"Some of us think a miracle is a miracle only if it happens instantly, but miracles can grow slowly. And patience and faith can compel things to happen that otherwise never would have come to pass....
"So begin where you are, in the home, and have patience, whether it takes a little while, or a long while, or nearly an eternity. There is a meaningful scripture in the book of Ether: '...dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.' (Ether 12:6.)
"Building a heaven in your home will do much to make these miracles."
- Boyd K. Packer, "Begin Where You Are—At Home", Ensign, February 1972, pp. 69-74
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It's not unusual to have a desire, either expressed or "secret," for the dramatic, compelling, dramatic kinds of miracles that defy explanation and astonish all who learn of them. President Packer pointed out the more common alternative—miracles that happen slowly and gradually, but where the cumulative impact is just as astonishing, if we recognize it.
Perhaps a worthwhile exercise would be to evaluate our lives and consider what examples we can find of that kind of miracle. As we look back and see transformations that have occurred, or events that have unfolded in subtle ways, or people who have influenced us in good directions, or small changes that have had unexpected consequences—we should learn to acknowledge God's hand—and thank Him for the blessings of gradual miracles.
President Packer suggests that some of the greatest miracles occur when we strive to build "a heaven in your home" and then observe the gradual miracles that result in that setting. As Joseph Smith was taught, "...out of small things proceedeth that which is great." (D&C 64:33.)
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