Hear Him Heal
Unity
Welcome back to "Hear Him Heal"! In this episode, we dive into the theme of Unity, exploring its significance in the scriptures and teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We'll discuss how unity can be cultivated in our daily lives, within our families, and in our communities. Join David as he shares his latest insights in "What God Taught Me This Week" and Kerrie as she introduces her new practice of seeing people through Christ's eyes. Don't miss our reflections on recent miracles and how they tie into our journey of becoming one with the Lord and each other. Tune in for an inspiring discussion that will strengthen your faith and sense of community.
Listen now and be uplifted!
Vist us for more at www.HearHimHeal.com
Welcome back to "Hear Him Heal"! In this episode, we dive into the theme of Unity, exploring its significance in the scriptures and teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We'll discuss how unity can be cultivated in our daily lives, within our families, and in our communities. Join David as he shares his latest insights in "What God Taught Me This Week" and Kerrie as she introduces her new practice of seeing people through Christ's eyes. Don't miss our reflections on recent miracles and how they tie into our journey of becoming one with the Lord and each other. Tune in for an inspiring discussion that will strengthen your faith and sense of community.
Listen now and be uplifted!
Vist us for more at www.HearHimHeal.com
I'm ready to go, baby. Okay, last time on, hear Him Heal.
Speaker 2:I think that sometimes people, people want God to do something really big to prove he's God. It's like I think sometimes it's praying about something and then having like a little, a little thing happen, like oh, I really hope everything goes well. And then just like all little, a little thing happen, like I really hope everything goes well, and then just like all the lights turn green on your way and like the radio plays your favorite song and your keys are in the spot you thought they were in and people are pleasant when you talk to them, like all of those are miracles too, because it's not just one thing that can change things. It's always like a series of things that I think can lead up to miracles.
Speaker 1:So in 1 Roni 7, 27, he asks a question where he says Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased because Christ have ascended into heavens and have sat down on the right hand of God to claim of the Father as his rights of mercy which he have upon the children of men? So have they stopped, basically? And then mormon answers it in mormon 9, 15 and says and now, oh all you that have imagined up unto yourself a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you have all these things passed of which I've spoken? Has the end come yet?
Speaker 4:behold, I say unto you nay welcome to hear him heal with carrie and david mills o'neill welcome to hear him heal where today we are going to talk about unity yes, doctrine and Covenants 38.27 says I say unto you, be one, and if you are not one, ye are not mine.
Speaker 2:Of course, this verse highlights the importance of unity.
Speaker 1:We will be sharing some ideas about unity and being one with the Lord and each other.
Speaker 2:Carrie, did you know that unity is a central theme in the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the concept of unity, in fact, is deeply rooted in both the scriptures and the teachings of our beloved church leaders.
Speaker 1:In fact, david, in Rosiah 18.21, it says and he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another. Plus guys, this week David will discuss his latest experience in what God taught me this week.
Speaker 2:And Carrie has been really working on this practice of the week. It's so good. This week, guys, she gave me a little preview and it's amazing I can't. She keeps topping it every week. It's like I think like how can you top it? And then she just tops it. And plus, we're going to do a follow-up on our show on miracles last week, because we did have some miracles come to pass.
Speaker 1:We did indeed. So now, if you are ready, it's time to hear him heal. Hear him heal.
Speaker 3:Feel the light, With Gary and David guiding through the night. Stories of faith, whispers of grace In his words find your place.
Speaker 1:So I'm very tired today.
Speaker 2:Are you tired of me?
Speaker 1:No, of course not I'm tired because I've just spent the last 20 hours traveling back from Texas to the UK yeah and I'm very tired, but I was super keen to do our podcast, um, because I love doing it with you and I love listening to it and learning from what we actually say. So, yeah, I am here and I might be a bit tired, so if I say something wrong, let me know.
Speaker 2:I'm sure you won't. It was really nice having you here, though you were only here for about what? Four days yeah, thursday to Sunday what did we do in those, those days? We went to the temple, didn't we?
Speaker 1:we did go to the temple, didn't we?
Speaker 2:We did go to the temple and it was beautiful it was.
Speaker 1:It was the first time we ever got to sit in the celestial room together, read Mosiah and pray together. We did it was wonderful.
Speaker 2:It was beautiful, and we got to work in the temple together for my parents, so thank you for that. That was really really good. You're welcome together for my parents, so thank you for that. That was really really good. And there were lots of miracles that happened as part of it, weren't there? We're gonna talk about that a little bit later.
