Thanking My Angels

Today my heart is full. (Oh, that sounds so much like a church talk. Well, in a way, I guess it is.) Today we spoke of the Ministering of Angels, something I thought I knew everything about. I've heard the pioneer stories and loved them, truly. I've heard many personal stories and have enjoyed and felt uplifted by them. Well today was my day for an epiphany.

As I sat in class today (which wasn't supposed to happen. I was supposed to be teaching primary, but thanks to conference, the lesson schedule was rearranged and I was allowed to attend my classes.) I listened to the lesson with polite reverence. The woman teaching the lesson shared touching stories from her own life; stories of angels who have come and gone. As she spoke she shed a few tears. Then she spoke of her daughter's experience of being a peer tutor for the challenged students of her school. I was especially moved.

We all know how I feel about my daughter, and those like her. They are truly angels sent to teach us how to become more Christ-like. What I didn't expect to learn today is that when we serve these special angels and their families, we become angels ourselves.

Through the experience of raising my daughter, I have had days when I have felt down, depressed, desperate, at the end of my rope. I have also had days when I have felt strong, capable, blessed; I have felt the ministering of angels. These angels come in the form of friends who help, family that offer support, and strangers who share a knowing smile or a kind word. And sometimes these angels are like this teacher when she said, "I am in awe of the mothers of these special children ..." Awe? That word is so powerful. To stand in awe of a mother doing her best to rise to face the challenges ahead of her--I can't tell you how much I appreciate that.

I don't know that my challenges are any greater than any other mother's out there. All I know is that when you share a kind comment, a word of encouragement, or a knowing smile with me, you become my angel. Thank you.