A faithful lesson learned

Sunday morning Tyler, Kylee and I joined Mindy and Macey on a road trip to St. George! Both Mindy and her husbands' family live in St. George so she was coming down for a family baptism, and since she had exactly 3 seats open in her car we jumped at the chance to come down and spend the next two weeks soaking up (or sweating out) the heat of southern Utah-oh and to visit family!! On the way out of Logan we have to drive through a canyon and Tyler was SO scared! (apparently roller coasters will not be in his future) We're not sure if it's the windy roads he doesn't like, or the mountains that go straight up on either side of the road (like a claustrophobic thing) he just says he doesn't like it and he's scared. Then all of a sudden in the middle of his whining he says, "Mom, I am just scared I need to say a prayer to my Heavenly Father." Mindy told Tyler that was a great idea and I asked him if he wanted to say it. He said, "ya I will say it" and proceeded to say the sweetest little prayer. Afterwards he looked up and sighed a big sigh, thought for a minute, and said, "Okay, I feel better now I don't have to be scared." I told him that was exactly right and was so happy that he remembered that when he was scared he could pray to feel better. He nodded his head and said excitedly, "ya, AND Heavenly Father gave me my body!" ha ha, I never will understand how his little brain works!

I am so grateful for the lessons I learn from my children. I thought about that as I was falling asleep last night. About how often we teach them about the Holy Ghost, about prayer, about the love their Heavenly Father has for them and how often we forget the real gospel truth behind those doctrines. That we too can feel comfort from the Holy Ghost when we pray, and should pray when we're scared because Heavenly Father does love us and wants to be there for us when we're scared, lonely, or worried-even if they happen to be "little things". I think sometimes it's hard to remember that if it's important to us, it's important to Him. No matter how small or insignificant the experience may seem, Heavenly Father will be there for us if we invite Him to be. So from the little things of being scared to be home alone at night without the security of our husband, or the fear of speaking in church, to much bigger things like the fear of how we might look if we stand up for the truth or being scared to have the courage to follow a prompting of the spirit; we can stop whining for just a minute, say a quick prayer, sigh a big sigh, and then know that now we don't have to be scared. Allowing us to move forward with faith.

I am grateful for the innocent faith Tyler had and the reminder that I too need to, as King Benjamin encourages us, "becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him..." (Mosiah 3:19). And to unquestioningly know that I can always turn to my Heavenly Father when there is fear, doubt, or question in my heart. And through His spirit He will send peace to replace the fear, comfort to ease away the doubt, and provide answers to my troubled heart. But it all starts with faith. Simple faith that He IS there. That He does care, and that He loves you more than is possible to understand. Hmmm...everything I need to know I really did learn in primary.