Avatar4321 Posted September 1, 2015 Posted September 1, 2015 I had an odd experience at work. I've taken a job at a supermarket until my law license transfers. I'm working at customer service and I frequently am required to help people purchase and redeem lottery tickets. An odd duty for a latter day saint. Most of my experience doing the job has reinforced the point that playing the lottery is just not worth it.Tonight a gentleman came in and spent a lot on a ticket. I gave him the ticket and he asked me to throw a "loser" away. I do this dozens of times per day without a second thought. So I took the ticket and he left. Instead of throwing it away, I decided to just scan it and make sure it really was a loser.Imagine my surprise when it says it has a $50 payout. It's rare to see anything that high.So now I have this $50 winning ticket and the guy who gave it to me was gone. So I had no clue what to do with it. So I'm trying to figure this out and finally concluded to talk to the manager when I saw him next. When I made that decision lo and behold the guy who gave me the ticket walks by and I'm able to give him $50 for his ticket he just asked me to trash.I'm sitting here pondering a bit. That prompting was so subtle. I didn't even really think it was a prompting. I fully expected nothing to come from me checking. But not only was it a winner but the guy who won it comes back by chance.How can we recognize the promptings of the spirit when they are that subtle? What am I to think about a prompting from the Lord that helps a gambler keep his winnings instead of losing them?I'm just not sure what to think of the whole experience.
Calm Posted September 1, 2015 Posted September 1, 2015 (edited) I'm just not sure what to think of the whole experience.Well, maybe the Lord knows his gambling isn't going to change whether he wins or loses and he also knows that the guy could use the $50...or maybe it was more important that the guy learn today that somebody cared about him. And maybe somewhere down that line knowing that can help him feel better about his life and contribute to him giving up gambling as a way to make it better (assuming that is one of the reasons why he chooses to do it). Maybe he is giving you some practice with promptings because something big is coming up that you need to pay attention to when you are likely to be very distracted...not to make you nervous or anything. Edited September 1, 2015 by calmoriah
MorningStar Posted September 1, 2015 Posted September 1, 2015 Yes, maybe the Lord wanted him to meet an honest person. When I have a good thought, I try to assume it's a prompting. 1
Kenngo1969 Posted September 1, 2015 Posted September 1, 2015 As much as I don't think the Lord approves of gambling generally, and as big as the risk in any specific situation might be that a winner might conclude, "Hey, this really pays off; I ought to do more of it!" perhaps the Lord, nonetheless, is a bigger pragmatist than we give Him credit for being. Perhaps He figured that the "damage" (the purchase of the ticket) had already been done, and it didn't make sense for someone, someone who perhaps really needed the money, to not benefit from it. I think perhaps the Lord is flexible: He has more ways of encouraging people to be honest, to be frugal, and to not throw good money after bad than for every ticket to be a loser or for every gambler to lose his home and all of his other worldly possessions and be thrown out into the street.
Avatar4321 Posted September 1, 2015 Author Posted September 1, 2015 It seems amazing that the prompting would have been so easy to miss. Makes me want to figure out how to recognize them even better.
Kenngo1969 Posted September 1, 2015 Posted September 1, 2015 (edited) It seems amazing that the prompting would have been so easy to miss. Makes me want to figure out how to recognize them even better.You're not the only one with that particular problem or challenge. I've had quite a few situations in which I've realized, but/if only in retrospect, that a particular inkling to do something different was actually the Spirit trying to nudge me. I can only thank God for His mercy, and commit to try to be more in tune when such moments come in the future. Edited September 1, 2015 by Kenngo1969
Avatar4321 Posted September 1, 2015 Author Posted September 1, 2015 But what can we do when the prompting are so subtle? How many prompting am I missing because of that?President packer suggested getting up early because the morning is a good time to receive the promptings. I'm trying that and it seems to be true.
Kenngo1969 Posted September 1, 2015 Posted September 1, 2015 But what can we do when the prompting are so subtle? How many prompting am I missing because of that?President packer suggested getting up early because the morning is a good time to receive the promptings. I'm trying that and it seems to be true.Beyond the Sunday School Answers ? Other than my #6, above, probably not a lot. As much as Allen Iverson disdained it, we're talking about practice, My Young Padawan, practice!
