMMER TIME,
AS SOMETIMES HAPPENS IN ENGLAND,
IT WAS A RATHER COLD AND DAMP DAY. FEELING DOWNCAST
DUE TO THE LACK OF RESPONSE IN OUR EFFORTS
TO SHARE THE GOSPEL, MY COMPANION TRIED
TO LIGHTEN THE MOOD BY REMARKING,
"IT'S OKAY, ELDER. IT COULD BE WORSE. IT COULD BE ONE DEGREE COLDER
RIGHT NOW." HIS COMMENT WAS WELL-RECEIVED
AND HIT HOME. LIFE REALLY WASN'T BAD. WE WERE IN A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY. WE HAD THE GOSPEL. WE WERE MISSIONARIES
ON THE LORD'S ERRAND. IN FACT, I HAD MORE BLESSINGS
THAN PROBLEMS. I FELT MUCH BETTER
KNOCKING ON DOORS THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON,
ARMED WITH AN ENLIGHTENED ATTITUDE
AND A PURER PERSPECTIVE, ALTHOUGH I WAS STILL COLD,
STILL DAMP, AND STILL WISHED
SOMEONE WOULD LISTEN. AS INSIGHTFUL AND PERCEPTIVE
AS WAS MY COMPANION'S POINT, THAT "IT COULD BE WORSE,
IT COULD BE ONE DEGREE COLDER," WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT DOES
GET ONE DEGREE COLDER? OR, FOR THAT MATTER,
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN, METAPHORICALLY SPEAKING,
IT GETS 10 OR EVEN 50 DEGREES COLDER? WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN THE PRESSURE IS ON, THE CROWD IS WATCHING,
AND THE GAME IS ON THE LINE? IN A COLLEGE ENVIRONMENT,
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE HOMEWORK IS GRUELING,
THE EXAMS ARE PUNISHING, THE ROOMMATES ARE EXASPERATING,
AND THE LONGED-FOR ETERNAL COMPANION
IS NOT MATERIALIZING? OR AFTER COLLEGE,
WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU DON'T LAND A JOB,
GET LAID OFF, HAVE STRESS IN YOUR MARRIAGE,
HAVE POOR HEALTH, OR YOUR TEENAGERS DON'T LISTEN? IN THOSE TIMES OF TRIAL,
DESPAIR, FEAR, AND WORRY, I SAY THAT IS THE TIME
WHEN THE STAGE IS BEST SET FOR GOD TO SHOW FORTH HIS POWER. INDEED, IT IS OFTEN IN THE MOST
DIRE OF CIRCUMSTANCES THAT GOD'S ARM IS REVEALED
MOST MIRACULOUSLY. MIRACLES REQUIRE FAITH
AND GENERALLY SOME AMOUNT OF COURAGE AND HOPE
ON OUR PART, AS WELL AS TRUST THAT GOD
WILL ALWAYS DO HIS PART. WE MUST ALSO REMEMBER
THAT GOD'S WAYS ARE NOT OUR WAYS. HIS RESPONSE TO
A GIVEN SITUATION MIGHT BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT
WE WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN. IN ADDITION,
THE TIMING OF HIS RESPONSE COULD VARY GREATLY
FROM OUR EXPECTATION OF TIMING. YET IN ALL CASES,
GOD'S INVOLVEMENT IN OUR LIVES IS CAREFULLY CRAFTED
TO BRING ABOUT THE GREATEST GOOD. FOR "HE DOETH NOT ANYTHING
SAVE IT BE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE WORLD." SEVERAL YEARS AGO,
I GAVE A LESSON IN MY ELDERS QUORUM BASED ON
THE FIRST PRESIDENCY MESSAGE IN THE JULY 2004 ENSIGN
WRITTEN BY PRESIDENT THOMAS S. MONSON
ENTITLED "MIRACLES OF FAITH." ONE PART OF THE LESSON
PARTICULARLY STRUCK ME BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUENESS
OF A PRINCIPLE THAT I HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED,
WHICH AFTERWARDS BECAME EVEN MORE PERSONALLY POIGNANT
BECAUSE OF IMMINENT EVENTS THAT WERE ABOUT TO OCCUR
