Sunday, February 16, 2014

Matthew 18:3-5....learning from His little ones

My husband Brandon and I were able to go to Butte, MT today to see his grandparents. We left from Idaho Falls early in the morning so we could make it to church with them but ended up being late for sacrament meeting due to the weather and leaving a little later than planned. So we stayed out in the lobby and I couldn't be more grateful for doing so. We're listening to the speaker, who by the way gave a beautiful talk about addictions and the atonement of Jesus Christ, and a mother comes out with her little girl who's about 4 years old and her little boy who's about a year old. The mother was saying that they needed to go. The little says why? why? And mom says because! At that moment the little girl started to break down and cry. "Mom, I don't want to go I want to go to primary. Mom I want to stay!" Then mom started to explain why they were going...."we need to get your brother's bottle and we're coming back." The little girl didn't understand the coming back part of what she was saying so she continued to cry and throw a fit. I offered (not in front of the child, so it didn't seem like I was taking sides with the child's behavior) to watch the little girl while she went out to get the bottle. She told me not to worry about it and that she was going to get the dad. After this all happened it came to me....here I've had the blessing of being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints all my life and there are times when I don't want to go, that I'd rather stay in bed because I'm so tired or some other poor excuse and here this little girl is balling her eyes out because she wants to stay and learn more about Jesus Christ. I was humbled and reminded of how lucky I am to have the gospel in my life and that we can learn so much from children. God himself told us that we must be like little children. And I have witnessed once again the reason why that doctrine is so important.
Matthew 18:3-5
"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." - Jean A. Stevens