Garden Girl Posted September 1, 2015 Posted September 1, 2015 (edited) I find that, for me at least, I feel more in tune with the Spirit the more I keep a prayer in my heart all throughout my day. Living alone, driving alone, walking alone... I have very few distractions so I suppose it is easier for me to keep closer to the Spirit. But I would say for anyone, prayer... praying often, many times just breathing a prayer... can be a great help in feeling in tune with the Spirit...Also, the five years that I was an ordinance worker added to that closeness... but overall, for me, prayer is the main factor... GG Edited September 1, 2015 by Garden Girl 1
Avatar4321 Posted September 1, 2015 Author Posted September 1, 2015 Ive been asking myself lately in dealing with problems what can I do to show faith in Heavenly Father?It seems to be having some good fruits initially.
Stargazer Posted September 7, 2015 Posted September 7, 2015 Avatar, I think you can approach this from another direction for an entirely different effect. Perhaps the prompting had little or nothing to do with the gentleman who gave you the "loser" ticket, and had everything to do with a test for YOU! Which you passed with flying colors, I might add. The question the Lord had was, What Will Avatar Do? In order to enrich yourself of $50 which was freely given to you by someone, all you had to do was just cash in. Would it have been a sin? It was so ambiguous as to whether it would have been stealing, that you could arguably have done it without much in the way of angst. Depending upon, of course, who you are, and WHOSE you are. I would hire you to manage my affairs any time, Counselor! 1
David13 Posted September 8, 2015 Posted September 8, 2015 StargazerI think you are closer to it here.Satan, not Heavenly Father, I think is in control of the lottery.And this was a way to tempt Avatar into something mildly shady. Then to be followed by greater temptation.dc
Duncan Posted September 8, 2015 Posted September 8, 2015 I had an odd experience at work. I've taken a job at a supermarket until my law license transfers. I'm working at customer service and I frequently am required to help people purchase and redeem lottery tickets. An odd duty for a latter day saint. Most of my experience doing the job has reinforced the point that playing the lottery is just not worth it.Tonight a gentleman came in and spent a lot on a ticket. I gave him the ticket and he asked me to throw a "loser" away. I do this dozens of times per day without a second thought. So I took the ticket and he left. Instead of throwing it away, I decided to just scan it and make sure it really was a loser.Imagine my surprise when it says it has a $50 payout. It's rare to see anything that high.So now I have this $50 winning ticket and the guy who gave it to me was gone. So I had no clue what to do with it. So I'm trying to figure this out and finally concluded to talk to the manager when I saw him next. When I made that decision lo and behold the guy who gave me the ticket walks by and I'm able to give him $50 for his ticket he just asked me to trash.I'm sitting here pondering a bit. That prompting was so subtle. I didn't even really think it was a prompting. I fully expected nothing to come from me checking. But not only was it a winner but the guy who won it comes back by chance.How can we recognize the promptings of the spirit when they are that subtle? What am I to think about a prompting from the Lord that helps a gambler keep his winnings instead of losing them?I'm just not sure what to think of the whole experience. don't sweat it, there is a guy in my ward that works as some computer guy for the provincial lottery corporation! hahahahha!
Avatar4321 Posted September 8, 2015 Author Posted September 8, 2015 Could have been a test. Who knows. It was just an odd experience.
The Nehor Posted September 9, 2015 Posted September 9, 2015 You've summed up why I can't tell the story of how I won the money to buy my first set of temple clothing with lotto winnings in sacrament meeting, it seems too ambiguous.
Stargazer Posted September 9, 2015 Posted September 9, 2015 StargazerI think you are closer to it here.Satan, not Heavenly Father, I think is in control of the lottery.And this was a way to tempt Avatar into something mildly shady. Then to be followed by greater temptation.dc Well, I think that Satan tempts, but Father tests. There's a subtle difference. The thing is, Satan's temptations ARE Father's tests.
Bee Sweet Posted October 11, 2015 Posted October 11, 2015 " Observing the heavens since 1951" I am new here, and wanted to say I enjoy your wisdom. I read everything you said concerning the Oregon shooting and gun control. To me, you are always right on!
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