Speaker 2:And I used to tell you I don't think we had contention, but we had what do you call it? Flare-ups. We had different things that happened in our relationship in the beginning, right, yeah, I think I mentioned a bunch. Well, you agree with that. You don't always agree with me, but you agreed with that one. I said we should be one. A lot, right, and in fact, um, god commands us to be one. He commands us to be one spirit, one mind, and to be one spirit, one mind and even one flesh, in fact, in John 17, 21, it says that they all may be one, as thou Father art in me and I in thee, that they all may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me, and that's, of course, the Savior talking.
Speaker 1:So what does that mean to you?
Speaker 2:I think that he just wants everyone to be one, and if the world believes in him, that the Father has sent him, all of our faith will increase. I think that's kind of what I get from it. What do you get from it?
Speaker 1:Yeah, like he gives us a perfect example of being one. You know the Godhead. Three different people, three different spirits.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:But yeah, they are always united. In the scriptures we hear Jesus saying I am the father, the father is in me. We are one. You know, some people call them the Trinity, some people call them the Godhead. Some people call them the Trinity, some people call them the Godhead, some people call them lots of different things. Some people believe they're separate entities, but ultimately they work together for one purpose, and so I think that that scripture is just saying that isn't it? That they are one and that Jesus Christ was sent to represent them as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think I saw somewhere that's true. He was sent to represent them as well. Yeah, I think I saw somewhere that's true, he was sent to represent them as well. I thought one time, like whatever the Holy Ghost says is the father talking, whatever Jesus says is the father talking and whatever the father says is the father. But they always say the same thing, like that's their unity, right.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Kind of like when you said like hey, how, if we, if we are raising kids together, you don't want to tell the child one thing? And then me come in and be like, oh, it's OK, because I said it was cool even though she didn't, because then there's no unity, right, like lack of unity and a like marriage when you have children involved or even a dog or anything. Right, if we don't have unity in that marriage, then it's going to kind of crumble, right it's the same for any team, isn't it?
Speaker 1:any team working together with a specific goal, if there are different people in there pulling different ways and it's not going to work. You need to be able to go in the same direction, having that same focus, don't you?
Speaker 2:yeah, I just got that, maybe because we talked yesterday, because you were in sunday for the first time with me ever, which was really beautiful. Yes, we talked a lot about pride in there and I was just thinking like what's the opposite of unity? It's probably, you know, or what's the killer of unity? It's probably pride. What do you think?
Speaker 1:Absolutely, definitely, because, prideful you're just, your focus is on yourself, isn't it? That's the main focus, whereas when you're united, your focus is on that specific goal, whatever that be yeah, you really, you really see.
Speaker 2:And again, jesus gives us an example again where it's like he doesn't go like, well, father said to do this, but you know I'm gonna do that. Like we learn about adam and eve in the garden and like serpent says one thing and he's like, well, yeah, I want to know about, you know, the tree of knowledge, right of good and evil. I want to know that stuff and that's the only way to do it. So why not? And adam's like, well, we're gonna be a father. And she's like, oh, you know, this is what I'm gonna do. But jesus never does that. There's no example where he ever disobeys, is there?
Speaker 2:no, absolutely not he never does his own thing no and me because he took on all of our sins.
Speaker 1:I imagine he like um, he took on, like he would have felt, that guilt of what it feels like to walk away from the Heavenly Father, but he would never choose to do that himself.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because, like you've told me many times, he's a perfect being, but then he's condescended below us, which is why our friend, in the chapters we're reading in the Mosiah right now, Abinadi he was killed because he said a God is going to come down and condescend among men and become one like that, and for that the priests of King Noah put him to the flames. Right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's the only thing they could pin on him, isn't it? They wanted to get him for all the other things he was saying about how wicked they were, but that's the only one thing that they could actually kill him for, right. So he died.
Speaker 2:A martyr and a wonderful man but he's, he's resurrected, and I wonder if the angel of benedict will ever appear. He might, he could. I mean the angel lehi appeared to me in that dream a couple weeks ago, remember. I told you that I did. He told me, he told me and you to have the power of discernment, and you were so excited because his personage was very bright, but it was also very hot and warm. So that's what you were like, and I could feel the heat when you were telling me, because I was like, is this fake? And you're like no, you can feel the heat. I was like okay, all right, that's an angel, fine, you didn't seem to have a problem with lehi, the angels like floating above us talking to us about discernment.
Speaker 1:But um, that was dreamy right, not the real me, this is dreamy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, what would the real real you do if you saw lehi counseling us?
Speaker 1:I think I'd freak out you're pretty calm.
Speaker 2:You didn't seem like it was a big deal, I guess because you're used to walking by me and I'm, so, you know, glowing all the time.
Speaker 1:Exactly, and your countenance is brighter than the new day sun.
Speaker 2:Exactly. I like the quote you brought from Is it Ephesians?
