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I hurried into the local department store to grab some last minute Christmas gifts. I looked at all the people and grumbled to myself. I would be in here forever and I just had so much to do. Christmas was beginning to become such a drag. I kinda wished that I could just sleep through Christmas. But I hurried the best I could through all the people to the toy department. Once again I kind of mumbled to myself at the prices of all these toys. And wondered if the grandkids would even play with them.

I found myself in the doll aisle. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a little boy about 5 holding a lovely doll. He kept touching her hair and he held her so gently. I could not seem to help myself. I just kept looking over at the little boy and wondered who the doll was for. I watched him turn to a woman and he called his aunt by name and said, "Are you sure I don't have enough money?" She replied a bit impatiently, "You know that you don't have enough money for it". The aunt told the little boy not to go anywhere that she had to go get some other things and would be back in a few minutes. And then she left the aisle.


Out of the corner of my eye I saw a little boy about 5 holding a lovely doll.

The boy continued to hold the doll. After a bit I asked the boy who the doll was for. He said, "It is the doll my sister wanted so badly for Christmas. She just knew that Santa would bring it" I told him that maybe Santa was going to bring it. He said "No, Santa can't go where my sister is...I have to give the doll to my Mamma to take to her". I asked him where his sister was. He looked at me with the saddest eyes and said "She has gone to be with Jesus. My Daddy says that Mama is going to have to go be with her."

My heart nearly stopped beating. Then the boy looked at me again and said, "I told my Daddy to tell Mama not to go yet. I told him to tell her to wait till I got back from the store". Then he asked me if I wanted to see his picture. I told him I would love to. He pulled out some pictures he'd had taken at the front of the store. He said "I want my Mamma to take this with her so she don't ever forget me." "I love my Mama so very much and I wish she did not have to leave me". "But Daddy says she will need to be with my sister."

I saw that the little boy had lowered his head and had grown so very quiet. While he was not looking I reached into my purse and pulled out a handful of bills. I asked the little boy, "Shall we count that money one more time? "He grew excited and said "Yes, I just know it has to be enough". So I slipped my money in with his and we began to count it. Of course it was plenty for the doll.

He softly said, "Thank you Jesus for giving me enough money." Then the boy said "I just asked Jesus to give me enough money to buy this doll so Mama can take it with her to give to my sister. And he heard my prayer. I wanted to ask him for enough to buy my Mama a white rose, but I didn't ask him, but he gave me enough to buy the doll and a rose for my Mama." "She loves white roses so very, very much".

In a few minutes the aunt came back and I wheeled my cart away. I could not keep from thinking about the little boy as I finished my shopping in a totally different spirit than when I had started. And I kept remembering a story I had seen in the newspaper several days earlier about a drunk driver hitting a car and killing a little girl and the Mother was in serious condition. The family was deciding on whether to remove the life support.

Now surely this little boy did not belong with that story. Two days later I read in the paper where the family had disconnected the life support and the young woman had died. I could not forget the little boy and just kept wondering if the two were somehow connected. Later that day, I could not help myself and I went out and bought some white roses and took them to the funeral home where the young woman was.

And there she was holding a lovely white rose, the beautiful doll, and the picture of the little boy in the store. I left there in tears, my life changed forever. The love that little boy had for his little sister and his mother was overwhelming. And in a split second a drunk driver had ripped the life of that little boy to pieces.

 

This teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a very special relationship. Even though the son was always on the bench, this father was always in the stands cheering. He never missed a game.This young man was still the smallest of the class when he entered high school. But his father continued to encourage him but also made it very clear that he did not have to play football if he didn't want to. But the young man loved football and decided to hang in here. He was determined to try his best at every practice, and perhaps he'd get to play when he became a senior.

All through high school he never missed practice nor a game, but remained a bench warmer all four years. His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of encouragement for him. When the young man went to college, he decided to try out for the football team as a "walk-on."

Everyone was sure he could never make the cut, but he did. The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always puts his heart and soul to every practice, and at the same time, provided the other members with the spirit and hustle they badly needed. The news that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest phone and called his father. His father shared his excitement and was sent season tickets for all the college games.

This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in the game. It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted onto the practice field shortly before the big play off game, the coach met him with a telegram.

The young man read the telegram and he became deathly silent. Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the coach,"My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today?" The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, "Take the rest of the week off, son.And don't even plan to come back to the game on Saturday.

Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well. In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his football gear.

As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon. "Coach, please let me play. I've just got to play today," said the young man. The coach pretended not to hear him. There was no way he wanted his worst player in this close playoff game.

But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for the kid,the coach gave in. "All right," he said. "You can go in." Before long,the coach, the players and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes.

This little unknown, who had never played before is doing everything right.The opposing team could not stop him. He ran, he passed, blocked and tackled like a star. His team began to triumph. The score was soon tied. In the closing seconds of the game, this kid intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown. The fans broke loose.His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders. Such cheering you've never heard! Finally, after the stands had emptied and the team had showered and left the locker room, the coach noticed that the young man was sitting quietly in the corner all alone. The coach came to him and said,

"Kid, I can't believe it. You were fantastic! Tell me what got into you? How did you do it?" He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?" The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile, "Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!"

