Valentine from the Heart

By Patricia R. Jones

(Based on a true story)

Feed my sheep (John 21:17).

Desiree carefully glued her picture in the book. Using her best first-grade handwriting, she wrote, “I love you, Teacher. Happy Valentine’s Day. Love, Desiree.” She smiled at how even the letters looked.

“I’ve finished, Mom,” Desiree called. “Do you want to see it?”

Desiree’s mother lifted baby Micah from his high chair and came to the table where Desiree was working.

“How do you like it?” Desiree asked. Her smile showed the gap where her two front teeth would soon grow in.

Mom ran her fingers over the words as she silently read them. She looked at Desiree. “Well, you’ve done a nice job, but …” She looked at the book Desiree had glued her picture in—the Book of Mormon.

Desiree became worried that she might have done something wrong. “Mom, you told me that my teacher isn’t a member of our church. The prophet said we’re supposed to tell people about the Church and give them the Book of Mormon, right?”

Mom sighed. “That’s right.”

“I’ve tried to show her how happy we are,” Desiree continued. “Now I want to give her a Book of Mormon. I love her. I want her to join our church.”

“I guess I’m just afraid that your teacher won’t like it,” Mom said. “I know you love your teacher and I think you’re very brave to do this for her.”

Desiree smiled. “Is it OK, then?”

“Yes. Let’s remember in our prayers to ask the Lord to bless her with a desire to learn more about the gospel,” Mom said.

“She’ll like it,” Desiree assured Mom.

On Valentine’s Day, Desiree took the Book of Mormon to school for her teacher. The teacher got valentine gifts all day long. She got chocolate hearts, flowers, pens, and cards. Desiree began to worry. Maybe she shouldn’t give the Book of Mormon to her teacher. Maybe Mom was right. Maybe her teacher wouldn’t like it.

When the bell rang for the children to get ready to go home, Desiree took the Book of Mormon out of her backpack. She walked to her teacher’s desk and gently placed the book in front of her.

“Here’s my valentine for you,” she said softly.

Her teacher put down her pencil and asked, “Well, what can this be?” She picked up the book and read, “The Book of Mormon.” She looked at Desiree with questioning eyes. “You want to give this to me for a valentine?”

Desiree opened the book to her picture and note.

The teacher read the note and smiled. “Thank you, Desiree. I love you too.”

“What did your teacher say about your valentine?” Mom asked when Desiree came home.

“She said thank you, and she loves me,” Desiree told her. “She wasn’t mad at all.”

Mom nodded. “Well, I guess we’ll know for sure when I go to see her next week.”

“Are you still afraid, Mom?” Desiree asked. “It’s OK.”

Mom smiled. “You have strong faith.”

The next week, Desiree, her mother, and baby Micah went to school for parent-teacher conferences. When they got there, Desiree waited on the playground where her mother could see her, and played with some of the other children. Desiree wondered what her teacher and mother would talk about.

After what seemed like a long time, Mom and baby Micah came outside and Desiree ran to meet them. “What did my teacher tell you about me?” she asked.

“Your teacher sure thinks a lot of you,” Mom said. “She told me your valentine was one of the best she’s ever received.”

“Really?” Desiree beamed. “That’s because I gave it with my heart.”

Mother looked intently at Desiree. “That’s almost exactly what your teacher said.”

Desiree smiled. “Maybe she will read it and want to be baptized.”

“You know, Desiree,” Mom said, “she might not join our church right away. But maybe someday she’ll be ready to turn the pages past your picture and start reading.”

“I hope so,” Desiree said.

“Whatever happens, I know the Lord will bless you for obeying the prophet and sharing the gospel.”

“I’ve already been blessed,” Desiree replied. “I’m not afraid to tell people the Church is true.”

Mom squeezed Desiree’s hand and smiled. “I hope you never will be.”

[Be a Witness]

“Because we are under covenant to be a witness, we will try to tell [others] how the gospel has brought us happiness. What they think of what we say may depend largely on how much they sense we care for them.”
Elder Henry B. Eyring of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Witness for God,” Ensign, Nov. 1996, 32.

Illustrated by Matt Smith