Jake the Rancher

                  

                  Jake, the rancher, went one day to fix a distant fence.

          The wind was cold and gusty and the clouds rolled gray and dense,

As he pounded the last nail in and gathered tools to go.

The temperature had fallen and the snow began to blow.

When he finally reached his pickup, he felt a heavy heart,

from the sound of that ignition, he knew it wouldn't start.

So Jake did what most of us do if we'd have been there.

He humbly bowed his balding head and sent aloft a prayer.

As he turned the key for the last time, he softly cursed his luck.

They found him three days later, frozen stiff in that old truck.

Now Jake had been around in life and done his share of roamin'.

But when he saw Heaven, he was shocked -- it look just like Wyomin'.

Of all the saints in Heaven, his favorite was St. Peter.

Now, this line, it ain't needed much, but it helps with rhyme and meter.

So they set and talked a minute or two, or maybe it was three,

Nobody was keepin' score -- in Heaven time is free.

"I've always heard," Jake said to Pete, "that God will answer prayers,

But one time I asked for help, well He, just plain wasn't there.

Does God answer prayers of some, and ignores the prayers of others?

That don't seem exactly square -- I know all men are brothers.

Or does he randomly reply, without good rhyme or reason?

Maybe, it's the time of day, the weather or the season.

Now I ain't trying to act smart, it's just the way I feel,

And I was wonderin', could you tell -- what the heck's the deal?

Peter listened very patiently and when Jake was done,

There were smiles of recognition, and he said, "So, you're the one!

That day your truck, it wouldn't start, and you sent your prayer a flying,

You gave us all a real bad time, with hundreds of us a trying.

A thousand angels rushed to check the status of your file,

But you know, Jake, we hadn't heard from you in quite a while

And though all prayers are answered, and God ain't got no quota,

He didn't recognize your voice, and started a truck in North Dakota.

  Moral of the story? Say your prayers!  

    I know that God is in fact our loving Father in Heaven, and because he is, He loves us! Well because he loves us, his children, He will bless our lives. He does this by answering prayers, telling us what to do, what path to follow, or to testify or truth, comfort when in need, and teach things we need to know. Well how he tells us, he doesn't come in a pillar of fire or anything but He tells us through the Holy Ghost, and He tells us by feelings, promptings, happiness, truths, and just down right makes us feel awesome about something. Example praying about the Book of Mormon he will testify of the truth, and we will feel it by feelings we cannot describe. If it is a decision to get baptized, when praying about it we will feel completely convinced that it is right by the Holy Ghost. We will feel good about the decision and we will feel happy and joyful.

   I add my testimony today that I KNOW that God hears and answered our prayers, maybe not in the way we wish or the way we hope, like ol Jake, but He does love us, and He will hear us forever.

Love Yall

Elder Savage