Speaker 1:It is Ephesians. So this is Ephesians 4, verses 3 to 6. And it says endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. There is one body and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling, one lord, one faith, one baptism, one god and father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all. I like that. It's again. It's just reiterating what you said earlier, isn't it?
Speaker 2:yeah, but I mean, you can think of it too. Like I got all excited today because I got one of my accounts back that I haven't had for a few years and it had a list of like, like a little template of a to-do list and I've been getting ready, obviously, to marry you and to do a lot of other things, and like I've got all these things going on and they're all jumbled in my head and I'm not focusing on anything and this verse right here is like you gotta be one, you gotta do that, like you really have to have one focus. And so that list gave me like one piece of paper, like one little area where I could shove all the things in there, and then I have to just work at it. He doesn't want us to have one list, one focus, one spirit, one body, one faith, one baptism, one Lord. He wants there to be. You know what is it? The philosophies of men, mixed with scriptures and lots of different gurus coming and telling people oh, you should try this, this is a new grapefruit diet.
Speaker 2:Oh, this is the new meditation before 6 am, like spiritual fast thing that you have to do, Like there's so many different things in the world that people are being told, but really this verse that you brought just says look, there's one Lord, one faith, one baptism, only one God. And just like there's only one wife for one man or one husband for one woman, because if you had two husbands, that'd be probably that would be a headache.
Speaker 1:I think the gospel is simple, isn't it? Heavenly Father keeps things simple. It's Satan that confuses everything.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I just like the quote that you brought. It really puts it into focus. I've got this one from Philippines22. Fulfill ye, my joy that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. What do you, my joy?
Speaker 1:that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. What do you think about that? It's kind of like the relief society motto like with charity, never fail. If it's like working together for a sole purpose, isn't it like? That is what unity is, and you do get joy from unity.
Speaker 1:Whatever kind of group you're in, you feel so much more powerful and have so much more strength if you're all kind of bushed together and work together. If you're on your own, it can. It can feel, it can feel really lonely and feel really overwhelming that other people are in groups. But when you are united for one force I imagine is it Captain Moroni and the the title of liberty, where they like wrote on their shirts and they had their banners and they were waving them in the air and they were like we will fight for our wives and our children and our countries.
Speaker 1:Like they had their um, their passions on on those titles of liberty and they were fighting for that and they were united in that and that's what made them so strong, even like the strickling warriors as well. They were united in fighting for their parents that had made a covenant with god to bury their weapons and they weren't able to fight, so they took on that, that um, that fight for them, and they were united in that and Heavenly Father gave them that power and that strength to to beat all of those Lamanites you know people like to wear sports shirts or things from their team or they like things from you know, if you're at a concert and you all have the same kind of t-shirt or something like that, it's just that unity is so beautiful even when you put it.
Speaker 2:You know the candle look they used to have like a little lighter at the concert and everyone's like doing the same thing or singing the same song. Like it feels really nice when everyone's doing that right, and when you have your family all together and they're all focused on the same thing, like in family home evening. We're all learning about, you know, maybe the tree of life or something like that. Um, that unity just breeds like home, home like home, like feelings I don't know what I want to say like it feels like home and it feels safe.
Speaker 1:There's some safety in that absolutely and that unity so what kind of things can be we be united with? I mean, you've already spoken about like sports groups and church. How else can we be united?
Speaker 2:well, I think, like I said before, as a parent, with the other parent you could be united, whether you're together or not. Like you might not be in a relationship where the children are from the person you're that you're with, but you could still be united with that other person that was the original father or mother and you could say, hey, like let's make a plan for the kids, I think they need this. And like you could still overcome whatever barriers are in the way to have unity, because unity gives you strength, right? Unity makes it so that you can overcome big obstacles. Like maybe the children are having behavioral issues or something like that, and you could get together and go like, hey, let's do this so that we could help them. So it's like a common kind of cause. Like, with unity you can do so much. You can elect political figures, you can.
Speaker 2:You know, when they went and did the moon race, all of america got together and they wanted to beat the russians and put the man on the moon first. So they did stuff in six years that probably would have taken 20 if they weren't all united like that and they all figured it out. So I think that's such a such a cool thing, you know, when Joseph Smith was doing the Book of Mormon, him and his scribes reunited like they would go in and start translating and they would just work like that's all they did. They didn't care about, you know, anything else that was going on. Or there were mobs outside, there were lots of issues and things like that, and they were bringing forth these scriptures and translating them and they were united in what they did.
Speaker 2:And even when the saints were going across to utah to gather in zion and create zion there, they united too. All the ones coming across from England and all those, the harsh wagon trains and all the different things that had to go on, they were united. So unity and even if we have unity around, you know, in church yesterday they talked about complaining against the church leaders is the way to have apostasy, like if you are united in your support, like when you have a calling, like the prophet or the relief society president or whatever it is, if you're united with that person, it gives them power and it gives you power as well to sustain them. So unity is is very christ-like in my mind, and the absence of that unity is of the adversary division.
