Emlyn Wins a Prize

This is a story my father, Emlyn Davies, used to tell about a moment in his childhood when he learned something powerful about faith and prayer.

“When I was about 10 or 11, I went to a school camp by the seaside for a week. During the first few days, we played football, cricket, rugby—mostly team sports. We were told that if we did our best, there was a chance we could win a prize.

As I knelt in prayer that night, I asked Heavenly Father to help me win a prize. Well, the next day there was boxing and swimming. I couldn’t swim and I couldn’t box as far as I knew. I certainly wasn’t going to win any prizes. The events that I felt I could do, I entered but I didn’t win anything. That second night I knelt in prayer and asked Heavenly Father, ‘Please help me to win a prize.’ I had every confidence that I would. We call it faith, I suppose. But I really felt if I offered my prayers I would win.

At that age, I was very slim and could run very fast—100 yards was my race. I’d usually win and even look back at the others as I crossed the finish line. I thought, ‘This will be the one.’ I got through the heats and into the final.

On the day of the final run, I raced and felt confident. I was in front and thought I’d go even faster. But in that spurt to go faster I stumbled and fell. In the 100 yards you haven’t got time to pick yourself up and win again. So of course I didn’t win. I thought, ‘Well I don’t know now what my chances are to win anything.’ But that night I offered my prayers again and I said, ‘Heavenly Father, please help me to win a prize.’ I entered the tug-of-war; we didn’t win. I had entered everything I thought I could possibly do, but I didn’t win anything.

On the Saturday night they said they’d give the prizes out to the youth who had won. As the names were called I felt really sad. I felt I’d offered my prayers and I’d done my best, but I hadn’t won. Then one of the teachers called, ‘Emlyn, they want you up to the front.’ So I went to the front and the teacher said, ‘Now we have a very special prize. This boy is the bravest boy in all the camp. He’s brave because he’s the only boy who knelt by his bed at night and offered prayers. There are no prizes for saying your prayers. But we teachers got together and bought a prize for the brave boy.’ It wasn’t much of a prize but for me it was a great prize to have. I thought, ‘Well my prayers are answered again.’”

I can’t relay this story without getting emotional, because it shows the simple faith of a young boy who trusted that God would answer his prayers. My father’s faith continued to grow and was strengthened by experiences like this. I’m grateful that he always acknowledged God’s hand in his life and he took the time to share these experiences with his family and those within his sphere of influence.