So many times in my journey as a mother, I find myself learning the ultimate lessons from my children. I love their childlike faith. I love their trusting personalities that still haven't been tainted from the worries of life. My children help me understand the passage in Mosiah 3:19 so much better when it says to
".....becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit...."
Children really exhibit these things. They are still willing to be shaped and molded and have that beautiful innocence about them.
Savanah has been working on her Young Women's project for her Young Women's in Excellence. Each girl was to choose a 10 hour project from their booklet and complete it (or come close to completing it) to share for their activity. She choose "Good Works" and she wanted to complete 10 hours of service. She had decided that she wanted to do several different kinds of service.
She started out by helping cut and stack wood for her Grandpa and Uncle. She then decided to cut out levi quilt squares to make a quilt as a gift. When she had completed these two services she still had about 3 hours left. I asked her what she would like to do next, she replied, "make the homeless smile." I will admit I did kind of chuckle in my head, I wasn't sure what she meant. She explained to me that she had set aside some of her money and wanted to buy fresh fruit and water to make bags to hand out on the street to people in need.
Truthfully, I was slightly pessimistic. I had a few experiences of my own where I had given food to some people in need on the side of the street and they were rude and seemed so ungrateful. So I gently coaxed her to maybe think of something else. I explained to her that not always, but sometimes, the outcome of food over money may make someone be mean or not take what she wanted to give. She was adamant that this was the very thing she wanted to do. So I agreed to take her to town to purchase the things she needed and help her pass them out.
We went to Walmart. I was still pessimistic. I explained to Savanah that she had to be tough in case someone was rude to her about giving them food and not money. I don't consider myself an ungenerous person, I really just kept thinking of the some of the experiences I have had, and wanted to spare her the heartache of feeling bad when she was doing something good. But regardless of my feelings I just pushed them aside to let her accomplish what she had set out to do.
She purchased several kinds of fruit and water bottles. She separated her fruit and water and made several different bags in the van before we set off.
We started to head out of Walmart and she noticed a man who was standing on the corner. She was so enthusiastic and excited to share. I told her to put the bag out of the window just in case the light turned green and we couldn't stop, he would be able grab it. {still feeling slightly weary of her little heart possibly breaking if her giving wasn't received well.) She put her bag out the window and instantly the man started running towards us. As he approached he was saying repeatedly "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" He grabbed the bag and choked up, fighting back tears of his own he repeated again, "Thank you!" He opened the bag before we had pulled away and was already shoveling down a banana. He was obviously starving.
The light had turned green so we had to turn the corner. As we turned the corner I looked over and my sweet Savanah had her head buried in her hands and she was sobbing. Of course, I started crying too. She looked over at me and said
"My heart aches for him. That made me feel good but also so sad that he is starving. Can we turn around and give him all the rest?"
I can't believe that I had been so pessimistic. That I was thinking of the
"what if's" instead of the
"who cares what happens, the point is she is willing to serve." Man, I was hit with the humility stick. I quickly saw the error of my own thoughts and learned such a valuable lesson from Savanah. Her childlike faith and Christlike attitude had taught me.
I thought of a LDS talk given several years back by Jean A. Stevens. She said
"If we have a heart to learn and a willingness to follow the example of
children, their divine attributes can hold a key to unlocking our own
spiritual growth."
That has been so true as I have been given the opportunity to be a mother. I learn so much from my children. I hope and pray that through the years ahead and the relentlessness battlings of the adversary all of my children can stay strong and hold on to the teaching of the gospel.
