Sunday, February 19, 2012

Sweet Experience

My sweet little boy Ty often feels scared at night.  I know most kids go through this, but one night a few weeks ago as I was putting Ty to bed, I could tell that he was really scared.  So I sat down by him in his bed and I told him he didn't need to feel scared because our Heavenly Father is always with him.  I reminded him that last summer when he was baptized, he was also given the gift of the Holy Ghost, which means that the Holy Ghost will always be with him.  I told him that the Holy Ghost will comfort him and bring him feelings of peace.  All he needed to do when he felt scared is to pray to Heavenly Father and ask him to feel that comfort and to feel that He is there.  

Ty got a little teary-eyed.  I was worried that he was still feeling scared, but he said, "Mom, I know what you are saying is true.  When you were telling me this, a little voice told me, 'Listen to your mom...what she is saying is true.'"  Well, that got me very teary-eyed.  "That's the Holy Ghost, Ty," I said.  "That is also what he does for us.  He testifies to us that things are true.  See, Ty, now you know you have him with you.  You just felt the Holy Ghost and he told you it's true." 

Ty was so happy.  He felt calm and peaceful, and I think very empowered.  I told him he needed to try to always remember this experience.  Remember how it felt.  Just thinking of this experience would help him to remember that Heavenly Father is with him and that the Holy Ghost would be there to comfort him and guide him. 

As I left his room that night, I marveled a bit at the experience we'd just had.  An ordinary moment turned extraordinary.  I was so grateful that I had the opportunity to teach him about the Holy Ghost and so profoundly grateful that the Spirit had borne witness to him it was true.  I, too, felt comforted that I wasn't leaving him alone.  That he wasn't laying there frightened and awake.  But that he knew where to turn when he felt scared.  How grateful I am to have that knowledge myself.  And how grateful I am to know where I can point my children for any problem they may face.

A little while later we were reading the scriptures together as a family and we read about Nephi being led by the Spirit.  We got talking about the Holy Ghost, and Ty looked at me and said, "I know how that feels, huh, Mom."  I nodded, "You sure do, Ty.  You've felt the Holy Ghost too, haven't you?"  "Yes," he said, with a confident smile.  "Thank you," I silently prayed to our Heavenly Father.

2 comments:

monique_holladay said...

Such a beautiful story. Your blog is very inspiring and just what I needed to hear today. Thanks for that :)

Kristine Tanner said...

Thanks Monique! That's such a nice thing to hear! I appreciate it. :)