My analogy experience is pretty ironic...my car (actually my parents' car) died four times in two weeks! I love this car, it's a 1998, white, Buick Century, which we have owned for 11 years! It has NEVER had problems..well, not many anyways :-P. And that's not the most ironic part, each time it died, I was driving, and I was ALWAYS in the Walmart parking lot! Frustrating! Ggrrr.
From this, I learned that Walmart is evil, or that my car doesn't want me shopping there! The other possibility is that my car hates my guts...but I'm too sweet and innocent so we'll say that's a no go!
Actually, I was just joking about Walmart being evil. After talking to a friend, they referred me to a Prepaid Legal associate who owns an auto shop. He was nice enough to look at my car, and fix it in one day! Turns out the alternator had split, causing electrical failure.
Now, the point I want to make is not about where my lovely, white buick broke down or how it was fixed, but about the journey to the autoshop.
On the way there, I made my father (or he most graciously agreed to) drive our dying car and I followed him in our tan Chevy Astro van. Twice, we only made it a few blocks and then we had to jump it. Then, we got to the busy main streets and the highway. That's when my anxiety kicked in. The whole way, I was trying my hardest to keep his car in sight, and praying "please don't die, please don't die" or "don't die there, don't die there!". xD The car died four times on the way, and yes, once on the highway :'(
Now, my analogy. People are "dying" or struggling all around us. Some people from personal sins, others from divorce or family situations, and yes, some from actual heath problems. A lot of times, we don't even know what's going on, just like the other drivers on the street; they didn't know my car had problems or that I was expecting it to die every few seconds---they probably wouldn't have driven behind us if they did!! But, I knew my car had problems and I was worried for it, so I did all I could to follow and help that car along until it could get the recovery it needed.
If we are struggling, we need to let someone know, whether it be a friend, a doctor, a confidant, or a bishop. IF we don't, we will not get the extra help or care that may be needed to help us recover. Life is so much easier when we know we have a few extra "pillars"of support. As a missionary in my church a few years ago, I knew every family and investigator that attended a small church house, and I knew most of their major struggles. My heart swelled with pride (the good kind!) when I saw certain people just step foot in the church house. I cared for each and everyone of them, because I knew them. And I tried my best to help.
"For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart."
-Mosiah 5:13
(The Book of Mormon, pg 158)
Or how knoweth a man his "friend or neighbor" whom he has not served... and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?
"Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
-St. Matthew 25:37-40
(The Bible, pg 1233)
We have an obligation to serve others, and get to know those around us. If we do, we will serve our Savior, be righteous when the day of judgement comes, and we will help people be healed--just like my little, white buick. Thanks for reading my analogy! I'll step off my soapbox now. :-)