IN OUR HOME. FROM TIME TO TIME,
THE LORD PUTS CERTAIN TRUTHS INTO OUR HEARTS
THAT AFFECT OUR FUTURE DESTINY. WE MAY NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND
HIS REASON FOR TEACHING US THESE PRINCIPLES
AT THESE PARTICULAR TIMES. INSTEAD, IT IS OFTEN ONCE
WE HAVE PASSED THROUGH THE ENSUING EXPERIENCES
THAT CLARITY COMES. WE CAN THEN LOOK BACK,
THROUGH LIFE'S LENSES, AND MORE FULLY SEE THAT
GOD DOES PREPARE A WAY FOR US TO ACCOMPLISH
WHAT HE COMMANDETH. PART OF PRESIDENT MONSON'S
MESSAGE THAT I SHARED WITH MY ELDERS QUORUM READ:
WHAT STRUCK ME WAS THAT THE 'ABSENCE OF THE MIRACLE'
COULD ACTUALLY BE A MIRACLE IN AND OF ITSELF. THE PREMISE BEING THAT
AS GOD'S WAYS AND THOUGHTS ARE HIGHER THAN MAN'S,
AT TIMES THE LORD MAY CHOOSE TO PROVIDE A MIRACLE
COUNTER-INTUITIVE TO WHAT WE MAY WANT,
KNOWING FULL WELL HIS END PURPOSE. AND BECAUSE OF
THE ABSENCE OF THE MIRACLE FIXED IN OUR MINDS,
HE'S BETTER ABLE TO HELP US GROW,
AND THUS BECOME HAPPIER THAN WE EVER COULD HAVE BEEN
HAD WE RECEIVED THE DESIRED MIRACLE
FOR WHICH WE HAD PRAYED. AT THE TIME I NAIVELY THOUGHT
MY IMPRESSION OF THAT PRINCIPLE WAS BECAUSE I HAD
GIVEN A BLESSING TO THE DAUGHTER OF A FAMILY
I HOME TAUGHT, HOPING THAT A DRAMATIC RECOVERY
WOULD SPARK THE FAMILY BACK INTO ACTIVITY. WHEN THE LITTLE GIRL
ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL THAT SAME DAY,
I THOUGHT THE ABSENCE OF THE MIRACLE WOULD SOMEHOW
BLESS THEIR LIFE MORE THAN HAD SHE BEEN MIRACULOUSLY HEALED. HOWEVER,
LITTLE DID I SUSPECT THEN THE EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE
AMONGST THE CHALLENGES THAT THE LORD WAS
ALREADY ENGINEERING. ABOUT A MONTH LATER,
WE WENT TO AN ULTRA SOUND APPOINTMENT TO SEE WHETHER
MY EXPECTANT WIFE, APRIL, WAS HAVING A BOY OR A GIRL. WE LEARNED THAT WE WERE
HAVING OUR THIRD SON. WE ALSO LEARNED THAT
THERE WERE SEVERE PHYSICAL COMPLICATIONS
AFFLICTING HIS BODY. HE WAS MISSING LARGE PORTIONS
OF HIS BRAIN, HIS SKULL WASN'T
PROPERLY SHAPED, AND THE DOCTORS WEREN'T
EVEN SURE IF HE WOULD SURVIVE TILL DELIVERY. DURING THE ENSUING WEEKS
IT SEEMED THAT EVERY TIME WE RECEIVED
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, IT WAS BAD NEWS. I STILL REMEMBER SITTING IN
THE BREWSTER BUILDING, ACROSS THE STREET
FROM THE WILKINSON CENTER, WHEN MY WIFE CALLED TO TELL ME
THE LATEST UPDATE: THAT OUR SON
DIDN'T HAVE A RIGHT EYE. THINKING BACK
TO MY MISSION COMPANION, IT CERTAINLY FELT LIKE
IT WAS MUCH WORSE THAN ONE DEGREE COLDER. WITH FAITH,
AND IN ORDER TO PRAY MORE SPECIFICALLY
AND EFFECTIVELY FOR OUR UNBORN SON,
WE DECIDED ON HIS NAME EARLY. NORMALLY WE WAITED TILL
WE ACTUALLY SAW OUR CHILDREN TO MAKE SURE
THEY MATCHED THEIR NAMES. WE CHOSE THE NAME OF CALEB,
AFTER THE OLD TESTAMENT ISRAELITE WHO WAS A
COMPANION TO MOSES AND JOSHUA AND WAS NOTED FOR HIS
FEARLESSNESS IN THE FACE OF OVERWHELMING ODDS. CALEB SURVIVED HIS BIRTH,
THOUGH IT BECAME QUICKLY APPARENT THAT HE WOULD BE
VERY MUCH LIKE A NEWBORN BABY THROUGHOUT HIS ENTIRE LIFE. HE WOULD NEVER WALK. HE WOULD NEVER TALK. HE WOULD NEVER FEED HIMSELF
