kindness continued

I had three little boys and one on the way when we moved to Omaha. Until our base housing was available, we camped out in a hotel room on the outskirts of town. Our first day at church, the children and I attended alone because my husband had thrown out his back that morning and was in the hospital. The ward welcomed us with open arms and upon finding out that my husband was in the hospital, immediately set to work with a service plan that included my leaving the children with a sister each morning for 2 hours while I visited my husband, checked our PO box, went to the laundromat, etc. I was very appreciative of the help. When I went to pick up the children one day, it was very obvious that the sister was glad to have the ordeal of serving me over with. She ushered us out of her home quickly, and I felt we all had been a terrible imposition on her. The next day was quite a different experience. This sister, seeing I had laundry, offered to do that for me while she watched the boys, saving me a trip to the laundromat. When I came back it was clean and folded in the baskets. She told me what a delight it was to have the boys, she had only girls and they really enjoyed being around the boys. We had a lovely visit while she fed us a nice lunch, then she dished up half of her supper, a simmering stew, to take home with us for our supper. Any feelings I had of imposing, especially by her doing so much more that just what was required of her, were swept away by her kindness. I realized that her kindness validated her service. Perhaps her kindness even sanctified her service. As we left, I graciously thanked her for all she had done for us that day. She smiled warmly and said, “You would do the same for me.” I hope so…