God Loves and Helps all of His Children

My thoughts on Elder McMullin's talk "God Loves and Helps all of His Children"

As a primary worker I know that the statement is true! God does love his Children and helps them more than we can even imagine. We just have to look to see it.

"The Church welfare plan embodies this divine pattern, and faithful Church members follow it. Their offerings provide succor to the widow, care to the orphan, and refuge to the suffering."

When I was a little girl our family had to use the Bishop's Storehouse more than once, actually for a few years. It was a blessing for our family. Not only did we use it, but my mother was the manager for quite a few years. It gave her the opportunity to work (money coming in) to serve (she never put down every hour she worked), know connections (how many times were there donations that were passed along to those who were truly in need by those who could help out by just having my mom say, "Brother/Sister Brown you need to talk to Brother/Sister Black and they will be able to help you with your need.) and of course we were able to benefit from her service in both our bank account as well as our tummies. Us kids even went down there and put in our own service hours. It was from there that I learned all about service. The job hours were such that she could work school hours and if she didn't, we could go to work with her. It was a great example of serve and the Lord's true love for his children. I learned a lot.

The world could learn a lot from the Church's system as well. It is interesting to see how many times our local newspaper runs a spot on the Church's welfare system and says something like, "The Mormons sure know how to take care of their own and the rest of us as well." We do, and they should learn from us.

"Welfare principles . . . do not change. They will not change. They are revealed truths."

Joseph of Egypt knew it. The Saints of the 1800's knew it and we should know it and practice it as well. In times of plenty you stock up for the lean years. These truths are universal and eternal. The Lord looks after the physical as well as the spiritual welfare of his people.

That leads right into the spiritual welfare of His children.

"Another essential way to receive God’s help is through prayer. We are commanded to pray to God, our Father, in the name of Jesus Christ. The admonition is, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened.”Heavenly Father answers all sincere prayers."

He answers our prayers and "He will comfort and lead you with love through whatever storm you face."

As the storms have hit the Blanding home we have felt his comfort and his leading both physically as well as spiritually. He truly loves us.

The power of a priesthood blessing.
I didn't receive many priesthood blessings growing up as my father was gone a lot. To this day I forget to ask for them. I have been trying to remember more and more, but it seems as if the Lord has answered my prayers and so the need for priesthood blessings haven't been needed. BUT, when they are needed, I feel the power behind them. I feel the Lord's arms wrapped around me.

In my auto accident I received a concussion and about six weeks of my life are completely blank. I don't recall much of what happened from the time the car hit me to the time I "woke up" six weeks later. I was taken to the hospital but released a few hours later. I know i went to numerous doctor appointments, drove the car, taught school, played the piano in church, made Thanksgiving dinner, etc, but I don't recall any of it. But I do remember the blessing I received upon arriving home from the hospital. I was sitting in my husband's office chair because it had a tall enough back that I could rest my head against it (my neck and head hurt so bad). I remember that the brother who came worked from home and only live a few blocks away. I remember he was in a shirt and tie (guess he had enough time to change before we got home). I remember that Steve told me he didn't know who would be coming to help give me a blessing, my visiting teacher arranged it. I remember it as short and to the point and it told me "that in due time I would no longer feel the effects of the accident." I remember thinking "due time? Honey you were to bless me to heal now."

After I woke up from my six weeks of concussion I reflected back on that blessing. I couldn't wrap my mind around why my husband said that and why he would want me to go through all this pain and torture. I still don't know all the reasons, but I have a better grasp of what the Lord wanted me to learn and the only way I could learn it was through that trial. I'm not thankful I was in the accident as the negative effects to our family will last forever, but I am thankful for the lessons I have learned, am learning and will continue to learn. I just hope that the promise my husband spoke will one day come true and that I will live righteously enough to receive the blessing of not feeling the effects of the accident.