OR BE ABLE TO SO MUCH AS HOLD HIS HEAD UP ON HIS OWN. WHEN ASKED HOW LONG
WE MIGHT EXPECT HIM TO LIVE, THE DOCTOR REPLIED,
"TAKE HIM HOME AND NEVER BRING HIM BACK TO THE HOSPITAL. WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING FOR HIM. YOU HAVE A FEW WEEKS
TO A FEW MONTHS, OUTSIDE CHANCE OF A YEAR,
POSSIBLY TWO." I REMEMBER BEING TERRIFIED AS
WE WALKED OUT OF THE HOSPITAL WITH OUR LITTLE BOY
TO TAKE HIM HOME. THE NUMBER OF MACHINES
AND MEDICAL EQUIPMENT WE NEEDED TO SUSTAIN HIS LIFE
WAS OVERWHELMING. THE POSSIBILITY OF LOSING HIM
WAS A CONSTANT FEAR. SIMPLY FEEDING HIM
REQUIRED AN EXTRAORDINARY EFFORT AS HE NEEDED TO EAT
EVERY THREE HOURS. THE PROCESS TO EAT
TOOK ONE HOUR TO COMPLETE. THIS INVOLVED WAKING UP
ALL THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT: START THE PUMP,
SLEEP FOR AN HOUR, STOP THE PUMP,
SLEEP FOR TWO HOURS, START THE PUMP,
SLEEP FOR AN HOUR, AND SO ON. WE WONDERED HOW WE WOULD
KEEP OURSELVES ALIVE, LET ALONE OUR FRAGILE SON. THANKFULLY THE LORD BLESSED US
WITH MANY MIRACLES IN WHAT MIGHT HAVE LOOKED LIKE
A HOPELESS SITUATION. ANGELS IN THE FORM OF
WARD MEMBERS, FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL
CAME TO OUR AID. WE LITERALLY HAD MEALS
BROUGHT IN FOR THREE MONTHS. WE HAD A COMPETENT
AND CARING NURSE, A DOCTOR WHO MADE HOUSE CALLS,
AND FAMILY AND NEIGHBORS THAT PRAYED MIGHTILY
IN OUR BEHALF. WE COULD FEEL HEAVEN'S HAND
UPON US. I FELT ANGELS
WALKED OUR HALLWAYS AND SAT IN CALEB'S ROOM. OUR THREE-YEAR OLD SON
TOLD US THAT SOMETIMES HE SAW JESUS
PEEKING IN OUR WINDOWS. IN CALEB'S BABY BLESSING
I PROMISED HIM THAT HE HAD COMPLETED HIS TASK ON EARTH
BY BEING BORN AND THAT HE COULD NOW REST FOR A TIME. THIS WAS NOT THE PLAN
FOR CALEB AND HIS MOTHER. IN SOME KIND OF PACT
WITH HEAVEN THAT I HAVE YET TO FULLY UNDERSTAND,
CALEB AND APRIL BARGAINED WITH HEAVEN
TO DO A GREATER WORK. GOD HAD MATCHED THEM UP
PERFECTLY: CALEB, WITH HIS FEARLESSNESS
IN THE FACE OF OVERWHELMING ODDS,
AND APRIL WITH HER MOTHER'S LOVE
AND DARING OPTIMISM. APRIL PURPOSEFULLY CHOSE
HOPE AND TRUST IN THE LORD. TO HER CORE,
SHE IS HAPPY AND OPTIMISTIC. WITH GOD'S HELP,
SHE TOOK WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A TERRIFYING TRIAL
AND RESHAPED IT. SHE TOOK A CORNER OF HEAVEN
AND PULLED IT RIGHT DOWN INTO OUR HOME,
OPENING IT UP FOR ALL TO ENJOY. EVERY DAY BECAME
A CELEBRATION WITH CALEB. SHE MADE HIM A BIRTHDAY CAKE
AFTER HIS FIRST WEEK, CUPCAKES FOR HIS SECOND WEEK,
COOKIES FOR HIS THIRD WEEK, AND SO ON. SHE CELEBRATED EVERYTHING
ABOUT CALEB, FOR EVERY DAY WAS TRULY
A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE FOR THE BOY WHO WAS
SENT HOME WITHOUT HOPE. IN WHAT MIGHT HAVE LOOKED LIKE
A BURDENSOME TASK TO OTHERS, CARING FOR CALEB
BECAME A PRIVILEGE. THOUGH HIS BODY WAS MISSHAPEN
AND BROKEN, HIS SPIRIT WAS WHOLE, NOBLE,
AND GREAT. BEING IN HIS PRESENCE
WAS HEALING AND HEAVENLY. I LOVE MY WIFE AND THANK HER,
CALEB, AND HEAVENLY FATHER FOR MAKING THE TIME WITH CALEB
