As I have been approaching the end of my mission in the India New Delhi Mission, I have had a lot of time to reflect on my experiences. One thing that has been made apparent is that each one of us has a role in God's plan. All of us play a part of that plan and our roles are important.
I recently came across a quote that I really liked from Elder Neal A. Maxwell which reads, 'Recall the new star that announced the birth at Bethlehem? It was in its precise orbit long before it so shone. We are likewise placed in human orbits to illuminate.' I know this to be absolutely true! We are placed in the lives of those around us to illuminate their lives.
Throughout my mission, I've seen examples of this. There have been times where I was placed in a specific place at a specific time to help someone else, and there has been times when someone else was placed in my life exactly when I needed them. I'd like to share one of those experiences with you.
I served in the Malviya Nagar Ward, 3 different times on my mission. While I was there the second time, I met a family while on a 24-hour missionary exchange. This family had gone through a great trial helping their son recover from an addiction and depression. In the short time I was there, I was able to connect with the family and share my testimony of the power of the Savior's atonement with them.
About 3 months later, I was back in Malviya Nagar for the third time and we found out they were shifting to a new home, so I asked if we could help them. Well, a few days later, we came to help them with the unpacking everything in their new home. There was a lot to do, and we were helping them put all the clothes away, when they received a phone call with some unfortunate news. A relative they were very close with had just passed away from cancer. Just days before, they had asked us to pray for her and to send missionaries to visit her at the hospital in Mumbai where she was being treated. The daughter and her aunt wept and the mother asked us if we could share something with the family. So, we stopped unpacking things and the family gathered in the small room so we could share a message. We taught them an in-depth lesson on the Spirit World directly from Doctrine and Covenants Section 138.
I had become very close to this family and desired to bring them hope. This family trusted me and knew I was there to help. Heavenly Father had placed me in this family's path at the exact time they needed me. The very moment they needed the light of hope, we were already there to illuminate their lives!
There have been many similar experiences I had on my mission and even throughout my life where either I was placed in someone else's path, or someone was placed in mine. And this is reserved not just for missionaries, but all over the world, God is putting people in our lives either to illuminate our lives or for us to illuminate theirs (and often both lives are brightened).
So, what do we need to do? We need to continue to develop our talents, listen to spiritual promptings, and be ready when God calls. There will be times in your life that God needs you to fulfill a purpose, so be prepared! Pray for the opportunity and then be ready to act! Who knows how many lives you'll be able to illuminate! And who knows whom God will send to help you in your time of need? So always be ready! I know God's plan is perfect and we all have a part in that plan. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.