Caregiver Tip

#8  Don't forget to pray
I recently read a story shared by President Eyring about his father's prayer during a losing battle with cancer.  He said that his father's example taught him the deeply personal relationship between God and His children.  He shared; "When the pain became intense, we found him in the morning on his knees by the bed.  He had been to weak to get back into bed.  He told us he had been praying to ask his Heavenly Father why he had to suffer so much when he had always tried to be good.  He said a kindly answer came: 'God needs brave sons.'  And so he soldiered on to the end trusting that God loved him, listened to him and would lift him up.  He was blessed to have known early and never forget that a loving God is as close as a prayer."

I have been taught that Heavenly Father knows us and cares about us.  He knows what we need but he expects us to talk to Him about what is in our heart and on our mind.  Sadly, some times we need to have a life changing experience before we come to understand how important our relationship with a loving Heavenly Father is.  Morning and evening prayers have always been a part of my life after I joined the Church but I, like many struggled with not having my prayers become rote and with little substance.

Sadly, but gratefully, Grandpa's diagnosis changed my understanding of prayer and my ability to rely on the Lord and not on my own understanding.  In the beginning I believe the only thing that got me through the grief I was feeling was the knowledge that I had a loving Savior who knew every agony we would experience because of his time in Gethsemane.  It was often a part of my prayers to thank Heavenly Father for the sacrifice of his Son for each of us.  I came to understand what I needed, I would have, to deal with Grandpa's needs.  I felt buoyed up continually.  I received distinct impressions of things to do to help Grandpa get through a difficult day or night.  I realized that I was never alone with this process because I had family and friends who continually shared in the process but more importantly I know that Heavenly Father loves Scott and he loves me.  This experience will be but a small moment in the grand scheme of things and I know that He knows I can do it.

So dear grandchildren no matter what you face in life, if you want to have a positive outcome and a greater understanding of what He needs from you and what He can do for you--Don't Forget to Pray!