Beyond the Distractions

While sitting in a doctor’s waiting room I overheard a young boy eagerly explaining to his mother one of the day’s events. At first she listened attentively. But, as he talked on, her attention strayed. She began to look around the room and even greeted another waiting patient with a nod. The smile on the boy’s face faded as he realized his mother was no longer listening. His voice dwindled and soon he stopped talking altogether. A few moments later his mother realized what had happened. Quickly she said, “Yes, Brent, then what happened?”

“Oh, that’s O.K. It didn’t matter anyway,” he responded. Brent had had a great adventure, but his mother’s inattentive behavior told him that his exciting experience didn’t really matter to her.

As I watched Brent and his mother that day, I wondered how often I send similar signals to my Heavenly Father. King Benjamin tells us that we should hearken unto the word of the Lord. He tells us, “open your ears that ye may hear, and your hearts that ye may understand, and your minds that the mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view.” (Mosiah 2:9.) Yet often I am so distracted by the world that I do not hear.

Our Father’s messages are not always loud. A voice came into the mind of Enos. Elijah heard a still small voice. Oliver Cowdery felt peace in his mind. A stupor of thought or a burning in the bosom are also answers we need to hear.

Jacob warns in the Book of Mormon, “Wo unto the deaf that will not hear; for they shall perish.” (2 Ne. 9:31.) We must learn to listen with our ears, our eyes, our mind, our heart, and our soul. We must listen that we might hear the word of God and know him. Janice H. Dunoskovic, Salt Lake City, Utah