Remember, Remember

I recently learned a powerful lesson about what it means to remember and I thought I would share. I love how experiences in life truly help us to grow and gain knowledge as we strive to become more like our Father in Heaven!

The family I nanny for just recently moved to Texas. Needless to say, after working for them for 16 months, they have practically become my family. I love those kids more than anything in the world. I looked forward to seeing them daily no matter how hard it was at times (I gained a great appreciation for moms from nannying). It has been the greatest job and such a blessing for me!! When I found out they got a job transfer to Texas, I dreaded the day they would move ever since. The day they left was extremely hard for me!! I spent the entire afternoon with them and shed many tears as I said my goodbyes. I told them over and over to remember that I will always love them. Since the kids are all so young, they didn’t even really understand that the goodbyes that day meant more than just "see you tomorrow"

I know that although I will still keep in touch with their family as much as possible, they will soon forget me; yet, I will never forget them or stop loving them! I have such a better understanding of how it must have been when we left the presence of our Father in Heaven to come here to earth. I'm positive that He sent us here only after telling us over and over again how much He loved us and to try really hard to remember that! He knew that He would never forget us, stop loving us, or stop checking up on us; yet He knew that we would forget Him - due to the veil AND our own forgetfulness.

I want more than ever to make sure that I do my best to remember Him and return to Him after having a taste of what it’s like to watch kids go. I know that even when the kids come to visit for Thanksgiving, it will never be same; those little twin boys will never come running towards me with HUGE smiles and hugs like they did before because their young minds won't remember me. I look at the world we live in - where the term "God-forsaken" is used all too common; yet, God never left us. He is still very near. WE are the ones who forget Him. We are the ones that turn away.

This lesson made the sacrament mean so much more this week as I heard the words, "always remember Him." Pres. Spencer W. Kimball stated that remember might be, perhaps, the most important word. He said, "Our greatest need is to remember." Here is a great scripture about remembering: Mosiah 4:30 "And now, O man, remember, and perish not." My goal is to remember my Heavenly Father more often, to tell Him how much I love Him everyday, to show that love by being more obedient. I now see more clearly the importance of remembering. As we do so, we will recognize our Heavenly Father when we see Him again, and we will be able to run to Him with HUGE smiles and hugs for we will know Him for who He is, our Eternal Father. I look forward to that day!