Answered Prayers

I often feel silly praying to find something of a very temporal nature. Remember the stamp? I mean it isn't really a necessity for living and I haven't used it to fulfill a church duty, yet. But still it was important to me to find it. Partially because I wanted to use it and partly because I didn't like feeling so disorganized that I couldn't find it, or remember if I ever really bought it.

I have always been touched when the boys offer a simple, faith filled prayer to find a toy/shoe/game. The list could go on and on. And then their prayer seems to be answered almost instantly. We've never gone more than 30 minutes without finding something they've prayed to find.

I had nearly given up on finding that stamp. I was resolved that I'd dreamed of buying it and never really followed through. I told myself it wasn't important and that I couldn't really miss what I never had. A member of our ward bishopbric mentioned one night this week that he never really lost something, He just had put it in a very special spot and he'd find it when he had something of equal value to put in that very special safe spot.

I moved on.


Thanks to Julie who started this great Scripture Study group, We've been reading in Alma this week. It's the chapters they're covering in our Sunday School this coming Sunday. Since I'm in nursery every Sunday I love being able to have conversation and study to go with my reading. I love it.

Last night I was reading in chapter 7 verse 23 I got to the part where Alma says, ". .being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need , both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive." And my mind got called back to those stamps, only this time it was a prompting to look in a very specific place. One I hadn't thought of. It was a very logical place, it had been right under my nose and I had missed it. But God was mindful of me and my silly little stamp set.

This morning I was in my office/craftroom and it came again, the prompting to look. (I hadn't forgotten, but life has a way of distracting me at times). I knew when I heard myself ask, "why would it be there?" that it wasn't my own idea. I quickly ran to the spot, lifted out the drawer and there IT was, the package of stamps. I cheered and then quickly dropped to my knees to return thanks to my Father in Heaven.

I went outside to where the guys were. I told Lester the story of the stamps and then the experience I had while reading my scriptures. We talked. It was great, Gabe was there and was amazed at the way I'd received an answer to my prayers. I realized that I learned much more, than if I'd found it right after I had my prayer and had my testimony strengthened as to My Part. I thought turning the room upside down was enough to show I was willing to do and look and work. But it wasn't. I needed to make sure I was doing other things I was asked to do, to be prepared to hear the promptings. And I learned that things truly do happen in the Lord's time. Answers to prayer often require patience and quiet time and effort to improve other areas of our lives before we can be ready for the answers.


I realize that it is necessary for a child to get a quick answer, small experiences strengthen the testimony that Heavenly Father is mindful of them. I also realized that my own lack of preparation cannot hinder the answering of my children's prayers, but it does serve to eliminate me from the blessing of being a part of the answer or solution. There are so many things I do that I think are making me a better mother when in truth the simple and precious truths of the Gospel, scripture study and personal prayer can make me more than a better mother, they help me be the mother Heavenly Father knew I could be. And that is amazing.