on bees

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The Sunday before Matt broke his ankle, I taught a lesson in Relief Society based on Elder Ballard's recent Conference talk, entitled "Be Anxiously Engaged".  It's all about doing little acts of service that may seem like they're not much, but actually add up to be wonderful and significant parts of our Heavenly Father's plan for all of us.  Elder Ballard compared us all to bees, who work their whole lives to produce one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey, which doesn't seem like much, but when added to the work of all the other bees, becomes an important and essential contribution.

No one in my ward needed to hear that lesson. 

As soon as Matt broke his ankle, we were surrounded by honey.  During the first week, we had six fresh dinners and three frozen ones delivered to our house.  I ended up having to tell our Relief Society President that we could not handle any more food.  I was worried too much of it would just end up going bad.  Our next door neighbor deep-cleaned the first floor of our home.  Then, my mom came a week later and did it again.  Henry was entertained and invited over for countless play-dates and sleepovers.  The priests brought us the Sacrament in our home.  A priesthood blessing was given to Matthew hours after we got home from the doctor.We get at least 20 phone calls or text messages a day asking how we're doing and if we need anything.  I know when my mother-in-law or my friends are going to the grocery store, because they always call and ask if I need them to get anything.  We have felt the love and the prayers from our friends and family who are not close by to offer physical help.  

We are quite the pathetic pair over here.  My abilities are still very limited because of this pregnancy, and Matthew is of course even less mobile and in more pain than I am.  And next week, we will have an infant with us.

But I have never in my life felt more love and support than I do now.  We are so blessed and so grateful and honestly, we will have to work for the rest of our lives to repay the love and kindness that we have been shown.