Subtle Prompting

Do you ever have those experiences...those times that make you wonder how many promptings you really do receive during the day.....and also make you wonder how many you actually listen to? One happened to me yesterday.

We were in a rush to get to early morning church. My husband had to give a talk, and I had to participate in a musical number with the primary. We both wanted to be there a little early so we were getting ready as fast as we could. At the church, I stopped to practice my song, and my husband ran to sit on the stand.

Our practice was over just as church was about to begin. I hurried into the chapel and realized that I had not arranged for someone to take care of my baby while I went up for the musical number. But I spotted a young couple sitting on the side. An empty bench was open in front of them. They did not have any children, and we were only aquaintances, but I felt like I could ask her to hold my baby.

I whispered of my favor to her just as the meeting started. She responded with, "I'd love to." As the meeting progressed, I noticed that her husband's arm was around her and she was crying. I felt bad. It seemd to be a sad cry. I wondered about my request and if it was appropriate, but I felt like everything would be okay.

The time for the musical number came and she reached out for the baby. Her and her husband played and laughed with him through the song. She had a big smile on her face when she handed him back.

Then fast-forward. After all of our meetings were over, I ran into her and thanked her for holding him during Sacrament meeting. She told me that she was very grateful that I had asked her. She told me that she has been struggling with fertility issues, so has just started to get help from a doctor. All signs were pointing toward success and they were pretty sure that she had been able to be pregnant. Then, she found out just before she came to church, that she was not. She said she was very emotional because it was Mother's Day. She then told me that holding my baby was exactly what she needed and how grateful she was that I had asked her. She said that it was wonderful and really helped her. We both hugged and cried. I was grateful for the simple prompting to ask her for that favor...and didn't even realize that indeed it was a subtle prompting. I felt very grateful and very blessed.