Power in a Recommend

Lately, I have been called several times to recommend a friend that has been job hunting. In each case, the person has gotten the job.
It made me think about how powerful a recommendation is.
I read in the church news recently about a young Branch President in Costa Rica that was inspired to challenge his small congregation that every adult member acquire a temple recommend.
The problem was, at that time, there was not a temple in their Central American nation.
These people were dirt poor and had no hope of ever attending a temple or having their families sealed to them. Still, this Branch President, felt inspired that every member hold a recommend, even if they never stepped into a temple.
He knew the true power of was found in that slip of paper. It is a tangible symbol of a person's worthiness. It is a recommendation directly from our Heavenly Father through two of his servants. Only a small percentage of the world's population actually can hold a recommend in their hands. What an incredible blessing! This young Branch President often took out his recommend and just held it in his hands. He knew that some day, some way, he would walk into a temple. On June 4, 2000, this Branch President from San Ramon arrived in his weathered van outside the gates of the newly dedicated San Jose Costa Rica Temple. He was not alone. Many of his fellow branch members climbed out of that van with smiles on their faces and well held recommends in their hands. I have appreciated reading this because it has reminded me how incredibly blessed we are. I have set my recommend on my book shelf where I see it every day. It reminds me that I am of a Divine Nature. It reminds me how incredibly blessed I am to be worthy to hold it. It reminds me who I am.