A Daughter of Heavenly Father

Driving down a street in a dangerous part of Phoenix, Arizona, I felt a strong hunger come over me. But it was only three in the afternoon, and I had eaten a larger-than-normal lunch at noon. Why was I hungry again?

I told myself I could control my appetite for a few more hours until suppertime. But as I continued down the street, the hunger pangs grew worse. I wondered if maybe I was getting sick. The hunger was stronger than I could ever remember feeling. When I spotted a fast-food restaurant, I decided I would give in to my discomfort and buy a small cheeseburger.

I guided my pickup truck toward the drive-in, but then I decided to park and go inside. As I walked toward the restaurant door, a woman in ragged, dirty clothes stepped out from between two parked cars. Her long hair was stringy and matted, and her arms bore the marks of a drug user. I changed direction to avoid her.

The woman staggered a little and continued walking toward me. I hesitated, unsure of what to do. She stopped in front of me and looked at me with bloodshot eyes. She was probably in her late 20s, but something about her face seemed much older. She started to speak, but then she hesitated and swayed on her feet. I reached for her arm to steady her, but she pulled away.

“Would you please buy me something to eat?” she mumbled. I told her I would, and then I went inside the restaurant. At the counter, I decided to buy the woman a large sandwich, french fries, and a drink. For myself I ordered a small cheeseburger and a drink. I carried the two bags of food outside and gave the woman the larger bag. She mumbled her thanks and moved away to sit under a tree and eat.

Back inside my pickup, I opened the cheeseburger. As I brought the sandwich to my mouth, I realized I was no longer hungry. The smell of the food made me feel completely full. Confused, I put the sandwich back into the bag to eat later. As I drove away, I felt puzzled about the odd events of the past half hour.

Late that night, I woke up and started thinking again about what had happened. As I lay there, an understanding came over me. Every day I had been praying I would be guided to people who needed help I could provide, and my prayer had been answered in a completely unexpected way. Reflecting on the experience, I sensed how important the woman was to Heavenly Father. I knelt in prayer to express thanks for the lesson in charity I learned that day.—Leroy Hale, Ironwood Ward, Gilbert Arizona Greenfield Stake