Little miracle in the classroom

When you invite God into all facets of your life, little miracles can and do occur. This year I have a student (whom I'll call Mr. T.) who struggles to be happy and do work. I've included him in my prayers, asking to know how to help him succeed. Several weeks ago our district had a professional development day with speakers and classes. As I was listening to the opening speaker and thinking about this Mr. T., the speaker said that we need to help students find their passion. And the thought that came to me immediately was "have him write about video games." Mr. T. LOVES to tell me all about his video games and their ratings and how to play them.

Fast forward a few days and Mr. T. wasn't wanting to do what I had planned for the class. I gave him a writing page and said,"Why don't you write about your favorite video game." Well, he immediately latched on to that idea and wrote two pages in one sitting. During morning meeting he asked to share with the class. They were all impressed he could write so much. Later that day I found an old 3-ring binder which I gave him to keep his writing pages in.

He's been taking it home and brings it to music where he normally likes to be disruptive and make noises. But not this past week or so. He sits and writes. I have had a breakthrough and am praying that I can continue to help him progress. Mr. T. even invited me to his house to play games and gave me a hug on the way out of class the other day.

God is very much aware of all aspects of our life. Work, play, home, spiritual, physical. I know I can get revelation for even the kids in my classroom. They are under my stewardship for six hours a day, and while I am still getting to know and understand them, God knows their name and their needs at this very moment.

A Christmas miracle

Sometimes the Lord has ways of putting people where they need to be and so it was with me.

One of my young women has been in the foster care system and had been in a home in our ward for a couple of years until recently.

I don't know the details of why she is no longer there but we were all saddened to have her leave so quickly.

For a combined activity the young men and young women made some blankets to deliver to families in our ward. Each organization picked one person who they'd like it delivered to and the Beehives decided on McKenzey.

The only problem was we didn't know exactly where she ended up until one night on the news there was a story of two girls who ran away from a youth center. We prayed for her, and as I followed the news she was eventually found at her mom's home. I took down the address of the the detention center she ended up at in case that's where we needed to take her blanket.

At the time I felt this was a gift from Heavenly Father letting me know where she was. As young women leaders we just wanted her to know that she was loved.

Singing Christmas carols and riding on a hay wagon, we delivered our blankets on Wednesday. Friday I subbed at the junior high. I had an 8th period prep hour and was planning on heading home until the school needed me to cover for an English class 8th hour.

I wasn't exactly thrilled with this turn of events but it's how it goes as a substitute. As I was talking to a teacher, finding out what exactly was happening that hour (no lesson plans and the kids kept telling me there was some English fun day happening that hour), I looked out in the hall and saw McKenzey. Shocked registered on my face as I pointed at her. I was able to pull her away from the activity and talk with her for a few minutes. She was living in Tooele with a different foster family and her former foster family had her address and number. I was able to get the info and deliver the blanket to her last Sunday with her Beehive counselor and a couple of girls from the ward.

But what made it even cooler was that it was her birthday!

I know the Lord had a hand in this. I'm sure we could have easily tracked her down, but the fact that I was at the school that day and in the same hallway was a miracle. It was nice to be able to hug her, talk to her, and let her know we had a gift for her.

As we got in the car after our visit, one of the girls mentioned to the other that she was so glad we did that. I think it meant the world to McKenzey that we visited her - ON HER BIRTHDAY - but I'm sure it also touched the girls who came with us. I don't know what impact this little miracle might have on any of them years from now, but I know that the Lord gives us tender mercies when we are about his work.

FHE lately

Be assured we still do hold our weekly family home evening. We've just been lazy about pictures.

Have I mentioned how crazy May can be? We did fit in a trip to the West Valley Fitness Center to swim (still trying to get use out of our passes before they expire) and then to 7-11 for Slurpees.

One week Kiersten had us play hide-n-seek all over the house like the kids used to when we first moved in. I didn't realize there were so many good places to hide.

Erik's birthday happened to fall on a Monday evening and Memorial Day we worked at getting packed as we all headed to different destinations for 10 days.

During June Tyler and I were in Alaska and the others were spread around.

Ash gave us a lesson on temples one night and on another we talked about trek and watched 17 Miracles. I shared a story about Tyler's Aunt Pam that was emailed to us 4 or 5 years ago by her husband Uncle Bob. 

She was participating in trek that year riding a horse. Aunt Pam was asked to take a leather coat to someone. But as the coat was being brought to her, the horse she was on got spooked by it, reared up, and landed on top of her with the saddle horn hitting her right in the chest. She knew she was in a lot of trouble as she felt the bleeding inside and immediately asked for a blessing. The ma's and pa's were asked to gather their families together and pray for her.

As she was given the blessing, she felt the feeling that she was bleeding go away and was told she would make a complete recovery. She was life-flighted to the hospital where a trauma team was waiting to perform numerous surgeries based on the EMT reports. However, there was nothing to operate on and the doctor found no evidence of internal bleeding.

The stake president who gave her the priesthood blessing later told Uncle Bob how it was revealed to him that her injuries were very serious and life threatening but that as he began the blessing he knew she would be healed and recover.

"We have been blessed with a miracle in our family that has been shared with hundreds of people. Pam worried that her accident had disrupted trek or taken away from it. Everyone tells us that the experience enhanced their experience and helped their trek families pull together as they prayed together for Pam."