Sister Thoughts- Jamie Carling

Every woman knows how difficult it is just to be a woman sometimes! The emotions, the demands on our time, choosing the best activities over pretty good ones, the multi-tasking, and Sundays at church with a toddler; do not even get me started. I want to share a story that comes to mind each time I think of visiting teachers.

To begin, I just want to describe one such Sunday at church with a toddler (as aforementioned in the paragraph above). I was around nine months pregnant at the end of the summer, and I woke up late and did not get breakfast. Uh oh. Basically, I was hot, uncomfortable, and in a precarious mood. My usually fairly well behaved son decided that this was a good Sunday to test the boundaries. He was a total monster during the entire Sacrament meeting. It was one of those meetings where you feel like neither you nor anyone in the surrounding 15 foot radius is getting anything out of the meeting because of your little one's disruptive behavior. We took him out for the umpteenth time to discipline him. Right at that moment, he decided to launch his battery-powered Thomas the Train out of the station and towards the back row. Thomas sped off under the chairs before I could grab him, and the entire congregation it seemed was watching and listening to Thomas chug his way to the accordion doors in the back. (Yes, I know, how did that toy make it to church? I was wondering the same thing.)

My son, Varis, loves nursery. He looks forward to it all week, and he talks about it quite frequently. I was at the end of my short rope, and I told him that instead of going to nursery, he was going home and taking a nap. I realize now that it was not the best idea to pull him out of church for inappropriate behavior, but I was in the heat of the moment. I packed up the diaper bag, grabbed the wretched Thomas toy, and headed out to the parking lot.

As soon as we got outside, Varis decided it would be funny to run away. So I'm trying to run after him in heels and nine months pregnant. I'm sure it was very entertaining. I finally caught up to my little monster, and I was so devoid of patience I was on the brink of tears. "Hurry, find the car and drive home," I thought. "You cannot have a meltdown in the parking lot." So, I drag my toddler to the hot car, get us all in and buckled, put the car in drive and I'm off! I immediately recognize a strange sound that is coming from my car. I have heard it before, but what is it? I stop, put it in park, and get out. Would you believe that my front tire is completely flat, not low, but flat.

Now I feel on the verge of a meltdown; I am teetering on the edge really. I unbuckle Varis, go back inside the church with Varis in-tow, and I better find Preston in about 30 seconds or it's all over. I did a quick scan through the rooms he is usually in, and I cannot find him anywhere. Of course! Thank goodness I am alone in the foyer; I probably look like a crazy woman. Here comes the silent prayer, "Heavenly Father, please help me just get through this moment."

I will never forget what happened next. Alisha Sell, my visiting teacher, came through the doors of the cultural hall and into the foyer. She smiled big and came right over to give me a hug and say hello. I am sorry to say she got much more than that. She said, "How are you?" The tears just started to flow, and I told her everything. "I am stressed, and my tire is flat!" Wouldn't you know, she did not seem alarmed or make me feel silly for being so irrational. She immediately hugged me and told me it would be alright. "Let's get you home, Jamie. Just a minute." In moments, she was leading me and Varis quietly out to her car, my keys were in Brother Sell's hands for him to find Preston and fix the tire, and my sweet guardian angel was driving me home. She made me laugh all the way with stories about the whole thing, she made me feel calm and understood and loved.

I found out later that Brother Sell changed my tire, yes, in a white shirt and tie out in that hot parking lot. They brought my car home and called to ask how I was doing. I told her she truly saved me that day. It may have seemed like a small thing to her, but it was very big to me. Heavenly Father answered my silent plea for help that day, and He did it through my friend, visiting teacher, Alisha.

How thankful I am to know that Heavenly Father is so aware of me and of my family all the time. How thankful I am for Alisha for recognizing my need and fulfilling that prayer for help. I know that my Father in Heaven lives, and my Savior lives and knows me. I have a testimony of the divine institution of Relief Society and the visiting teaching program. Through living the gospel of Jesus Christ, and by following the promptings of the Holy Ghost, we truly can save lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.