Touching Hearts For Good

In October 2013, Pres. Thomas S. Monson addressed the Women of the LDS Church and related a story about a woman, Tiffany, who was afflicted with depression. In short, her appetite had waned and she suffered severe weight loss and her health deteriorated greatly. A friend finally said, “There must be something that sounds good to you.” The, Tiffany replied, “The only thing I can think of that sounds good is homemade bread.” There was none to be had at the moment. The next morning her doorbell rang and a woman she didn’t know, handed a loaf of homemade bread to Tiffany’s husband. As the story unfolds we learn that it was through the enticing and promptings of the Holy Ghost, direct impressions form our Heavenly Father, that this woman had come to bring that bread to Tiffany’s door.

Since then, I’ve heard the story recounted many times in many different places and circumstances, and almost always, it is retold with the note that, We Never Walk Alone. And we don’t! We are reminded through this story that God is aware of our needs and our circumstances. That if we can have faith, we can know that he answers our prayers and helps us when we need Him.

But, something always sticks out to me… The woman that didn’t even really know Tiffany very well at all. Why was she chosen to bring the bread to Tiffany? Why not someone else?

I want to preface by emphasizing that I’m not saying those close to Tiffany were not worthy or were ignoring promptings at all. I just want to make clear that I am not passing judgment at all here.

When I read this story, or hear it retold, I often think of other stories I’ve heard similar to this, where someone was prompted to do something and in following those promptings they were able to touch another person deeply for good.

A woman called LeeAnne had a miscarriage and she and her husband grieved deeply for the loss of their unborn child. A few days after they had experienced the loss, a knock came to the door and woman who they had never recalled meeting, stood with a loaf of banana bread. She informed them that she was friends with the husband’s parents and she had talked with them recently and learned of the young couple’s loss. She had felt deeply moved to get their address and bring them a loaf of bread accompanied with a hand of friendship and an ear to listen and a shoulder to cry on should either of them need it. The woman then left and while the couple never reached out to her after that, the fact that they knew they were watched over meant more to them than anything the woman could have said. It left them both stronger and ready to face the rest of world after such a deep heartache.

I don’t know why, but I always relate to the giver rather than the receiver in these stories. And I often find myself thinking, I wish I could be a part of a story like. I wish I could feel the spirit so strongly to know when I was needed somewhere. While these yearnings are, in truth, mostly selfish wanting to be able to be the one that gets to help someone else and be the one that gets to see the surprised look on someone's face when their prayers have been answered through me, there is also the more Christ like desire and aspiration to be close enough to God and His will to be able to receive those kinds of promptings when they are needed.

A runner will lose his speed if he doesn’t practice often, and while I’m far from even in shape, I know many who run and feel a significant difference if they even miss one day of running.

Weight lifters must push their limits continually in order to even hope to be able to lift more than they did to begin with. Its hard work and there are often times when they return from their workout routine more than simply sore.

Chefs study, practice, go through trial and error processes that no one is even aware of until they can find the exact and precise quantities, methods and ingredients to make the perfect dish. Like other professions, if they are out of practice, their perfect recipes can turn into catastrophes if not made frequently enough.

Parents need to hone their skills daily to be able to exercise the patience and disciplines necessary to raise their children. If a parent must leave their children for work, for military duties or anything else, they may find themselves at square one upon their return and it takes practice and much effort to regain the skills they once had.

I’m the oldest of nine children, and when I was younger, I found that my parents far more than 50% of the time would ask me for help doing one task or another. After a while of observing this fact and watching from the sidelines, I tested out my theory. As soon as my baby brother had a messy diaper that needed changed, I would run to the other room and hide and listen. My sister, not 2 years younger than me and every bit as able bodied would be sitting with our mother. Never fail, my mother would call to me from the other room, “Rebecca, will you please come and bring me a diaper for your brother?” I’d laugh and bring it. My father would do similar things as well. Most of the time, they wouldn’t even attempt to ask my younger three siblings for help with things.

It started to bother me after a while, and I approached my parents to confront them about the issue. I asked why they repeatedly asked me to do things around the house even if I was far away in the basement and my brother or sister was standing there next to them. I didn’t expect it at the time, but their answer came as a life lesson to me. They paused and thought about it and answered, “Because you listen.” They explained that it was much easier for them to ask me for help because they knew I would obey the first time in most instances and even if they had to ask two or three times, it was never because if my stubbornness. And that I would do as they asked with the least amount of effort on their part. After we talked, they said they would try to be more aware and give the other kids more opportunities to help so the bulk didn’t fall on me.  They help to their end of the conversation and as my siblings had more opportunities to help, they eventually became more willing and obedient to my parents’ requests.

This is so close to my heart now, and it applies so much to our relationship with God. He is very literally our Father. And as such, he probably feels a lot like my parents did when I was young. He gives us all promptings and inspirations. At first they will be small. Something that isn’t so crucial, something that is really just practice for us to get used to listening to his voice and obeying. Like my mother did when first asking my siblings for more help. It was to get a diaper and bring it to her, or to fetch a spoon so she could make dinner. We will start out getting small thoughts of simple things, maybe it is simply wake up ten minutes early tomorrow and read an extra portion of the scriptures. My mom didn’t ask my sister to watch the baby while she ran upstairs to the bathroom at first until she was sure that she would obey the simpler tasks she had given her. Eventually, my sister became more obedient and she was asked to watch the baby from time to time as well. Likewise, when another of our brothers or sisters on this Earth need their prayers answered through one of us, like a loaf of bread, God will not ask us if he knows we will not obey. Even if he did, we may not be able to recognize his promptings, his voice, because we have not been exercising out ability to hear or recognize it.

If we want to be part of a story like that we must do everything we can to align our will with His and daily exercise our faith in Him. We need to ask Him in earnest prayer to give us opportunities to obey. Ask for his spirit to be with us throughout the day and ask for help recognizing those promptings if we need it. If we do not ask for opportunities, we may not get them.

Let us ask for opportunities to practice listening. Ask for chances to obey. Ask forgiveness when we don’t and chances to try again.

I leave this with you along with the knowledge that I know God is our Father and He loves us individually and without end. God bless and be with you till we meet again.