Speaker 1:Definitely, yeah, there was. There was a talk I don't think it was this last conference, but the one before and it was like how we shouldn't label things. We kind of label everything, put things into boxes, but that labeling can divide us, can't it? Because it can differentiate us and and make us feel only good enough for that specific area. Um, but, like with all those things that you just said, you can unite us, like the teams and the church and their, um, political views and, uh, religious views and whatever. That can also be a great division for people, um, and satan will use that if we're not careful to divide us and start conflicts and contentions among us. Um, so how can we overcome that and be united with people that don't have the same values as us, that don't have the same experiences as us?
Speaker 2:a lot of. It's been an example. You know, joseph smith used to excommunicate people if they gossiped, because gossip is a way to break that unity and Satan loves to gossip. Like he'd love to come in here and say oh, did you hear what David said about what you're wearing? Oh, what's that? Like, instead of going to ask David about it, you want to go talk to somebody else and maybe he said it it, maybe he didn't. But all of a sudden that unity that you had is gone like that quickly.
Speaker 2:Like gossiping was that big of a deal that in the doctrine and covenants there's a commandment against gossiping? And it was. It was getting so bad that they would have to excommunicate because that broke unity. There are little things like that. So, like, your question was how do you do that when people of different faiths you lead by example? You have to go in and basically people are gossiping. You can say something like, hey, it's great that you're talking about that person, but why don't we bring him over here and ask him? You know, because I think we're talking behind someone's back and I don't think that's right.
Speaker 2:Like, even people like in the halfway house that have been to prison, they know if you've got something to say to me, say it to my face, kind of thing. Like that sounds kind of aggressive but at the same time it stops the gossip and there's a lot of unity in the prison because it's us against the guards, right, and the guards have unity with them. And so then there are certain rules that each side respects the unity so that everything works. Like even in a prison setting where things could get off and there could be a riot and there could be problems, everyone's united as a prisoner and as a guard, and they do that so that there aren't flare-ups with the occasional young person that comes in or someone that doesn't know the rules. That all gets in check because we're united that we don't want to have a problem, we just want, want to go back home. And so I can see unity everywhere, between the church, between the prisoners, even.
Speaker 2:You know, there's even unity on the OPEC people, right, they have like an oil cartel, right, and all the people in the Middle East. They get together in Saudi Arabia and Dubai and the different places that produce oil and they say, look, we're going to set the price at this, so they don't undercut each other because otherwise one country would sell the oil for cheaper to get the more money, and then the other country wouldn't be able to do it and they'd have to be like the televisions, like televisions. When I was little, the television was like $2,000 and then they started making these cheaper flat screens from China and these really cheap, cheap, tiny ones. To now, like you can go to Walmart and there's like a giant TV for like $200. And that TV manufacturer's margin is like 10 cents. They're just hoping to sell them in quantity.
Speaker 2:And that's an example of a business that was killed because there wasn't unity and because people went off the rails. So a lot of times it's leading by example and just doing what's right, even if the other people don't know that it's of Christ, you just do it.
Speaker 1:And it requires effort from us us, doesn't it like? Sometimes it doesn't come easy. There are people with different views, and some people have very strong views and, as Christ-like as you are, sometimes it can get annoying. So we need to make effort all of the time to try and see each other through Christ's eyes and understand that we can still have different opinions and still work together for the same role. Dale G Renlund gave a little talk on unity and I just want to share something that he said.
Speaker 5:We might be inclined to say of course we can have unity, if only you would agree with me. A better approach is to ask what can I do to foster unity? How can I respond to help this person draw closer to christ? When love of christ envelops our lives, we approach disagreements with meekness, patience and kindness. We worry less about our own sensitivities and more about our neighbors. We seek to moderate and unify. We don't engage in doubtful disputations, judge those with whom we disagree or try to cause them to stumble. Instead, we assume that those with whom we disagree are doing the best they can with the life experiences they have.
Speaker 1:I've kind of got an experience of this. So when I was Relief Society president, I was completely like a complete novice at it and I just expected that everybody would catch my vision, would catch my vision. They would all kind of see us united and everyone coming to activities and everybody doing their ministering, and everything was just going to be wonderful. That that was my vision, that everybody would give 110 percent to what I'd asked them to do. Um, soon after I found out that that wasn't the case and not everybody wanted to consecrate themselves as much as I thought that they should. So I had this kind of moment where I thought okay, so I'm going to hand around a questionnaire and I'm going to see what the people want, what they actually want from me as a president, what they want from each other, how they can feel more united, how what they want from each other, how they can feel more united, how what they want from activities that they're actually going to turn up to, rather than me spending so much time and the budget trying to create activities that nobody cares about. So I did that and from that I also asked them to write down their strengths and their weaknesses and anything they want to learn. So from that I got to know the sisters a lot better, but I also got to know their, their values and their differences. But more importantly than that is what their strengths actually were, and at that point I understood that to.