-- Author Unknown

SO REMEMBER RIGHT NOW:

  • Somebody is very proud of you
  • Somebody is thinking of you.
  • Somebody is caring about you.
  • Somebody misses you. somebody wants to talk to you.
  • Somebody wants to be with you.
  • Somebody hopes you are not in trouble.
  • Somebody is thankful for the support you have provided.
  • Somebody wants to hold your hand.
  • Somebody hopes everything turns out all right.
  • Somebody wants you to be happy.
  • Somebody wants you to find him/her.
  • Somebody wants to give you a gift.
  • Somebody wants to hug you.
  • Somebody thinks you ARE a gift.
  • Somebody admires your strength.
  • Somebody wants to protect you.
  • Somebody can't wait to see you.
  • Somebody loves you for who you are.
  • Somebody treasures your spirit.
  • Somebody is glad that you are their friend.
  • Somebody wants to get to know you better.
  • Somebody wants to be near you.
  • Somebody wants you to know they are there for you.
  • Somebody would do anything for you.
  • Somebody wants to share their dreams with you.
  • Somebody is alive because of you.
  • Somebody needs your support.
  • Somebody will cry when they read this.
  • Somebody needs you to have faith in them.
  • Somebody trusts you.
  • Somebody hears a song that reminds them of you.

"The best and most beautiful things in the world can not be seen or even touched. they must be felt with the heart.

 

I have often wondered what would happen if the method of introducing a father to his newborn child were different. Instead of a doctor saying, "It's a girl" or "It's a boy", how would we react if each time a child was born our Father in Heaven made this kind of introduction to the parents:

"Thank you for preparing this little body for the spirit I have created. Now I present him to you for a season to care for. Please teach him of me and of my Son. I so much want him back with me some day. It all depends on you. Remember this: He is loving. He will respond to teaching. He wants to learn. Please treat him with respect. The road will not be easy. Some of the time it will be most difficult. I want to help you raise him. Please call on me often for advice and counsel. Together we can help him fulfil his purpose on the earth."

or

"Thank you for preparing this little body for the spirit I have created. Now I present her to you for a season to care for. Please teach her of me and of my Son. I so much want her back with me some day. It all depends on you. Remember this: She is loving. She will respond to teaching. She wants to learn. Please treat her with respect. The road will not be easy. Some of the time it will be most difficult. I want to help you raise her. Please call on me often for advice and counsel. Together we can help her fulfil her purpose on the earth."

-- Bishop H. Burke Peterson, speaking at 142nd Semi-annual General Conference, January, 1973.

 

When I was just a small boy, I had a favorite big brother. He was great to me. He'd put his big arms around me and we'd go scampering down some cool dirt path. At times like this I felt ten feet tall. He didn't seem to mind my tagging along one bit; and there was nothing I liked better.

I was so proud of him. When I was with him I felt like I was being stronger than the sun. He was good at everything. I never could seem to match the mountains he'd make out of sand. Mine would always seem to crumble and sag, but his would stand as firm as the Rocky Mountains.


...but his smile always seemed to beam a little brighter when my brother was around.

Dad always tried not to show how proud he was of him -- he being the oldest and all, but his smile always seemed to beam a little brighter when my brother was around.

I felt my world had collapsed when he went on his mission. Dad and Mom both had to fight the tears back. He called up Dad regularly and let us know how much he loved us. He even told us how great his mission was, so Mom wouldn't worry.

The persecution was really bad there as the Church was just getting its start. But he never seemed to let himself get down, even though the people wouldn't believe his message. We'd all share in his joy when he'd get some new converts, but I didn't mind saying I was scared that the non-believers would do something to him. It even got to the point where men were plotting to take his life. But Dad never seemed to be worried, for some reason.

Then one day we received word that his mission had ended, but not as most men's do. I was struck by the terrifying news.

They finally got hold of my brother. The big brother I played with. The one that never seemed to be capable of doing anything wrong. My big brother that loved everyone he knew and who most everyone loved.

They beat him and mocked him. He suffered all they did to him without striking back. Why would anyone want to hurt my big brother? I couldn't understand.

A mob took him to a hill just outside of town and, spitting on him, they nailed him to a wooden cross. My soul moaned as I heard that he begged father to forgive them. Racked with unbearable pain, he gave up his life for what he believed.

My big brother, my King and my idol was dead. I cried throughout what seemed to me like the darkest day of my life. Where was my brother with whom I'd shaped mountains of sand? Why did he of all my brothers have to die like this?

I felt Dad's strong arm upon my shoulder and heard him say, "He did it for you, son -- for you and for his other brothers and sisters."

Time passed and I was called on my mission. Sometimes I forget what happened long ago, but every Sunday a small piece of bread and a cup of water remind me of my big brother and what he did for me and assures me that he yet lives.

-- Tim Hansen

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