"I am good"

Our family, in particular Ashley, hit a milestone this week.  April 18, 2013 represents one year of sobriety for her.  I can hardly believe that it's been a year since "the dreadful day" and in reality it has become the first day of a very hard and difficult journey that has personally taught me how to honestly and truly love.  I have had a peep into the immense love that our Father in Heaven and Savior, Jesus Christ has for each and everyone of us.  We are all connected, and a huge key to our success here upon this earth is to reach out and make those connections with all those around us.  Be more kind, more understanding.  I believe that everyone has good in them.  As I listened with a heavy heart to the reports coming out of Boston this past week, with the bombings at the marathon finish line and it's aftermath, I have grieved with the rest of the world.  But then I focused on the incredible actions of love that immediately followed: strangers helping strangers, sharing what skills/abilities they had with others.  Sharing a blanket, a kind word, a helping hand.  We all have good in us. 

I was recently called to be a Primary teacher in our ward.  We have two sets of teachers for this class, which means I only get to teach about once a month, but I still want to make a solid connection with these children.  They are 6/7 years old, and such darling little kids.  Since I do not know the children in our ward very well, I wanted to visit each child in my class to introduce myself, and to learn about them.  At each visit, I asked them, "What is one thing that you want ME to know about YOU."  I heard things such as, "I like to dance," "I like to draw pictures of Jesus," "I like to build things with legos," but one of the little boys told me, "I am good."  I told him that I loved the fact that he knew he was good. The more I think about and pray for these children, the more I love them.  They are our future, and they are already so spiritually strong. I want them to leave my class every Sunday with words of love ringing in their ears.  Their Heavenly Father loves them.  Jesus loves them.  Their Primary teacher, Sister Mordue loves them.  I hope and pray that they will stay in touch with their 7 year old innocence, especially through the dark and difficult times ahead....jr. high school!