Speaker 1:To be a team, you need to have lots of different team players that bring different things to the occasion. There's no point in us all being the same, because it will be boring. We'll be strong in one area, but we won't have everything covered. There are people that are, like, significantly compassionate. There are people that are more logically minded. There are people that are more leadership, have leadership skills. There are people that are just sit in the background but actually they have so much knowledge to bring. There are just many different people that we need all of their skills to be able to make something work and make something as powerful as it can be, and that's what what God wants us to do is is understanding our differences and our uniqueness, but also our strengths and weaknesses, so that we can bring to the table something that will unite us all in a purpose in a significant kind of manner, and that's what teamwork and unity is. It's understanding that and being a good leader. If somebody is leading to make that happen, to work for that team that's a really interesting experience.
Speaker 2:so you really discovered how to almost cultivate the unity by asking them questions and getting to know them a little bit and that kind of got them united on filling out the form. And then that got them more united with you and your vision and you got connected with them to where you guys could come to terms with building something. And how did that go forward? Were you able to accomplish quite a bit with your team?
Speaker 1:Absolutely so. There were so many people that attended activities that had never been before, because they were activities that they wanted to do and in doing that they came together and they were doing service projects for other people. I was asking them to kind of lead the activities. It was their strength, so then they would bring friends and then they would be helping in the community the wider kind of range. So it was, and I think it's just about people being heard and recognised and seen for who they are, not just like oh, it's another crochet thing, you know, some of the younger ones don't want to do crochet. Or oh, it's another sporting event. Some of the older ones don't want to do that.
Speaker 1:But you can't always get everything that everybody wants to do and we need to have a variety. But by learning what they needed and what they wanted and and that they felt heard and understood, that enabled our ward to become really, really close, and I'm really grateful for that experience because it also enabled me to be less critical and more like more understanding. And this is this is probably how god feels he's like gosh, guys, why can't you just get together? Why can't you just be united and have the same thing. I've given you all these talents. You could use those talents for good. Instead, you're like hiding away or, you know, just brushing it under the table.
Speaker 2:It must be frustrating, but he's more patient than I am and our church, like nobody really being above anyone ever and everyone following the law of consecration. Where you get a calling, you get something to do, like everyone just does it. So there's like that's a unity kind of thing as well. You know, I just kind of marvel sometimes at how, I mean I'll say the church is perfect because it's run by jesus. Like maybe the people that are inside of it me included aren't perfect, but the structure of it and the way it's it's structured and the bones of it are perfect. Because it's such a it is, it does force unity in so many different ways.
Speaker 2:Um, you know, we're all listening to the same. Come Follow Me every week, right, we have the same lesson worldwide, globally. So that's like another form of unity. Like you could walk, we could go to a church in Minnesota or Guam or something right, and they're going to be learning about Mosiah 11 through 17 this week. That's just what they're going to be doing and that's very kind of like familiar too, especially when you're traveling around. It's like you know that we're going to come in here and we can talk about layman and lemuel and everyone's read about it this last couple months. Like I think that's cool.
Speaker 1:I think that's such a a neat thing definitely, and we were given the ministering assignment used to be visiting, teaching, home, teaching. Now it's ministering. So if we were proper disciples of Jesus Christ, we wouldn't need that, because we'd already be doing it. We'd already be keeping the first two commandments, which is love thy God and love thy neighbor as thyself. We'd already be doing it. We wouldn't need the ministering list.
Speaker 1:But he knows that we're imperfect, so he's given us that ministering list so that nobody is left out, nobody is forgotten, and I have such a massive testimony of ministering. I just absolutely love people. I absolutely love seeing their need and their, their want and their desire and helping them get that. Um, and I have learned that through through ministering, but also through Heavenly Father giving me the eyes to see people that that need things. Um, but he's given us that and we can use that as a stepping stone to get to know people that are on our list, but also extend that out to the wider community.
Speaker 1:Do you even know your neighbors next door, what their names are, what their, what their current problems are, whether they need, need a cup of sugar or something you know like? Do we know? Do we know the people in our local community? How can we help a bit more? So just to put something that an apostle has said to back that up, elder Uchtdorf has shared insights on building unity, stating we build unity by loving and serving one another and by seeking to understand and support each other. These teachings guide us on how we can foster unity in our communities and our families. And then we've got one from Jeffrey R Holland as well. That's right.
Speaker 2:He's my favourite.
