"Be More Specific"

We are studying Preach My Gospel in Institute these days.  Last Wednesday, we had a discussion about the Holy Ghost, which caused me to recall Jim's story:

Last Christmas season, Dad went home teaching with Brother Hale.  It was evening and the sky was getting dark.   As Dad stepped out the front door of one of their families, there was a hidden step that caused him to stumble.  As a result, he fell, hitting his head on the steps on his way down, and landing in the grass.  He began to bleed a little and luckily they were able to dab it off.  Then Brother Hale helped Dad up and they shuffled to the car, to bring Dad home.

Jim noticed the car drive in, and stopped to greet them.  When Brother Hale hopped out, he informed Jim of the fall and they could both see that Dad was still a little shaken.  Jim had a list of things to do (considering the season, and all) but he helped Dad inside and they visited as he and Mom helped patch him up.  It turned out that Dad was shaken,  but not because of the fall ,as much as he couldn't hear.  His hearing aid had fallen out during the ordeal.  When Jim understood that, the things on his list were not the priority anymore.

He quickly drove back to the house.  No one was home.  So he began looking. . . for a tiny little hearing aid, the size of a small button, with a tiny little microscopic wire.  It had to be there.  It had to have fallen out in the yard because of the impact.  By this time it was dark as Jim searched everywhere.  After thinking it was hopeless, he offered a little prayer.  It went something like this:

"Dear Heavenly Father, help me find my Dad's hearing aid".  Remaining still, there came a prompting.
"Be more specific."
Again, Jim prayed, "Dear Heavenly Father.  Help me find my Dad's hearing aid so he can hear."  More looking and listening . . . then another prompting.
"Be more specific."
"Dear Heavenly Father.  Help me find my Dad's hearing aid so he can hear and have a good Christmas."

It was then, it seemed that time stopped,  and he got a glimpse of the fall from a heavenly rerun movie that played back in his head.  His eyes were led to the steps where he could replay, as if he were there, exactly which step he slid on and which direction he fell.  He said he could see an outline of Dad's image still pressed into the grass.  Putting all those details together, as he still continued to look, his eyes were led to the bush that grew alongside the steps.  And then, as if nothing else were in the way, all he could see was the tiny little wire from the hearing aid that without Heavenly help, might just look like any other of the many branches webbed inside the bush.

He had been given Heavenly direction.  A sweet validation of the reality of how close we are to Heaven.  The Holy Ghost was his messenger that night.  I think about the "Be more specific"  a lot.  As Jim was obedient in pleading with specifics, answers were given to him specifically.   It's a great lesson.  With faith and obedience first, the  Holy Ghost will help us see the answers more clearly.