Divine Appointments

Lift Discouraged Hearts through Christlike Compassion

President Farnes describes how Elder Oaks’s attentive listening, gratitude, encouragement, and embrace transform his discouragement into renewed willingness to serve. Elder Oaks’s response, “it’s what we do,” emphasizes that compassionate ministering is part of being a covenant follower of Jesus Christ, not merely an exceptional act. The experience illustrates how sincere concern can strengthen someone whose struggles are not immediately visible.

He said, “Brother, tell me how you are really doing.”

Something about the compassion in his voice helped me open up.

Then he gave me a big hug, and in an instant I went from feeling like giving up to feeling like I could give my whole soul in service to the Lord.

As covenant followers of Jesus Christ, we minister with compassion to whomever God places in our path.

• What does Elder Oaks do that helps President Farnes feel understood and encouraged?
• Why is Elder Oaks’s statement “it’s what we do” central to the message?
• What does this experience teach about needs that may remain hidden behind an outward smile?
• When do I feel strengthened by someone’s sincere listening or encouragement?
• Who in my life may need a thoughtful follow-up question rather than a quick greeting?
• How can I express specific gratitude to someone who feels discouraged in service?
• What can I do to make compassionate ministering a natural part of my discipleship?

Keep Sacrament Covenants through Daily Ministering

President Farnes teaches that taking upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ includes choosing to see, feel, and act as He does. The Lord promises His Spirit, which helps us minister with the Savior’s power and loving kindness. Daily service to God’s children is one way we keep the covenant we make during sacred time with God each Sunday.

That means we choose to see as He sees, feel as He feels, and do as He would do.

It means that when someone encounters us, they should experience something of Jesus Christ—His kindness, His patience, His hope, His love, His compassion.

Our promise of willingness is met by the Lord’s promise that we can always have His Spirit with us.

We make the covenant during sacred time with God every Sunday. A way we keep the covenant is by ministering to God’s children every day.

• According to President Farnes, what does taking upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ mean in everyday interactions?
• How does the promise of the Spirit relate to our ability to minister?
• How does daily ministering connect with the covenant we make during the sacrament?
• What might others experience of Jesus Christ when they interact with me?
• Which quality named in the talk—kindness, patience, hope, love, or compassion—do I most need to practice?
• How can I connect my preparation for the sacrament with a specific intention to serve during the week?
• What experience helps me recognize the Spirit’s influence in my efforts to minister?

Recognize Divine Appointments with Eyes to See

Using the Savior’s story of the wounded traveler on the road to Jericho, President Farnes contrasts seeing an inconvenience with seeing an opportunity to minister. He identifies a pattern: seeing awakens compassion, and compassion leads to action. The Savior treats people as His mission, inviting us to recognize ordinary encounters as opportunities to serve.

Where others saw an inconvenience or an interruption, one man saw an opportunity to minister—a divine appointment.

Seeing awakened compassion. Compassion moved him to act.

To Jesus, these people were not interrupting His mission. They were His mission.

What once looked like random encounters become invitations from the Lord to minister with compassion.

• How does the compassionate man view the wounded traveler differently from those who do not help?
• What sequence connects seeing another person’s needs with making a difference?
• What does President Farnes teach by saying that people are the Savior’s mission?
• How does recognizing divine appointments change our understanding of ordinary encounters?
• What distractions or assumptions keep me from noticing people who need help?
• When do I tend to treat someone’s needs as an interruption?
• What ordinary encounter in my life illustrates an opportunity to minister?
• How can I practice seeing the person before focusing on the inconvenience?

Respond to Spiritual Promptings with Compassionate Action

President Farnes’s encounter with an anxious missionary illustrates the importance of responding when the Spirit prompts us to look again. He and his wife offer practical reassurance and assistance, helping the missionary navigate an unfamiliar journey. President Farnes invites us to pray daily for eyes to see divine appointments, look with compassion rather than judgment, and act to help the person before us.

But the Spirit prompted me to look again.

What we did for that elder didn’t require much of us, but this ordinary encounter became a divine appointment we will always treasure.

All we had to do was see the person God had placed in our path, look with compassion rather than judgment, and then act.

Brothers and sisters, let us pray every day for eyes to see the divine appointments God places before us!

Let us put compassion into action and minister to the person in front of us.

• What changes when President Farnes responds to the prompting to look again?
• How do President Farnes and his wife address the missionary’s actual needs?
• What does this experience teach about the value of small, practical acts of service?
• What specific invitations does President Farnes give at the end of the talk?
• When do I sense a prompting to look again, ask a question, or offer help?
• How can I replace an initial judgment with curiosity and compassion?
• What simple assistance can I offer someone in an unfamiliar or stressful situation?
• How can I include the prayer for “eyes to see” in my daily prayers?
• What specific action can I take today to minister to someone already in my path?