Speaker 1:I thought so. I from Jeffrey R Holland as well. That's right, he's my favourite. I thought so. I love Jeffrey R Holland. He says in our increasingly divided and contentious world, I love how he just he packs no punches, he's just like boom. In this horrible world, we must strive for unity. We must strive to become united in our families, in our wards and branches and in our communities.
Speaker 2:Come on, guys no, I like that one quentin cook says. Elder quentin cook says that unity is a spiritual matter, a unity of faith, unity of prayer, a purpose and unity and striving to obey the lord's commandments. I mean, that's something I think you and I have experienced, right Like both of us. Before I went to the temple. You're like, well, you're going to be making covenants, and like you haven't made them yet, but I have. And then, when you've made them, then we can help each other be on the path.
Speaker 2:And I didn't really understand what you meant by that. And I was like, you know, why can't you just do your covenants on your own? Like what do you need me for? Like I don't know, we even know what you're talking about. And then when I took them on, I was like, yeah, you know what you, walking side by side me, like Adam and Eve, are commanded to do and put the Lord above us. That's us helping each other through unities, through you saying you know what, david, I want to keep all the covenants that we made in the temple, do you? And I'm like, yeah, I want to as well. Will you help me with that? And we help each other. And when we don't, one of us puts the other one aside and says, look, you're not doing what and which way do we want to go? Do we want to not follow what we said or do we want to follow? And the answer is always with us is, yeah, we want to follow. So we get back on the path, which I think is the unity that you and I have shared, because we have these common things between us. It's. It's really nice, where I think, a relationship just in the world. Well, what really do they have other than I was?
Speaker 2:When I was running today, I was thinking, like most people that aren't involved in the church, you know, whether or not they have God or not they just kind of think live your best life, right, like King Noah is just to eat, drink and marry, be merry. But some people go, okay, well, I don't want to do that, but I'm just going to live my best life and everything's so focused on them, right. And it becomes this prideful thing that when someone like a Benadai shows up or the missionaries show up at your door, they don't want to answer because they don't want to be held to account for what they're doing. And you do that to me all the time You're like are you following right now? Are you, you know, being a good priesthood leader? Oh no, so why don't you start? Okay, that sounds great.
Speaker 2:You know, if you're going to, if you're going to lead this family, david, you need to start. You know, showing me that you can and like all those things. They're not harsh, they're really great things. I think they're amazing that we have that unity amongst you and I and that spreads to others and then when we see that from other people too, like we get inspired by that. You know, if we see an older couple and we're like, oh, they're like 96 and like they're living the covenant path and look at how blessed they are, they've got like what's that couple in our ward, our new ward? They've got like 96 grandchildren or something I don't know.
Speaker 1:They've got like a million grandchildren, it's crazy, or like the prophet, like the prophet, like the prophet's life. Like you know, you don't really need another example of how to be a husband and wife than that, exactly, exactly. But it does not. It's not easy to get there. It takes effort and it takes constant molding and refining, going through that refiner's fire. And what better way to do it? With somebody that loves you and that's going to support you and give you that space to learn and grow um, and that's what you give me, so I can make mistakes in this space and I can repent for it and I can move on and grow um.
Speaker 1:Without that unity there and without having those hard conversations and without being humble enough to want to change and want to grow, it's not going to happen. So, as we each individually become closer to Christ, we come closer to each other. You know that triangle with Heavenly Father at the top or Jesus Christ at the top and we're at the bottom, in the corners, and then we move up, closer to God and we come closer together and create that unity. We can't do it without him. We don't have any direction without him. That's why I love this gospel so much. It gives us so much hope and joy and peace and the ability to make mistakes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that unity, that shared unity, is really cool, but I do want to share with you something though.
Speaker 1:I'm excited.
Speaker 2:And now, if you are ready, it is time for david mills o'neill to reveal what god taught me this week so you and I were in the temple on friday together and dan and kat came along as which was really awesome to have them there with us we were doing temple work for my father. My mom used to say that my dad didn't know I was alive. She had 11 abortions before she gave birth to me. She went all the way from Connecticut with me when I was one to california to hide from him and all I heard my whole life was that he was a horrible man, right and never to contact him. And one time I had this insurance thing come up and said hey, if you can prove that your dad's dead, we're going to give you 30 grand. I was like that sounds cool. And so I asked my mom like where's my dad, where's where's denn dad? Where's where's Dennis? And she's like why are you talking about him? And I said well, I've got this letter. She's like burn that letter. She's like do not have anything to do with that man. I'm like it's not from him, it's an insurance company. It's like it's a policy from him from the Korean War.
