The other day Seth and I babysat for some friends in our ward who have a little boy about 5 months old. When our neighbors heard a baby crying from our apartment, they probably all assumed we had had our baby. One neighbor was completely convinced. Her name is Audrey and she is a little bit mentally challenged. She came running down to knock on the door. I opened it and even though I probably shouldn't have joked with her, I couldn't help saying, "Yep. I had my baby." Her mouth dropped open. I laughed and tried to tell her I was joking while holding a crying baby. I thought she had understood, but the next day I saw her and her friend Steve. They kept congratulating me and congratulating me. It didn't matter that I still look 8 months pregnant, they couldn't quite understand that it wasn't our baby they had seen or heard crying. Even though I explained it again and apologized for joking, Steve called Seth later to congratulate him. No matter what Seth or I said, we couldn't quite get it across that we hadn't had a baby. They had seen a baby, and they had heard a baby. That could only mean that we HAD a baby.
As I thought about it, I realized how easy it is to sometimes rely on our physical senses, even though in some instances, like this one, they can be completely wrong. We usually trust what we see and hear, even though we can at times be misled. As I thought about Audrey and Steve I realized there are probably some things that I am just sure of, that really aren't the way they seem. It made me grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost, because with the spirit we can come to understand things "as they really are and as they really will be" (Jacob 4:13). (If you didn't listen to the CES fireside that Elder Bednar gave on this scripture I would recommend it!). Although our senses of sight and hearing may be misled, and we may feel completely sure that we see things or hear things the way they are, we can always rely on the feeling we have when the spirit testifies of truth. Because there are so many ways to be confused in this world, we need to, as Elder Bednar said in another fireside, develop the gift of discernment, so that we can perceive the truth. Anyway, just so you all know, and can see by the picture, I am still pregnant . . . . for now.
As I thought about it, I realized how easy it is to sometimes rely on our physical senses, even though in some instances, like this one, they can be completely wrong. We usually trust what we see and hear, even though we can at times be misled. As I thought about Audrey and Steve I realized there are probably some things that I am just sure of, that really aren't the way they seem. It made me grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost, because with the spirit we can come to understand things "as they really are and as they really will be" (Jacob 4:13). (If you didn't listen to the CES fireside that Elder Bednar gave on this scripture I would recommend it!). Although our senses of sight and hearing may be misled, and we may feel completely sure that we see things or hear things the way they are, we can always rely on the feeling we have when the spirit testifies of truth. Because there are so many ways to be confused in this world, we need to, as Elder Bednar said in another fireside, develop the gift of discernment, so that we can perceive the truth. Anyway, just so you all know, and can see by the picture, I am still pregnant . . . . for now.
haha thats funny
ReplyDeleteha! I love that picture. thats funny. some people just don't quite get when you're joking.
ReplyDeleteMakes you think twice before teasing someone! I guess I am guilty of that one.
ReplyDelete