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Monday, May 11, 2009

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.

2 comments:

Elise said...

Natalie, thank you for that story. You are wonderful for following that prompting, especially since sometimes it is really hard to ask people you don't know well to handle your kids, just because you don't know if they would want to. You're an inspiration!

And thanks also because I need to hear this this morning. Maybe you've followed two promptings on it now!

Holly said...

oh wow! What a neat story! Thanks for sharing. My own OLDER sister struggles with infertility issues and sometimes I hesitate to talk about my pregnancy and children with her because I'm afraid to offend her or make her sad or jealous... but then I remember that it's sometimes the best therapy for her to talk about it and stare the issue in the face instead of pretending it doesn't exist. We both know she has the feelings, so why not discuss them. Good for you for following your prompting. It does make me wonder how often I get those and don't listen or am too tired to act on them.