Yesterday I had the opportunity to go help my Aunt Julie in her 2nd grade classroom, and it was hilarious. The kids had so many funny things to say, and I couldn't stop smiling. One particular situation really struck me, though, and this one wasn't funny, it was actually a really tender moment. One little girl, we'll call her Brooke, was feeling distraught over the math problems she was asked to do, because she didn't know how. She walked up to my Aunt Julie and asked for help through tears. She could barely stay calm,because these math problems were just way too much for her to handle. Julie could have responded in a variety of different ways...after a long day of asking seven-year-olds to stop jumping around, stop yelling out random things, and to please do their work, over and over and over again, she could have easily responded in frustration to this bundle of tears who obviously did not need to be crying. Instead, my Aunt took this sweet little girl close to her and said, "Brooke, do you remember what you said to me the other day?" (Referring to a previous conversation which I wasn't a part of). Brooke mumbled a "yes" through her tears, "I said that I knew that you would help me whenever I needed it." Julie, "How many times will I help you, Brooke?" Brooke, "As many times as I need it", Julie, "That's right, honey, I'm going to help you over and over and over again, for as many times as you need it, and so you don't need to cry". This experience really impressed me, because I was just amazed at the love and patience that my Aunt showed towards this child. What an incredible teacher!
This morning I called my mom crying. When I want to complain about my life, my mom is often my "go-to"..... poor thing. So I told her everything that's bad or sad about my current situation, and I just melted in to a bundle of tears. Sometimes my mom just lets me cry, as good moms do, but today was different. Today mom told me in a gentle way that I needed to stop crying. She told me that everything will be okay and that I really needed to choose to have hope. Then she said the thing that hit me most....she knew about the situation with Julie and Brooke, and she said, "Kristy, can't you hear Heavenly Father saying the same to you? Don't you know that he is going to help you over and over and over again? Because He has and He will." With this, my tears ended. I realized that at times I choose to be the sobbing child in the classroom...I get so focused on the math problems not making sense that I forget that I have a wonderful, compassionate, and merciful God for a teacher, who is going to do everything he can to teach me and help me to grow and thrive as his child and as his student.
In 3 Nephi 10:4 Christ says, "How oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have nourished you.", referring to the many times he had been merciful to them. He goes on to say, "How oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not.", referring to the times when He desired to comfort and help them, but they would not let Him. Lastly, He turns to the righteous, those that are willing to receive Him, and says, "How oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart". At this point in The Book of Mormon, the Nephites had just been through some horrific trials. They had just lived through "tempests, earthquakes, fires, whirlwinds, and physical upheavals....many people were destroyed...darkness covered the land for three days" (3 Nephi 8 chapter heading). So here they are, they've been in complete darkness for days now...they've lost people they love, and their homes and cities are destroyed. If that couldn't make you feel hopeless, I don't know what could. So I believe that Christ was trying to give these people hope here. So in reviewing these three lines, I feel like maybe what Christ was trying to say is that having hope requires acknowledging the times God has helped us in our lives in the past, repenting of the times we haven't let Him help us, and looking to the future in confidence, knowing that He will help us......over, and over, and over again.
Thanks for reading!
Love to All,
Kris
P.S. I am not trying to suggest that a good cry isn't ever necessary....I cry all the time, and I don't feel one ounce of guilt or shame over that. Mourning things in life is something that is part of the process....mourning things teaches us what it means to suffer, and suffering makes us so much more grateful for the good times. There has to be opposition in all things, as the scriptures tell us...so when the hard times come, let them come...but the lesson I learned and which I am trying to convey today is that no matter how hard life gets, you should never lose hope!