Speaker 2:I'm like a part of that man. He's he's bad, he's always bad. He'll kill you, she always told me, if he found out that I was alive, he would kill me, and so I was always in fear of this guy. But at the same time, I always wanted to know who my dad was. So I didn't know who he was, and so I was like, okay, I called the insurance company. I'm like, look, my mom doesn't want to talk about it, I don't know who this is. And they're like well, you can't have the money unless you do it. So I went back to my mom, like I'll give you ten thousand dollars of this money. And she's like I don't want any part of that man and don't talk about him at all. He will kill you and me. I was like, okay, like I'm 30 years old, it's been 30 years since you've seen our dad like my dad, like it should be okay. And so, nope, we didn't want to talk about it. So I hired this private investigator in Connecticut that used to be a like a highway patrol person which is like a police officer that goes on just the freeways and the motorways, and he was retired and he's like look, I can find anybody. And so he's like but I need 1500 bucks. I'm like, all right. So I sent this guy I didn't know know. This was like 2003 or 2002, when I turned 30 and I sent him this money and he's like came back. He's like this guy doesn't want to be found, whoever he is, and I was like well, what else? He's like I need another $1,500. I'm like for what? He's like I have to do something to get. I'm like, okay, fine, send him the $1,500. Then he's like hey, I've got back surgery. Now I'm going to be out for eight months. I'm like man, I just got like scammed out of money. Eight months later he comes back with a stack of papers like that big and he went.
Speaker 2:There's a thing in America called the Freedom of Information Act. You know how? There's no data protection in America. If anything's sealed or anything's not in the court or not on Google, you can write to the government and say, look, I want information on this person and they will give you everything. So we have this huge dossier on this right, and so it takes a long time to get it and you have to have a reason. But we got this big dossier and it's like, basically, your dad's dead. He died I don't forget when, but he died escaping prison. Dead. He died I don't forget when, but he died, escaping prison, basically, and so he's not alive and that's it.
Speaker 2:And I read this whole thing about bank robberies and attempted murders and all this stuff and I was like, wow, she was right, he's a bad guy.
Speaker 2:And so I went in the temple and I was like we're doing this work for him, basically to you know, bring him into a place where he can be with god again.
Speaker 2:And you know, he's been a spirit for a while and at the point where I'm doing this work for him, I just felt this really good feeling. And what was strange was the day before there was a name flashed up on my phone that had something to do with this, and that name had never been there before. And all of a sudden it was there and I showed it to you when you came to see me, and then that name was there again and it was incredible. And the story of that person who has that name was a person that was a bad man that became good. And so I really felt this week that God showed me that no matter who these people are that are doing whatever they're doing or whatever reason they're doing it like even the worst murderous person or whoever it is, they can actually change, and we saw that with something that you experienced, that God taught you also this week.
Speaker 1:What was it? It's actually a part of my Practice of the week.
Speaker 1:Let's do it here comes the practice of the week. Get ready, get set, because it's time to learn about Kerry Mills O'Neill's practice of the week. So my practice of the week is to see people, how how many father sees them. So, um, going along with your story, there's a woman that's not pretty, that's not nice to you, um, in your, your halfway house, and when I came to see you the other day she was at the door and she looked really sad and I just felt from her that you know she's troubled, um, and so I had a feeling, I had a prompting to send her some flowers or do something nice for her. So I did, um, and although my time, my visiting time, was up and the flowers were just about to arrive, I wasn't going to be there to give them to her. So I said to her I just felt that you were a bit down today, um, I don't know why, but I just had this feeling to get you some flowers. So there are some coming for you and they'll be delivered soon. Um, so when they come, just please know that they're for you.
Speaker 1:And she kind of broke down, didn't she? This woman that's like hard-faced and and that nobody really likes there because she's not very kind to anybody. And she broke down and she said you know, like you saw me, you can see me. And she had goosebumps on her arms and she said, like I've had a lot of problems going on at home, I'm just in a really bad place, I'm having a really hard time. And she just she said but you saw me and you saw through that. And she said I'm so, so grateful, so thankful, and it was just a lovely moment. Um, and then, following on from that, you had an experience with her, didn't you, where you saw her differently yeah, I came down because they called me, because they're like, hey, there's some flowers for o'neill down here.
Speaker 2:I was like, oh, those aren't for me, those are, my wife sent them, or carrie sent them to, uh, to her. And they said, well, you know, you can't give them to her. I'm like, I'm not that it came from carrie. And so the ladies just looked at me and like usually when she looks at me she wants to tell me like off or something right. And she just looked at me and she's like, she's like mr o'neill, I can't take these, um, but I want to. And she said they're so beautiful.
Speaker 2:And in that moment her face just just changed. From this woman that had a hard life or whatever was going on at her house, she changed to like almost like an eight-year-old kind of girl, like just a young kind of face, like a young, innocent kind of face that just wanted to be loved as a sister and like a daughter of god. And I could see her probably the way that he sees us, where we could be grumpy old people with tons of wrinkles and you know the layers of hurt on our bodies and scars and pain. But in that moment she became like a child and I could see her just saying thank you for loving me and that was like she was like transfigured, like they say.
