June Presidency message

This spring, I’ve had the most amazing experience of being educated by nature.

My family has been blessed to witness the building of a nest within view. We have been able to see the building, the nesting, and now the hatching of baby robins. I watch the mother and father birds constantly collecting worms, bugs, etc. out of my backyard, fly to my fence, look around and then go and feed their four little babies. I was able to witness this feeding. The babies reached up to their mama with their mouth wide open, waiting to be fed. The parents were working hard to get the food to all the babes, but with so many mouths to fed, some are left open without immediate nourishment. The unfed birds stay reaching up with their mouths open while waiting for their parents to return. Did you know that baby birds need to be fed every 15 to 20 minutes from sunrise to sunset?

At different points of our lives, we are all like baby birds. Our mouths open, waiting for help, unable to fly, reliant upon others to nourish us. Once fed, we gain strength, we grow in our testimonies, we learn how to fly, and then we help others. Barbara Thompson, the Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency has said, “Throughout His mortal life the Savior taught that we should care for one another and help one another…There are opportunities everywhere to help those in need. I submit to you that at some time in our lives, each of us will be poor in some way and will need the help of another person.” One day we will all be in need like the baby birds of my yard. We need people to help us, feed us, and teach us to fly.

May we be aware of our surroundings and may we look out our windows to find those among us that are in need of our support. It may be a phone call, a note, nourishment or simply a friendly hello but we can help those in our flock become strong. D&C 84:106 says “And if any [woman] among you be strong in the Spirit, let [her] take with [her her] that is weak, that [she] may be edified in all meekness, that [she] may become strong also.”

There are many in our ward boundaries that are capable of feeding and many who are hungry. I pray that we will follow the spirit and be mindful of the sisters and families that are in need of help. I’m thankful for the people in my life that have fed me when I was a hungry fledgling.