Ministering on International Women’s Day

Six weeks ago, I broke my foot. It has not been easy to say the least.  Three weeks ago, an x-ray showed that my foot had not healed and, in fact, and broken a bit more.  I felt devastated that day.

The doctor ordered me to not step on my foot (even in a walking cast).  I didn’t know what to do — how would I even get to the restroom or in the shower on one foot? I can’t do crutches, I need to buy a knee scooter!  Thank goodness I already have a shower chair. How would I feed my family? How much more time can my husband take off work to care for me and our 2 year old?  How would I take care of my house? How would my kids get to school? I was going to be totally dependent on others for a while to come.

Guys!  It’s hard to ask for help.  Really, really hard to break down the walls you have around yourself and ask for help.  I will admit, it has been a struggle for me to love the ward I’ve been in for the last 18 months.  I just have not felt like I’ve found my place, or connected with people all that well.  However, my ministering sister, the compassionate service leader and the Relief Society President have been on top of things and in frequent contact about our family’s needs.  The bishop gave  my husband and another brother permission to administer the sacrament to me at home — as getting out of our house with stairs is really difficult.  That’s been a very special and spiritual experience to have that ordinance just for me — because Christ sat in the Garden and atoned for just each of us, individually, personally and lovingly.  When Alma wrote he took upon himself our sickness and infirmities — he took my broken foot, the pain, the anguish, the struggle on, so that He could understand what I need.

Today my ministering sister (My mom calls them “ministering angels”) stopped by to help me this morning.  All I needed was for the dishwasher to be emptied and the sink cleaned out.  She kept asking if there was more, there was not, but just that simple job done in the morning, helps us later on in the day.  I had an inspiration and took a picture of that clean kitchen sink and shared it on my Instagram (@theatomicmom73 — come over and let’s be friends).

“I’m posting this pic of my clean, empty kitchen sink for #internationalwomensday. I know some women might find this demeaning, but it’s not. Let me tell you why. Six weeks ago today, I broke my foot and have been very limited in what I can do. The women from my #LDS ward (congregation) have come over every weekday to do the dishes, help me with other household work, to talk to me (because I get lonely sometimes), and have brought dinners to feed us for weeks to come (because I still have a month to go off my foot ). They have nurtured, served, and ministered to me and my family. This is what womanhood is to me. Loving, caring, serving and making sure that everyone is taken care of. I’m profoundly grateful for their service and love. When you are in the service of others, you are serving God.   #ministering #service #latterdaysaints #reliefsociety #charityneverfaileth”  

Happy International Women’s Day, and thank you to all of the women out there that serve quickly, selflessly, and generously.