It was 5:00pm and I heard a knock at our door.
I was so sick and my 2 kids at the time were running around chaotically, but I pulled myself off the couch and to my front door.
I wasn’t expecting anyone.
When I opened the door, there was a friend from my ward.
She was standing with her husband, both of their hands filled with trays and containers of food.
“My daughter in California has been so sick with her pregnancy right now, and I feel so sad that I can’t be there to solve her problems.
“I wish I could make her dinner tonight.
“But I remembered that you said on Sunday how sick you are with your pregnancy.
“So since I can’t serve my daughter right now, I wanted to bring you dinner instead.
“I know it’s 5:00 already so you might already have something going for dinner, but I made lots of extra food and wanted to bring you some.”
It was one of the only times in my life where I was truly speechless.
Of course, dinner had not even crossed my mind. And my family appreciated the meal.
But my friend’s reasoning and action has been the most impactful to me, even a few years later.
It’s tough to watch someone you love go through a trial and not be able to help them out.
I like to imagine our Heavenly Parents looking down on us in the same way.
With never-ending love, but not able to physically be with us as we experience the highs and lows of mortality.
And this is where Benjamin’s famous teaching becomes pretty literal:
“When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” (Mosiah 2:17)
When we help each other, when we serve and celebrate and mourn and surprise, we are serving God.
We are His hands.
Currently away from Him physically, but never spiritually.
And so, He depends on us.
He depends on us to look around.
To look around with the knowledge that everyone is a child of God.
And then to act as a loving parent would.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
3 Responses
What a great act of service! I can relate. I so very much want to visit my mother, who is in a home in Europe. But, sadly, I can’t go there, can’t afford it. Others visit her there. In return, I am able to visit this sweet sister in a home here. She is 5 weeks older than my mother and really appreciates visits. She is like a substitute mother to me.
That’s a great example of being assertive about helping people in need.
It can be tricky taking dinner to someone who is experiencing morning sickness from a pregnancy, since it’s hard to know what foods can set them off versus making them feel better. Either way, taking that burden of making food for the family makes a big difference.
Absolutely! Every act of service can make a big difference <3