Teaching, we have come to realize, has to be a way of life and not just a campaign or serving in a focus neighborhood which is a center of activity in community building. We are trying to pray to be guided to the waiting souls. I would like to share a recent teaching story that happened about a month ago in Fort Smith.
I was out with a friend who needed to buy a dress. We went to Target and as we approached the dressing room, we encountered a lovely, young lady that was smiling, kind, and very friendly. She was telling everyone to have a Blessed Day. I observed her for about 10 minutes and then said to her “Do you really want to make the world a better place?” She said no one has ever said that to me. I said I have observed you and you are friendly, kind, and encouraging to everyone. I then told her my name was Sandy and she told me her name was Leo. We then talked a bit about how long she has worked there and other things. I told her that I was a Bahá’í and that we had a program called the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program and that we were looking for mentors that could help us with young people 11 to15 years of age, and would she be interested. She said yes and then gave me her phone number. I told her we needed her positivity and encouragement and that with her spirit she would be an awesome mentor!
It was time to leave the Target and she said to me “Please come and see me before you leave the store, I have something I need to tell you.”’ I said ok. So my friend and I were getting ready to leave and we went to look for Leo. We found her and she said to me “I don’t know why I did not tell you this when I first saw you, but when you walked up to the counter you reminded me of my grandmother. She died two weeks ago and her name was Sandy. I believe I was supposed to meet you today as my grandmother was here.” We were both a bit surprised and delighted. Once again this is the power of being connected to Baháʼu’lláh’s power and being conscious of His presence at every stage of our teaching.
Another activity centered on the need to find a focus neighborhood so that we could learn how to build community. We found a focus neighborhood in March of 2020 but because of COVID we had constraints. So, we decided to go to the neighborhood in our cars and pray for assistance, receptivity, and protection. We did that for one year.
Our prayers were answered in just a few short months as a home-front pioneer from Texarkana moved to the neighborhood in May of 2021. We have been working in the neighborhood since August 2021 and now have bi-weekly devotions and two ongoing Ruhi Book 1 (Reflections on the Life of the Spirit) study circles.
We are still learning about building community and capacities. We know that success in teaching depends on our ability and readiness to draw on Baháʼu’lláh’s power. There is no other way. We know we need to pray, serve, and love so that we will receive the Divine Confirmations needed to learn how to make the world a better place. We currently have five devotionals, five Ruhi Book 1’s (Reflection on the Life of the Spirit), and one Ruhi Book 4 (Twin Manifestations) in Fort Smith. Three of our Ruhi Book 1’s are made up of members of the wider community.
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