NOT ONLY POSSIBLE BUT POWERFUL. IT WAS INDEED HEAVEN ON EARTH. EVEN HIS MISSING EYE
WAS A BLESSING. IT BECAME HIS
DISTINCTIVE FEATURE. PEOPLE WERE DRAWN TO HIM,
ESPECIALLY CHILDREN. THEY WOULD OFTEN ASK,
"WHERE IS HIS EYE? WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM?" I WOULD USUALLY SAY THAT
CALEB WAS A PIRATE, OR THAT A BEAR
HAD EATEN HIS EYE. BUT MY WIFE WOULD EXPLAIN
THAT IN OUR FAMILY, A WINK MEANT I LOVE YOU. BEFORE CALEB WAS BORN,
WE TOLD OUR BOYS THAT HE WOULD ONLY HAVE ONE OF HIS EYES. THEY WERE CONCERNED
FOR THEIR BROTHER. "DON'T WORRY,"
SHE WOULD SAY. "HE WILL JUST WINK AT US
EVERY DAY!" CALEB WAS NEVER ABLE TO TELL US
HE LOVES US WITH WORDS, BUT HE TOLD US EVERY DAY
WITH HIS WINK. HIS LITTLE WINK WAS
A DAILY MESSAGE OF LOVE FROM HEAVEN. HE BROUGHT THE LOVE OF GOD
AND LIGHT OF CHRIST INTO THE LIVES OF ALL WHO KNEW HIM. HIS WINKING EYE
WAS A SWEET REMINDER OF HIS DEEP LOVE FOR ALL OF US. HOPE AND COURAGE HAVE ALWAYS
CHARACTERIZED THE RIGHTEOUS. EVER THE OPTIMIST,
JOSEPH SMITH WAS ONCE QUOTED AS SAYING:
IT WAS THIS TYPE OF FAITHFUL FORTITUDE
THAT SAVED THE NEPHITES FROM THE DECREE OF DEATH
DECLARED BY THE UNBELIEVERS IF THE SIGN OF CHRIST'S BIRTH
DID NOT COME. IT CAME THE VERY NIGHT
THAT NEPHI PRAYED. LIKEWISE,
A MEASURE OF FIRM FAITH AND TRUST IN GOD
PRECEDED THE PARTING OF THE RED SEA,
SAVED SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO
FROM A FIERY FURNACE, AND HELPED DAVID
DEFEAT A GIANT. HOWEVER,
NOT ALL MIRACLES DELIVER. SOMETIMES,
ACCORDING TO GOD'S PURPOSES, MIRACLES ARE SEEMINGLY WITHHELD
IN ORDER FOR HIS GREATER DESIGNS TO DEVELOP. AFTER ALL, ABINADI WAS
BURNED AT THE STAKE, THE MORMONS WERE
DRIVEN OUT OF JACKSON COUNTY, AND JOSEPH SMITH
WAS MARTYRED AT CARTHAGE JAIL. OR, ON A LESS IMPORTANT SCALE,
BUT STILL SIGNIFICANT TO THOSE INVOLVED:
LOST PUPPIES MAY NOT BE FOUND, TESTING CENTER PRAYERS MAY
NOT BE IMMEDIATELY ANSWERED, AND CHURCH BASKETBALL GAMES
MAY NOT BE PLAYED WITH GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP
IN SPITE OF PRAYERS OFFERED OTHERWISE. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN
GOD IS ABSENT, OR DOESN'T CARE,
OR HASN'T PROVIDED A MIRACLE. I SAY AGAIN,
THAT IT IS AT THOSE TIMES, WHEN IT IS 10 DEGREES COLDER,
THAT GOD IS INVOLVED, HE DOES CARE,
AND IS PERFORMING HIS WORK. WE MUST REMEMBER THAT
AS THE HEAVENS ARE HIGHER THAN THE EARTH,
SO ARE HIS WAYS HIGHER THAN OUR WAYS,
AND HIS THOUGHTS THAN OUR THOUGHTS. JUST IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN
IF MIRACLES WERE LEFT UP TO US. IN MY ARENA OF ATHLETICS,
IT WOULD PROBABLY GO SOMETHING LIKE THIS:
BECAUSE THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
IS THE TRUE CHURCH, THE CHURCH IS THE
SPONSORING ORGANIZATION OF BYU, THE LORD'S UNIVERSITY. THE BYU SPORTS TEAMS ARE
FLAGSHIPS OF THE UNIVERSITY. THEREFORE,
NO BYU TEAM SHOULD EVER LOSE, WHICH WOULD BE
IRREFUTABLE EVIDENCE THAT THE CHURCH IS TRUE. WHAT A BLESSING THIS WOULD BE
TO THE GROWTH OF THE CHURCH. I CAN PICTURE THE MISSIONARIES
