With the recent natural disaster in the Philipines, I read about families who are literally starving because they are taking what food they have/can find to feed their children. And then there is the ever ongoing drama of children in other parts of the world, or even within our country starving because of lack of food.  It breaks my heart that our Heavenly Father's children have to go through this, especially when generally, we as a wasteful nation throw food away because:
  1. We did not like it.
  2. We made too much and didn't' feel like saving it for future use.
  3. We saved it, but did not eat it and as a result, it has spoiled.
How sad a statement that we, who abide on plenty -  we, who will be making lavish meals this Thanksgiving will be eating so much that it causes us to either be literally sick or feelings of being full that we cannot take another bite. And, ironically as we pray over the meal to thank The Lord for His bounteous goodness, we may perhaps also pray for those who suffer. And we do nothing about it. 

This is not meant to be a political statement blog post, rather a thought for all of us to consider. I can remember one time that I was so hungry (and I'm not talking about Fast Sunday either) that I craved for anything to eat - whether it was something that I would normally detest eating. It was wonderful just eating a cracker and some water to go with it. It truly was manna for me.

It is this craving and honestly desiring nourishment that I would like to draw a parallel. There exists on the earth, many of Heavenly Father's children who don't have the gospel in their life. Those that may have been exposed in some way to the gospel, but for one reason or another they are not members. Consider the following true examples:
  • A school friend has been going to meetings at the invitation of their member-friend. They start to gain a testimony of the gospel from what they experience. They start to develop the righteous desire to join the church in order to gain the blessings they feel that can enrich their lives. The problem is that the school friend is under age and their parents are adamantly against them joining the church.
  • A person becomes acquainted with the gospel via the Internet. They have read the Book of Mormon several times, they "hunger" for more knowledge. They know that by reading the words of prophets and by listening/watching General Conferences via the LDS.org website, they are gaining those pearls of wisdom. But there is something missing. They plead with missionaries to come teach them so that they can be baptized. Unfortunately the missionaries cannot because the nation which this person lives in does not recognize the LDS church and will not allow prosethelyzing. 
The hunger mentioned in the example above are real. This is the same hungering that Enos described in the Book of Mormon:

And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens. (Enos:4)

It is pure speculation on my part, but I can't help but think that The young Joseph Smith, after being shown the location of the plates, but forbidden to touch them for years returned many times to that same spot throughout the years because he hungered for the knowledge buried deep in the hillside in Cumorah. He got to taste the gospel with the glorious manifestation of God, the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ along with the visits by Moroni but desired more - to touch and to translate the ancient plates, and thus gain knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So, this Thanksgiving coming up, may I suggest a few ideas to consider:
  1. Pray for those that spiritually hunger. There are more than we may realize.
  2. Pray for miracles to happen. The Lord does hear our righteous desires of our hearts. And when many pray for the same thing, miracles can happen.
  3. Pray and ask for guidance for whom we can share our spiritual feast we possess with others that we know, or may be prompted to bring to our understanding that may be hungering for the good news of the restored gospel.
  4. Open our doors and our hearts. If we are able and willing, share our physical feast with others. And by doing so, we will also spiritually feed them.
  5. Downsize our meal and donate what we would have spent to charitable organizations who will use those funds to assist those who physically are hungry.
  6. Volunteer ourselves. If there are soup kitchens or other organizations near us, they are always looking for help.
As we look at others and not ourselves this Thanksgiving, we can develop some of the attributes the Savior has:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:35-40)

As a result,  we will be blessed by The Lord and our spiritual feast will be increased so "... there' will not be room enough to receive [it]"


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