Service

Awhile back, a friend sent me a fabulous blog about a family who travels with their 5 kids to third world countries and does service at different orphanages.  It was amazing!!!  I thought it was really neat and wished I were wealthy enough to do something like that with my own kids.  Then I started thinking about ways that we can give service right here in our community, or even our neighborhood.   

Last week, my kids got to help pass out flyers to remind people of a school supply drive our ward was doing for the Women's shelter her in Idaho Falls.  I could tell that it made them feel good to serve.  I try to take one kid with me when I take dinner to someone so they know what we are doing and why. 

Last Friday, my cousin (the RS president) called to ask if I could go visit a sister that was in the hospital that I have never met.  She lives with her aunt (who is completely inactive in the church) and doesn't have a husband or children.  My initial thought was, "No.  I can't.  I would have to get a sitter and I was just gone last night doing RS visits."   I told her that I would talk to the other counselors and see if one of them could since they don't have young kids at home.   I left messages with both of them, but while waiting for them to call me back, I started remembering back to when I was a young girl (probably Kennedy's age) and my mom was the RS President with FIVE young children.   I remember helping take food baskets to the widows in our ward at Christmas time.  I remember going to the nursing home with my mom and decorating cupcakes with old women.  I remember sitting on the steps of an old church next to the kitchen door watching women bring and prepare food (maybe for a funeral?).   I then recalled a talk in our ward from a few months ago in which the speaker pointed out that our children need to see us serve and fulfill our callings.   I decided to take my kids with me to the hospital to visit this sick sister.

Before leaving, I explained to the kids that before we went to the library, we would be stopping by the hospital.   The questions began flying, "Who is this lady?   Why do we have to visit her?   Does she have any grandkids?  What is wrong with her?"   I tried to answer them the best I could and asked them to each draw her a picture to cheer her up.   Matthew is not much of an artist, so he ended up throwing his away.  Kennedy took at least 30 minutes drawing and decorating a colorful horse picture.  She even wrote:  To:  Barbara   From:  Kennedy.    Hyrum drew something and was smiling when he said, "Her will love this!!"   I cut a rose from my front lawn and got it in a vase.  Since Matt didn't have a picture, he held the vase while we drove to the hospital.   I was so glad that there was no whining or complaining.  They seemed excited to be going. 

Unfortunately, when we got there, the woman's stepdad would not let the kids into the hospital room. (Although the nurses said it was fine).  Kennedy looked like she was going to cry as I asked them to wait in the hall for a minute.   I took the pictures the kids had colored and the rose in and met Barbara for the first time.  She was very appreciative of the pictures the kids colored for her.  It was a short visit, but at least she knew that someone had thought of her. 

As we left the hospital, I asked the kids why we visit sick people.  They said, "to cheer them up".   I asked them who else visits sick people.  They said, "The prophet and Dad."  I asked them if they thought Jesus Christ visited the sick when he was on the earth and they said, "yes."  Then Kennedy said, "I feel happy that we got to go and do that even though we didn't actually get to see the lady."   I agreed; giving service makes us happy.