Speaker 2:Sometimes people are transfigured, like when brigham young became the prophet. He transfigured into the face of joseph smith to the people so that the lord could tell them this is the next prophet. And I could literally see her transfigure like that and she became like a child and I I got the gift from the lord just to see her as he did, and all of a sudden I was like nothing that she's ever said or done to me even mattered anymore, because I could see her pain he did and all of a sudden I was like nothing that she's ever said or done to me even mattered anymore, because I could see her pain. And that was such an incredible feeling. And that gift came through you, from you doing your practice of the week it came from the spirit, baby.
Speaker 1:The spirit taught me something and she wasn't able to take those flowers because there's a rule in the halfway house and she said for us to give them to someone else. So we went to church the next day and I was thinking I was trying to allow the spirit to tell me who needed those flowers that day and so I was kind of looking around. There was a mother sat in front of us who had four little children and she was just like doing her best to be patient with them and they were all like contending with each other and fighting and stuff and I was thinking, oh, should I give them to her?
Speaker 1:um, that would have been a good choice and then there was another woman that had just been released from being a Relief Society president and she gave a talk last week on how hard it is because she's an army wife and her husband's often away and they've got young kids and they've got to move again into a place where they don't know anyone. I'm thinking, oh, maybe the flowers would be good for her. So I was just about to give them to her and then a guy came up and spoke to us and and said that his wife is really suffering, she's having an operation, she's in so much pain right now. And I was just like the spirit just spoke to me like this is who you give it to, so I give it to him yeah, it just goes to show like there's so much need in even just like a little area.
Speaker 1:There's so many people that just would appreciate something like that, and it's about us being able to feel of that spirit and seeing people through Christ's eyes. So that is my practice of the week. I'm going to try and see everybody through Christ's eyes, even those that are less unified than I want them to be, or you know, the ones I don't necessarily get on with. I really want to see them through Christ's eyes this week yeah, well, that's a really great practice of the week.
Speaker 2:That was inspiring to me because I have never seen anyone, especially someone I had harsh feeling towards, and you, you told me a while ago, about two months ago, you're like try to see everyone through.
Speaker 3:As a child of God, I'm like yeah right, like, I'm, like, I'm not going to do that. Like how am I going to do?
Speaker 2:that Like I'm not Christ, I'm just this man, like I'm not able to do that, but yet he gave me the gift to do that in an instant, and now I'm like, wait, okay, I can do this. Now I can do Carrie's practice of the week. It's me trying your practice of the week now, which is really cool. I love it, and I love that you were brave enough to talk to somebody that maybe other people wouldn't talk to, and that's such a the prophets invited us to like when there's people at church that look different to us or their different skin, the different culture, a different race, a different hairstyle, whatever they are, right, different economic situation that they need to be talked to as well, and like they need to be sat by and spoken to, because, no matter who they are, they all are children of God, and that was a really beautiful gift that you gave me. So thank you for that, and with that we are wrapping it up for this episode. It was amazing.
Speaker 1:You need rest I do need to rest. We um just before we go. We're commanded to um mourn with those that mourn and lift up those that hang heavy. Um, that is our job, that is our responsibility and role here on this earth, and I know that you and I have such a passion to do that to lift those heavy heads and clothe their naked people and just do whatever we can to help them.
Speaker 2:I'm so sad you're back but I know you're coming back. But we did a great show and you're such a bright spirit. I love you so much that's it for this week. Oh, thank you. That's it for this week of hear him hear. I forgot what I was called. You don't even know the name of our show. One time you didn't even know our song. So at least you know our song now. Alright, see you next week. Everybody blessed, be thee. Be one or not, mine goodbye. That's a B-V, b-1 or not mine Goodbye.
Speaker 4:Thank you for tuning in to Hear Him Heal with David and Carrie Mills O'Neill. We'd love to hear from you. Visit us at hearhimhealcom or drop us an email. Do you have a question? Record it and send it to our special hotline. Please keep your message under two minutes and mention your name so we can acknowledge you on the show. You'll also find plenty of information about our latest books and more from the Hear Him Heal podcast universe. Interested in being a guest or know someone who has a story to share, please reach out through our website, hearhimhealcom. Join us next week for more healing stories inspired by Jesus Christ.
Speaker 3:Until then, stay blessed. Whispers of grace in His words find your place. Join us each week, let your heart sail On waves of tales where miracles prevail, of tales when miracles prevail. Jesus' love so deep and real. Come and embrace as you hear Him heal. We'll see you next week.