PATTYCAKES

Yesterday the topic in our Relief Society meeting was one on "the ministering of angels". I am a firm believer that there are angels among us, both of the more heavenly nature as well as angels in our everyday lives as people live close to God and listen to the promptings that encourage them to reach out to help others, sometimes even when they don't know how much they really are needed. We listened to many stories of women yesterday, right in my own ward boundaries, who had been recipients of wonderful neighbors and friends that were "there" just when they needed them, often times not even knowing why they were there when that thought came into their head. Sometimes they are not even aware of the impact that they have had on others because it was not obvious nor ever told to them.

I remember a time during the 9/11 terrorist attack, when airplanes had to be taken down from the sky for a day or two or more. At the time, my sister was living in CA and I in AZ. A sweet little grandma she knew in CA had been back East to visit family and was in the sky when the attacks happened. Her plane had to be grounded in St. Louis. She was travelling all alone and in a city where she knew no one. A daughter of hers in CA knew my sister, Sharon, was from St Louis originally and wondered if she knew of anyone there that could help this poor woman. Sharon had not lived in St. Louis in nearly 20 years and so she did not know but called me in AZ, having recently moved from there just three years prior, and asked who I knew. And I knew just the person. My dear friend Billie Johns was still in St. Louis and I knew she would pick this lady up from the airport and take her home and take care of her until the time came that she could finish her trip home. And so she did just that! And Billie and her new friend from CA enjoyed a few days together and are now fast friends. What a wonderful angel this grandma was sent in her time of need.

And so that brings me to my thoughts today as I am grateful for the angels who took my son and his mission companion to the grocery store, stocked them up on food, a whole LOT of food, $360 worth of food for just two guys!! And his wife took their suits and pants and shirts in to be dry cleaned for them! Since these young men live on a pittance as they go out to preach the gospel, this was a wonderful blessing in their lives to have some of their temporal needs relieved for them. And as a mom of one of these boys, I am grateful to know that though they are away, they are being watched out for and that a loving Heavenly Father never forgets them.