Words Given Unto Them

A beautiful story is told in the Book of Mormon of miraculous events involving children who were present when Jesus Christ ministered to the people on the American continent after His Resurrection. I have always found it touching to read about the heavens opening and angels descending to surround the children and minister unto them. 

Then later on a subsequent visit to this ancient people we read of another miracle involving children. The Savior specifically spent time teaching the children and "he did loose their tongues, and they did speak unto their fathers great and marvelous things, even greater than he had revealed unto the people; and he loosed their tongues that they could utter." 

And still more astonishing, "...babes did open their mouths and utter marvelous things..."

How is such a thing possible? 

I don't know the answer to that. But I do know it is possible. It happened at my house, too. 

It was 1991 or 1992. I wish I could be more specific but my journal from that time was on a computer and lost when the computer crashed. My journals have been handwritten ever since. I did record this event again later so it would not be totally lost.

We were living in Lake Oswego. There was a big controversy brewing over new proposed sex education material in the schools. School board meetings were packed and the debate heated. So many people wanted to speak their minds. It was not feasible to accommodate everyone so the Board announced that there would be a lottery. Only those whose names/numbers were drawn would be allowed to testify. Fred planned on attending this meeting and he carefully prepared a speech. I stayed home with the children; but before he left we knelt as a family in prayer to ask God to give Fred the opportunity to speak at the meeting that night. Our son, Erik, offered the prayer.  He was only four or five at the time. I have written in my journal, "He prayed with such power that I was astonished." But that was just the beginning.

It was soon bedtime for the children. I sat on Erik's bed while he knelt beside it to say his prayers. What happened next amazes me even to this day. This little boy began to pray like nothing I have ever heard before.  His tongue was loosed and he prayed a sermon. A four year old!  He prayed about several specific things to happen for Fred at his school board meeting, things that were way beyond a child to know.  In fact, I would not have had the wisdom to pray for the things he requested of the Lord. I just sat in amazement at what I was witnessing.

I tucked all my children into bed and sat marveling over what had just happened....and waited for Fred to return.  He didn't come home until after midnight. What stories we had to share! He was invited to speak, the second from the last. It had been a disturbing meeting with people openly mocking speakers who called for moral principles in teaching the children. Fred gave his speech. He received a standing ovation!  (No one else had.)  He didn't get home until after midnight because he was thronged with people wanting to talk to him about the principles he had espoused. He told me about the events of the evening and I told him about Erik's prayer. We wept as we realized that every part of Erik's lengthy prayer had been answered in exact detail that evening. Truly his tongue had been loosed and words given to him. And Fred had been blessed beyond his natural ability. 

It is one of the cherished experiences of my life.

  23 And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, ^anot only men but women also. Now this is not all; little ^bchildren do have words given unto them many times, which ^cconfound the wise and the learned.  

Alma 32:23, The Book of Mormon

There are so many ways God wants to bless us. The experiences that we read about in the scriptures are not just for an ancient day. They are recorded as a testimony of what is possible for us today, too. 

Search the scriptures. Hope and pray and prepare to receive God's blessings, whatever they may be. You may find yourself surprised, too.