TALKING TO AN INVESTIGATOR: "BROTHER JONES, AS YOU KNOW,
THE BYU FOOTBALL TEAM HAS NEVER LOST,
THE BASKETBALL TEAM HAS WON EVERY NATIONAL TITLE,
AND EACH OF OUR GOLFERS GETS A HOLE IN ONE
ON EVERY SWING. DON'T YOU THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME
YOU WERE BAPTIZED?" OBVIOUSLY THE LORD
DOES NOT WORK THIS WAY. A PLAN WHERE SUPPOSEDLY
EVERYTHING WOULD GO RIGHT AND SO NOBODY WOULD BE LOST
WAS ALREADY PROPOSED AND REJECTED. THE PLAN OF SALVATION,
ON THE OTHER HAND, ALLOWS FOR OPPOSITION
IN ALL THINGS: SADNESS AND SWEETNESS,
WRONGDOING AND REPENTANCE, TRIAL AND TESTIMONY. WITH SO MUCH OPPOSITION
IN OUR LIVES AT TIMES, IT SEEMS LIKE GOD CHOOSES
TO WORK THROUGH UNDERDOGS. TAKE GIDEON OF THE
OLD TESTAMENT FOR EXAMPLE. ISRAEL WAS IN BONDAGE
TO THE MIDIANITES. GOD CALLED GIDEON
TO DELIVER THEM. HE RAISED AN ARMY
OF 32,000 MEN. GOD ASKED GIDEON
TO REDUCE HIS ARMY TO 10,000, WHICH WAS STILL TOO MANY. GOD THEN ASKED HIM TO
REDUCE HIS FORCE EVEN FURTHER, TO JUST 300 MEN
TO GO AGAINST A FOE WHO WERE LIKE GRASSHOPPERS
FOR MULTITUDE, AND THEIR CAMELS
WERE WITHOUT NUMBER, AS THE SAND BY THE SEA SIDE
FOR MULTITUDE. WITH THE HELP OF GOD
AND AGAINST ALL ODDS, GIDEON AND THOSE 300 MEN
BESTED THE MIDIANITES AND THEIR TENS OF THOUSANDS. GOD IS CLEARLY NOT LIMITED
BY THE SAME CONSTRAINTS THAT OBSTRUCT OUR MORTAL WAY. LEFT ON THEIR OWN,
GIDEON AND HIS 300 WOULD HAVE HAD LITTLE CHANCE
FOR VICTORY. GIDEON WAS NOT ALONE. NOR IS HE THE ONLY INSTANCE
OF GOD USING SMALL AND SIMPLE MEANS
TO BRING ABOUT HIS GREAT AND ETERNAL PURPOSES. GOD TOOK ENOCH, A LAD,
SLOW OF SPEECH AND WALKED WITH HIM. AND SO GREAT WAS
THE FAITH OF ENOCH THAT HE LED THE PEOPLE OF GOD,
AND HE SPAKE THE WORD OF THE LORD,
AND THE EARTH TREMBLED, AND THE MOUNTAINS FLED,
EVEN ACCORDING TO HIS COMMAND, AND THE RIVERS OF WATER
WERE TURNED OUT OF THEIR COURSE,
AND ALL NATIONS FEARED GREATLY, SO POWERFUL
WAS THE WORD OF ENOCH, AND SO GREAT WAS
THE POWER OF THE LANGUAGE WHICH GOD HAD GIVEN HIM. GOD ALSO TOOK
FORMER EGYPTIAN SLAVES AND MOLDED THEM INTO
THE MIGHTY ISRAELITE NATION. HE TURNED A FISHERMAN
INTO A CHIEF APOSTLE. AND HE SHAPED A PLOWBOY
INTO A PROPHET. THE LORD HIMSELF
CAME IN THE MOST HUMBLE OF CIRCUMSTANCES,
A BABE IN A MANGER BORN INTO A CARPENTER'S FAMILY,
WHO WOULD BECOME LORD OF LORDS, KING OF KINGS,
AND SAVIOR OF WORLDS WITHOUT END. SUCH MIRACULOUS TRANSFORMATIONS
COME AS A RESULT OF TRUST IN GOD'S PLAN. ONE NIGHT FOR
FAMILY SCRIPTURE STUDY, WE READ THE ACCOUNT OF THE MAN
WHICH WAS BLIND FROM HIS BIRTH. THIS CAUSED HIS DISCIPLES
TO ASK HIM, SAYING MASTER, WHO DID SIN, THIS MAN,
OR HIS PARENTS, THAT HE WAS BORN BLIND? SEEING THE OBVIOUS PARALLEL
IN OUR OWN HOME, OUR YOUNG SONS ASKED
WHY CALEB WAS BORN BLIND. IN THE NEXT VERSE,
THE LORD PROVIDED OUR RESPONSE: NEITHER HATH THIS MAN SINNED,
NOR HIS PARENTS: BUT THAT THE WORKS OF GOD
SHOULD BE MADE MANIFEST IN HIM. THEN JESUS HEALED THE MAN
SO THAT HE COULD SEE. CAUGHT UP IN
THE GRANDEUR OF THE STORY, OUR BOYS ASKED WHETHER
