Small & Simple Things

A Few weeks ago I had the opportunity to speak in Sacrament meeting. While preparing this talk many of the gospel principles became more clear to me. I have continued to study - this time with more meaning and with more understanding. It is so exciting to feel this peace in my heart. Although I still have much to learn it is wonderful to have this knowledge. General Conference this weekend has been such a great experience - spiritually enlightening. I thought I would share some of my talk - in the process of preparing this talk I had many experiences that taught me. I would like to start by telling you a little bit about the home I was raised in. It is a small, simple farm house – making up only about 900 square feet. It has 3 small bedrooms, each close to the size of the walk-in closet we have now. We had a nice size living room and kitchen and a very small bathroom and a hall. There were 6 kids in our family, and as you might guess, the three oldest and my parents got bedrooms, while the three youngest did not. My younger sister and I would pull out the couch each night, while my sister Tania would take the cushions we removed and sleep on those. There was a stove in the living room that we would gather around to get warm and just talk as a family. I have many fond memories – even though the arrangements were pretty simple.

A few weeks ago I traveled home to Canada for my nephew’s baptism. I attented church in my old ward - almost feeling a little envious that my brother was raising his 5 children in the same simple farm house. I thought for awhile – I am who I am today because of that little house. This is the house where my parents taught me many of life’s lessons - I gained my testimony, learned to love the gospel, gained a deep understanding of the importance of family and relationships. I thought, “How can I have the success my parents had without that little house.” Perhaps my little house could be used as an object lesson. Through small and simple things, great things can come to pass.
The Lord occasionally gives us trials to accelerate our progress! We are all blessed with trials – each of us struggle in one thing or another. Trials are given to make us better, refine us to help us reach our divine potential and become more like our savior Jesus Christ.

A little over a year ago doctors told us that we had less than a 1% chance of having more children. Although I still believe in miracles, this was devastating to me and I have searched and pondered to find answers and peace. I have gone to see many natural clinics, had my blood tested, taken a variety of vitamins, tried different ways of eating and various exercises. If the book or web site said that it would improve infertility, I did it.

Ultimately though, I have learned to rely on the Lord. I have come to understand that having another baby may or may not be part of His plan. I know He is in charge and if it is part of His plan, it will happen. Along the way, I have also learned to have a little more compassion for others – one of those being my older sister Tania.

In September 2006, Tania got married to a wonderful man at 35 years old. To their excitement, within a few months of their marriage, she got pregnant. The day before her due date, I met her at the hospital just as she was getting wheeled in, overjoyed to be having her first baby. The nurses started their routine of checking the baby’s heart beat, but they could not find one. Their baby had passed on just hours before her contractions started. Tania delivered her baby still born. This precious baby brought us closer to Christ and reminded us once again of the importance of small and simple things.

The Savior said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Sometimes we have the tendency to think that the more serious the problem, the bigger and more complex the solution should be. If we will think of the scripture Alma 37:6 “that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass. I know now that it was not my small and simple house that taught me – it was the simple principles of the gospel that were taught in our home.

I hope that we can remember the resurrection and the power of the atonement. There have been many times through the past few years that I have felt the healing power of the Atonement. I know that we will be given the strength to bear our burdens and draw closer to the lord.

Smith Family Farm 2008