As Relief Society president, one of my duties is to help with the general welfare needs of the members in the ward. There is a new single mother who moved in who was in need of clothes for her daughter and three small boys. Miraculously, another woman in the ward had recently cleaned out her son's closet and had a bunch of boys clothes in just the right sizes for the boys in need. The woman was supposed to bring them to church today so I could give them to the family in need. I had purchased some clothes for the older daughter and brought those with me. The mother was so relieved to have a few new outfits for her children. When I found the clothes donor at church, she said she had forgotten to bring them and they were in a bag by her door.
No problem. I had a feeling that would happen anyway. I just told her I would pick them up after church and deliver them to the family. The LT was going to visit another area south of us where they hold meetings in the afternoon to help out so the girls came along with me.
As planned, I picked them up and then sought out the other woman's home. They live in a trailer park that most people know the location of, however, I did not. I plugged the address into my GPS and set off. Unfortunately, the GPS was confused, but I didn't realize it until we got to the wrong location.
At this point, the minor frustration of getting the wrong directions was magnified by the fact that I was starving, and my gas light had come on. I have been trying to be a much better example in keeping the Sabbath holy for my girls (not stopping by Taco Bell on the way home from church...) and the numerous fast food restaurants seemed to be taunting us. I will say how amazing the girls were. Not one complaint.
I was fuming at my luck as I turned around and went back the way we came to find our destination. In doing so, we passed by this church a second time, and I saw this:
I realized that what I was doing was service. I had been able to go out and buy new clothes for my girls without a second thought. This woman had to rely on the kindness of others to clothe her children. I also realized that my attitude wasn't helping things and I it would be very soon that the clothes would be delivered and I could be home and eating.
The scripture Matthew 25:40 instantly came to mind:
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
And I thought, yes, I think I have made God smile today.
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