I COULD HEAL CALEB. I STAMMERED SOME KIND OF
RESPONSE THAT I DIDN'T FEEL IT WAS THE LORD'S WILL
FOR CALEB TO BE HEALED. I ADDED THAT OFTEN THE HEALINGS
RECORDED IN THE SCRIPTURES WERE PERFORMED BY JESUS,
PROPHETS, OR APOSTLES, VERY RIGHTEOUS MEN
COMMISSIONED BY GOD TO PERFORM MIRACLES
FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES OF BLESSING THE LIVES
OF THOSE INVOLVED AND INCREASING THE FAITH
OF THOSE WHO WOULD EVENTUALLY READ THESE STORIES. NOT TO BE PUT OFF,
AND POSSIBLY SENSING MY APPREHENSIVE RESPONSE,
MY BOYS FAITHFULLY CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS TIME TO APPEAL
TO A HIGHER AUTHORITY. IT SO HAPPENED THAT WE WERE
GOING TO THE CHURCH ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
LATER THAT WEEK TO ATTEND THE SETTING APART OF MY DAD
AS A MISSION PRESIDENT BY ONE OF THE BRETHREN. KNOWING THAT WE WOULD BE
MEETING AN APOSTLE, MY SONS REQUESTED
THAT I ASK HIM TO HEAL CALEB. TALK ABOUT BEING PLACED
BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE. HOW COULD I SUSTAIN THEIR FAITH
WITHOUT SELFISHLY IMPOSING ON AN APOSTLE? I COMPROMISED WITH MY BOYS
BY TELLING THEM THAT I WOULD NOT ASK
FOR A BLESSING ON CALEB, BUT THAT WE WOULD LEAVE IT
IN THE HANDS OF THE LORD. IT WAS A WONDERFUL OCCASION
TO BE WITH MY DAD AS HE WAS SET APART
AND TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF ONE OF THE LORD'S
SPECIAL WITNESSES. HE WAS NOT INSPIRED
TO HEAL CALEB. AS WE WALKED OUT OF HIS OFFICE,
HE STOPPED AT CALEB'S STROLLER, BENT DOWN, AND KISSED HIM. HE TOLD HIM THREE TIMES
THAT HE LOVED HIM. HE THEN SHOOK MY HAND
AND HUGGED MY WIFE WHILE WHISPERING IN HER EAR,
"I AM SO PROUD OF YOU." IN THE SIGHT OF GOD,
CALEB DID NOT NEED HEALING. INSTEAD IT WAS ME
THAT LEFT THAT OFFICE PEACEFULLY WHOLE. TRUSTING IN GOD MEANS THAT
WE ALSO TRUST IN HIS TIMING. THE MAN IN
THE NEW TESTAMENT STORY WAS BLIND FROM BIRTH. I'M NOT SURE HOW OLD HE WAS,
BUT THAT MIRACLE WAS YEARS IN THE WAITING. THEN ONE DAY THE MASTER
CAME ALONG AND HEALED HIM. IN HIS OWN TIME,
AND IN HIS OWN WAY, GOD WILL RESPOND. AS AN EXAMPLE OF
THE LORD'S TIMING IN MY LIFE, I HAD BEEN AT MY NEW JOB
IN THE BYU ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS
WHEN I HAD TO GO DOWN TO LAS VEGAS
FOR A BUSINESS MEETING AS PART OF THE CONFERENCE
BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT. I WOKE UP VERY EARLY TO MAKE
THE LONG DRIVE DOWN THERE IN TIME FOR MY 12PM MEETING. MY WIFE AND I PRAYED FERVENTLY
I WOULD MAKE IT SAFELY. CALEB HAD BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL
FOR A FEW WEEKS AND WE HAD BEEN PULLING
MANY LATE NIGHTS TO BE WITH HIM. DESPITE EVERY PRECAUTION
AND PHYSICAL EFFORT I COULD MAKE,
JUST OUTSIDE OF ST. GEORGE I FELL ASLEEP
IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE WHILE DRIVING
FULL SPEED DOWN THE FREEWAY. I WOKE UP TO FIND MYSELF
HEADING DOWN A HILL INTO THE MEDIAN
DIVIDING THE HIGHWAY, ONE SET OF TIRES
ON THE PAVEMENT, THE OTHER SET IN THE WEEDS
AND GRAVEL. I QUICKLY SPUN THE WHEEL
