Last Sunday started out to be busy as I packed up the roast beef dinner I had prepared to take to church to feed our missionaries. We try to feed them once a month at the church. We don't live in the area of the church we have been assigned too. We have 4 sets of missionaries in the Cumberland Branch. 2 sets of seniors a set of Elders and asset of Sisters. Anyway, I am always running on thOse Sundays we take food. Now we have arrived at the church and have just finished plugging in the crockpots heading to Sacrement meeting. Bob ( Elder Donaldson) was in the hall and said," you need to go in the restroom". I asked him if my slip was showing he said no just go in the restroom you will understand when you get there. At this point I was hoping I hadn't caught my dress up in my undies.
Anyway, I headed to the restroom. As I opened the door I was greeted by a mother outraged with the behavior of her child (a 3 or 4 year old little girl). I knew at the moment of course why my dear husband sent me. I will give all the credit to the spirit as I gently touched the mothers arm and told her that was no way to talk to a child. I then asked if I could take the little girl for the day. The Mother simply rolled her eyes shrugged her shoulders and walked out. As I bent down and picked up Anna she hugged me so tight I sang to her I am a child of God. I then asked her if she would sit with me during church? Held her face in my hands and asked her to look at me. She had a hard time but after my coaxing she did. I then told her how much her Heavenly Father loved her. We then held hands and walked out of the restroom. I grabbed some Friends that were out on the table and we headed to Sacrament meeting.
I placed her on my lap and looked at friends magazine with her during announcements. She tried a few times to wiggle free ( she is use to running the isles during church) but not very hard. We folded our arms and bowed our head during the prayers and I sang during the songs. It was then that I found out it was the primary program. This wasn't planned but I walked her up and as the sunbeam teacher reached for Anna's hand I said, I will sit with her so I placed Anna on my lap and we did the primary program. I knew most of the songs except for 1 so I sang to Anna softly. Anna had a part which she got up and said two sounds and then froze. Hey we praised her she had went up more than most sunbeams did that day. The meeting finished and I talked to Anna about going down to her Mom and giving her a hug but she didn't want too. I asked Anna if she was ready to walk to Primary I let her off my lap and took her hand to go and she immediately laid on the floor. I sat back down and put her on my lap and held her and softly said, when you are ready to walk to class let me know and we will go. Shortly after (30seconds) the primary president came and asked Anna to walk to primary with her. Anna got off my lap and walked. It was a great site. Now for the real teaching of the spirit. I walked down to the Mother and hugged her, told her that I loved her and had been in her shoes before totally overwhelmed as a mother.I told her I didn't want to offend her and I was not judging her. I told her again that I loved her and she wasn't getting out of my hug til she hugged me back! Took her a minute or too but she finally did! I then took her face in my hands and asked her to look at me. She wouldn't or couldn't. I kept pressing her she had the same expression of No self-esteem as her daughter. She would look for a second and glance down. It was hard for her too look at me. I kept holding her face gently in my hands. Finally, after several tries she looked into my eyes it was here the Spirit taught us. I told her how much she was loved and how The Lord knew her and her struggles. How he wanted her to love herself so she could love her little girl. I asked her to tell herself every morning looking at herself in the mirror that she was loved and of great worth. We talked for about 5 minutes and then I gave her another hug this time she didn't have to be told to hug back.
As I have seen my own weakneses as a mother I pray my children will not suffer from my mistakes but know how truly valued and great they really are not only in my eyes but even more important in the eyes of their Heavenly Father. I pray I have never down anything to my children that would hurt their self esteem.
I did not see the child or the mother the rest of the day as we were off to take care of missionary things returning as church was over to feed the missionaries.
We have been asked to grandparent a single mother and her 3 children. She is trying to work herself out of the ghetto. She has made it one step up. Hopefully, we can help her get a better job.
I was grateful for the guidance of my husband and the spirit today.
It was nice to feel the workings of the spirit.
