Answers come
This afternoon on the way out to the store, Z started crying in the hallway. Serious crying. And she blubbered out, “Mama, I stepped on the bug! I tried to go around it, but I couldn’t, and I stepped on it and I think it’s dead!”.
I checked, and indeed, it was dead.
Z was distraught. Bugs are her friends, and she didn’t mean to step on it, and now it’s dead, and on and on. I tried to comfort her as best I could, giving her the 4 year old’s version of what happens after something dies. We got in the car, and she was still just so sad. All the way to the store she kept asking questions about the bug, expressing sorrow for having stepped on it.
On the way home, she asked if she had made a bad choice by stepping on bug. I assured her that it had been an accident, and we talked about how everything is born, gets a body, lives, and dies. Some things live a long time, some things for a shorter time. She was ok with that, but was still very concerned that she had done something wrong.
So I suggested that she pray about it. That right then and there she say a prayer, and ask Heavenly Father if it was ok and for Him to send the Holy Ghost to help her to not feel so sad. So she did. It was a simple little prayer. I suggested that she sit quietly and listen to see if the Holy Ghost said anything to her. While she did that, I offered up my own raw, momma’s prayer, “Send her an answer now!”
And from the back seat, Tiny piped up.
“Momma, da holee daghos say more happy gain”
Me: “Tiny, did you just say that the Holy Ghost says to be happy again?”
Tiny: ” Yeah Toe (Zoe), da holee daghos say more happy gain”.
You could have knocked me over. I didn’t know that she’d even remotely been paying attention.
Zoe said that she still didn’t feel it, but a few minutes later, she said happily, ” I feel it Momma! The Holy Ghost is telling me, ‘It’s ok, Zoe, it’s ok!’ I feel it in my heart! It feels warm!”
And she hasn’t mentioned the bug again.
I know why I offered up my own prayer, but at the same time, I don’t know why. Heavenly Father doesn’t need to hear it from me – as Z and I discussed a couple of days ago, He hears kids’ prayers just the same as He hears grown up prayers. And He answers them.
This is one of the sweetest stories I have ever read about the Holy Ghost! What a treasure for you to record it for them later.
A family prayer story we have is when we had a family reunion on a Sunday for my family at a swimming pool/resort in Idaho. My sister was dating the owner and it was shut down for Sunday but our family was going to be allowed to swim there. We told Nicholas and Brianna that we didn’t feel it was right to swim on Sunday but they wanted to anyway. We told them to pray about it. Brianna came back and said she felt that the Heavenly Father didn’t want her to. Nicholas came responded later that the Heavenly Father said he should go swimming! It was so hard to keep a straight face but we had a talk about keeping the Sabbath day holy and he finally agreed he shouldn’t swim. Needless to say my kids were the only ones who weren’t allowed to swim that day and we finally left the reunion early. My family often thinks I’m weird bz of decisions we made rising our family like this but I know I did what I felt was right for my kids. Thanks for reminding me of that day.
What wonderful little girls you have which only proves what I have already known for four years – you are a wonderful mom. We miss you guys. Boston is beautiful this time of year and great for visiting… 🙂
You know, I do think the Holy Ghost often puts bugs in other people’s ears so we can more clearly hear Him.
I also think God more readily answers children’s prayers. They’re just so lucky to be small. 🙂
I loved this story. Zoe and Tiny have some of the most interesting conversations with you. Thanks for sharing.
aww, maryanne, that just made my heart melt and my eyes water. what sweet baby girls you have