TO TAKE ME BACK ON THE ROAD, BUT THIS ONLY CAUSED ME
TO DO A 180 DEGREE TURN ACROSS THE LANES OF TRAFFIC. THANKFULLY NO OTHER CARS
WERE NEAR ME. ONCE I GOT TO
THE FAR RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD, I HAD THE FLEETING THOUGHT
THAT I COULD PULL IT OFF AND WOULD BE ABLE TO
STOP THE CAR ON THE RIGHT SHOULDER. NOT SO. I THINK THE CAR WAS STILL
TRAVELLING ABOUT 60-70 MILES PER HOUR
WHEN I SLAMMED INTO THE SAND AND SAGEBRUSH,
FLIPPING THE CAR OVER. EVENTUALLY THE CAR
CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP WITH ME HANGING UPSIDE DOWN
BY MY SEAT BELT. I UNDID THE CATCH
AND FELL TO THE FLOOR, WHICH WAS NOW
THE ROOF OF THE CAR. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN
ANY OF THE CAR DOORS. THEY WERE ALL WEDGED SHUT
BECAUSE THE CAR HAD BECOME FAIRLY FLATTENED TO THE GROUND. I CLIMBED THROUGH A WINDOW
SINCE ALL THE GLASS IN THE VEHICLE HAD SHATTERED. BESIDES A BRUISED
AND EMBARRASSED EGO, I WAS COMPLETELY UNHARMED. THE ONLY CUT I HAD
WAS A SMALL SLICE ON MY HAND WHERE A PIECE OF GLASS
HAD STUCK ME WHEN I RELEASED MYSELF FROM THE SEATBELT
AND FELL TO THE GROUND. AFTER BEING CHECKED OUT
BY THE POLICE, WHO ALSO ISSUED ME A TICKET,
MY SWEET GRANDMOTHER WHO LIVED IN ST. GEORGE
SOMEHOW LET ME BORROW HER CAR SO I COULD FINISH MY TRIP
TO LAS VEGAS. I WALKED INTO MY MEETING
ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATE. THE HARD PART
WAS TELLING MY BOSS, TOM HOLMOE,
WHO WAS ALSO AT THE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT,
THAT I HAD DESTROYED A UNIVERSITY VEHICLE DURING
MY FIRST MONTH ON THE JOB. TO MAKE A BAD SITUATION WORSE,
MY SEAT AT THE BASKETBALL GAME FOLLOWING THE MEETING
HAPPENED TO BE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF PRESIDENT SAMUELSON. I SPENT THE WHOLE OF THE GAME
PULLING GLASS OUT OF MY HAIR AS INCONSPICUOUSLY AS POSSIBLE. IN MY MIND,
THE TIMING OF THAT WRECK WAS LIFE TURNING
ONE DEGREE COLDER. I WAS TRYING TO MAKE A GOOD
FIRST IMPRESSION AT MY JOB. MY WIFE AND I WERE DOING
OUR BEST TO TAKE CARE OF A SICK CHILD. WE HAD PRAYED FOR SAFETY. THE LORD'S TIMING AND PURPOSE
CAME OVER THE ENSUING DAYS AND MONTHS. TOM WAS A GREAT BOSS
AND HAS NEVER HELD THE ACCIDENT AND THE LOSS OF THE CAR
AGAINST ME. THE UNIVERSITY EVENTUALLY
REPLACED THE CAR, BUT THANKFULLY
DIDN'T HAVE TO REPLACE ME, BECAUSE I WAS STILL ALIVE. THE LORD HAD PRESERVED ME
FROM WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT. HAVING COME SO CLOSE TO DEATH
HELPED ME MORE FULLY APPRECIATE MY LIFE AND ALL THE PEOPLE
AROUND ME. I ESPECIALLY ENJOYED
THE TIME SPENT WITH CALEB LATE AT NIGHT WHEN I WOULD
WAKE UP TO TAKE CARE OF HIM. NOT ONLY DID IT MEAN
I WAS STILL ALIVE, BUT CALEB WAS TOO. THERE WERE TIMES WHEN I THOUGHT
CALEB WOULD LIVE A LONG TIME. HE HAD SO OFTEN
SUCCESSFULLY BATTLED SICKNESSES AND SURGERIES,
ILLNESSES AND INFECTIONS. HE HAD BEEN TO THE HOSPITAL
MANY TIMES, BUT ALWAYS CAME BACK TO US. WE LOVED HAVING HIM
IN OUR HOME. CALEB COULD HAVE
QUICKLY RETURNED TO HEAVEN, BUT INSTEAD HE BROUGHT
