Reminders

A friend of mine told me about an experience she had with the Spirit. She was given some instruction while she rocked her baby to sleep. I won’t give the private details but she felt soft hearted and thought of ways she could accomplish what was being asked of her and she felt good about it all.

The baby went to sleep and she put him down and left the room. within a very short time she had resumed doing things in the old way and when she told me about this she was feeling a little guilty. Of course I told her that it takes time to change and not to feel bad. Just to start again.

I’ve been thinking about this experience and rolling it around in my brain a little. This morning I thought about an experience I had a very long time ago when my oldest 2 girls were very small. I think it is relevant so I’m going to give the medium length version here.

I was a single parent. Very much on my own. I had a pretty good job and the girls were in Kindergarten and 1st grade I believe. I would get ready for work, the kids would go off to to my mom’s house until it was time to get the school bus and I would drive to work. The drive was a little over 30 minutes each way so I had plenty of time in the car. I was not attending church at this time and I was not ready to give up the things I was doing that would help me feel good about attending.

At one point, I can’t remember when it began, distinct words came into my head that I know were not my own thoughts. The words were something along the lines of “Beth, what are you doing? Why aren’t you taking those kids to church?” I turned up the radio and banished those words. but it kept happening. Not every day at first but the messages got more insistent. And honestly, I don’t really know how long it went on but I know it was weeks.

After a while, my very smart visiting teacher (aka ministering sister) sent the missionaries to my home on the night before Easter to invite me to church. By that time the Spirit had been working on me for so long along with my dedicated home and visiting teachers that I said yes, I would be at church the next morning. And now it’s all history.

Here’s my point in telling this story. God doesn’t give up on us. He will nudge and encourage and remind us as long as it takes. Consider how many lessons we have heard about prayer and scripture study. We need that repetition, those reminders and sometimes a little push to move forward. Also, there is the Atonement of Jesus Christ which works through repentance. And even though the word repent has gotten some negative press it’s actually a course correcting. A turning so that we are facing more and more toward Christ all the time. Sometimes those course corrections take a little time to get right because of habits and old ways of thinking. It doesn’t matter. If we are open to feeling/hearing/responding to the Spirit we will be able to feel/hear/respond.

Helaman 12:23 Therefore, blessed are they who will repent and hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; for these are they that shall be saved.

What are your stories of feeling the Spirit’s nudge in your life? Anything you are willing to share?

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