I lived for 6 months (winter of 78/79) in the tilted apartment building in Eskilstuna (how long were missionaries in there?). The slope had its advantages. The syrup (or gravy) would collect in a puddle on one side of your plate and the bathroom/shower was downhill from the beds.
It was also an interesting experience to go up the flight of stairs with one direction feeling like you were going to fall backwards and the other direction feeling like you were almost going down not up. Typing on the desk always resulted in everything on the desk ending up on the floor as it all slowly slid downhill with every vibrating keystroke.
Like most missionary apartments, the Eskilstuna apartment had inspirational signs (old Zone Conference themes) on the wall from bygone days. One particular was a large heavy poster board sign that said "SACRIFICE BRINGS FORTH THE BLESSINGS OF HEAVEN". It must have been there a few years before I got there. This sign hung on the wall right above my bed. Over the months in the apartment the sign along with the rest of the decor became commonplace and largely forgotten.
During a period of increased dedication I decided to get up one half hour early every morning to study. One morning as I rolled out of bed onto my knees I was particularly tired. I decided that I would go back to bed and told my Heavenly Father of my decision. Just then the afore mentioned sign fell with a crash to my bed. Immediately the words on the sign came to mind. Needless to say I stayed up!
Elijah says the Lord is not in the wind or the rain or the earthquake but rather the still small voice. But that day I wondered if His hand wasn't on the poster board!
Story: John Farmer
October 25, 1996