HEAVEN TO US FOR SEVEN YEARS. TWENTY-FIVE DAYS AGO,
IN THE TIMING OF THE LORD, CALEB SLIPPED PEACEFULLY AWAY,
BEING HELD IN THE ARMS OF HIS MOTHER
AND SURROUNDED BY HIS FAMILY. HE HAD SPENT A COURAGEOUS DAY
FIGHTING WITH HIS MIGHT AGAINST A VICIOUS INFECTION
BROUGHT ON BY PNEUMONIA. THE WONDERFUL DOCTORS,
NURSES, AND OTHER MEDICAL PERSONNEL AT PRIMARY
CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER HAD DONE ALL THEY
PROFESSIONALLY COULD TO KEEP CALEB ALIVE. HIS BODY WAS SIMPLY
TOO WORN OUT. I HAVE HEROES IN MY LIFE:
JOSEPH SMITH, CAPTAIN MORONI, AMMON, AND OTHERS. ON THAT DAY,
MY WIFE WAS MY HERO. SHE BRAVELY AND TENDERLY
LEANED DOWN TO HUG CALEB. SHE WHISPERED IN HIS EAR,
"I LOVE YOU, CALEB. I AM SO PROUD OF YOU. IF YOUR BODY IS TOO TIRED,
IT'S OKAY. YOU CAN GO BACK. YOU CAN RETURN
TO HEAVENLY FATHER." FOR OVER SEVEN YEARS
HER LOVE AND GOD'S WILL HAD ALLOWED CALEB TO BE
A SIGNIFICANT PART OF OUR EARTHLY EXPERIENCE. BUT IN THE VERY MOMENT
WHEN IT WAS NEEDED, HER HEART CHANGED. SHE COULD LET HIM GO. SHE TRUSTED GOD
BECAUSE SHE KNEW GOD. SHE KNEW THAT GOD COULD
UNDERSTAND HER PERSONALLY, IN A WAY THAT FEW OTHERS COULD. FOR GOD HAD ALSO LOST A SON. AND THROUGH
THE ATONEMENT OF THAT SON, GOD CAN DO MIRACLES. HE CAN FORGIVE A SINNER. HE CAN SAVE A LOST SOUL. HE CAN HEAL A BROKEN HEART. WITH GOD NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE,
ESPECIALLY WHEN LIFE IS HARD AND IT IS 10 DEGREES COLDER
OUTSIDE. BUT BEHOLD,
ALL THINGS HAVE BEEN DONE IN THE WISDOM OF HIM
WHO KNOWETH ALL THINGS. GOD PROVIDES THE PLAN,
AND WE CONTRIBUTE THE FAITH AND COURAGE. WE TRUST IN HIS TIMING
AND IN HIS WAYS TO ACHIEVE HIS PURPOSES,
EVEN WHEN, AND PROBABLY ESPECIALLY WHEN,
SUCH PURPOSES MAY BE UNCLEAR FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE. AT A STAKE CONFERENCE
NOT TOO LONG AGO, I HAD AN INTERVIEW
WITH A VISITING AUTHORITY. HE LEARNED ABOUT CALEB
AS PART OF OUR DISCUSSION. ACKNOWLEDGING THE HARD WORK
IT TOOK TO CARE FOR CALEB, I THOUGHT HE WOULD THEN
ENCOURAGE ME TO KEEP IT UP AND TO FAITHFULLY PERSEVERE
IN THE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE I WAS PROVIDING. INSTEAD,
HIS NEXT FOUR WORDS ENTIRELY TRANSFORMED
MY RELATIONSHIP WITH CALEB. HE SIMPLY SAID:
"YOU ARE BEING EXALTED." ALL THIS TIME
I HAD THOUGHT THAT WE WERE TAKING CARE OF CALEB. BUT IN REALITY,
GOD THROUGH CALEB HAD BEEN TAKING CARE OF US. GOD WAS MAKING A MIRACLE
WHERE I HADN'T EXPECTED. HE WAS PERFORMING
A MIRACLE ON ME, AND ON MY WIFE,
AND ON OUR KIDS, AND ON ALL THOSE
COMING INTO CONTACT WITH CALEB. HAVING CALEB IN OUR HOME
WAS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE. IT WAS ALSO SACRED. WITH FAITH, COURAGE, HOPE,
AND TRUST, GOD WILL BLESS US NO MATTER HOW COLD
OUR LIFE MAY FEEL. I KNOW THAT GOD LOVES US. I KNOW THAT HE HEARS US
AND HEALS US. AND I KNOW THAT
HE IS EXALTING US. IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST,
AMEN. >>THIS BYU DEVOTIONAL ADDRESS
WITH DALLAN MOODY WAS GIVEN ON MARCH 6, 2012.
