Elder Groberg, on his way to a small island to meet a family that was prepared to receive the gospel, found the sailboat he was on stuck in the middle of a calm ocean with no wind.
Many beautiful, pleading, faithful prayers ascended to heaven. But when the last one finished and everyone opened their eyes, the sun was still burning down with greater intensity than before. The ocean was like a giant mirror. . . .
I thought, “There is a family at the harbor that wants to hear the gospel. We are here and we want to teach them. The Lord controls the elements. All that stands between getting the family and us together is a little wind. Why won’t the Lord send it? It’s a righteous desire.
As I was thinking, I noticed this faithful older man move to the rear of the boat. I watched as he unleashed the tiny lifeboat, placed the two oars with pins into their places, and carefully lifted the lifeboat over the side. Then the old man looked at me and softly said, “Get in.” I answered, “What are you doing? There is hardly room for two people in that tiny thing!”
The old man looked at me and softly said, “Get in.”
The old man responded. “Don’t waste any time or effort. Just get in. I am going to row you to shore, and we need to leave right now to make it by sundown.” I looked at him incredulously, “Row me, where?”
“To the family that wants to hear the gospel. We have an assignment from the Lord. Get in.”
I was dumbfounded. It was miles and miles to shore. The sun was hot and this man was old. But as I looked into the face of that faithful brother, I sensed an intensity in his gaze, an iron will in his very being, and a fixed determination in his voice as he said, “Before the sun sets this day, you will be teaching the gospel and bearing testimony to a family who wants to listen.”
I objected, “Look, you’re over three times my age. If we’re going to do it this way, fine, but let me row.” With the same look of determination and faith induced will, the old man replied, “No. Leave it to me. Get in the boat. . . .” We got into the boat with me in front and the old man in the middle with his feet stretching to the rear of the boat, his back to me. . . .
The old man bent his back and began to row—dip, pull, lift, dip, pull, lift. . . . The old man did not look up, rest, or talk. But hour after hour he rowed and rowed. . . . The old man concentrated his effort and energy on fulfilling the calling he had from the Lord—to get the missionary to the family who wanted to hear the gospel. He was the Lord’s wind that day.
. . . . No matter what our trials, we should never say, “It is enough.” Only God is entitled to say that. Our responsibility, if we are faithful, is to ask. “What more can I do?” Then listen for an answer and do it!
I’ll never forget the example of the old man. ~~John H. Groberg, from the gook “A Year of Powerful Prayer” (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2013), p. 285-86
