Our differences can help us be unified, if we have the right perspective!

I have been thinking a lot lately about how different each one of our lives is.  We all have such different, personal trials and blessings, that it is often hard to understand what our friends and family members are going through and vice versa.  I was so grateful to Andy for offering to take work off last Friday so that I could attend a day of Women's Conference.  I had been planning on attending with my mom and had made arrangements for the kids so that I could attend both days, but my kids were still pretty sick and my mom ended up not feeling well on Friday as well.  At first I thought maybe I should just let Andy go to work, but the kids were excited to spend some time with Daddy and I felt a strong pull to still go.  So, I went alone.  But, let me tell you, I was not alone!!!  There were thousands of women there all seeking strength for their many different challenges and lives.  The spirit there was SO strong.  I would love to share some things I learned from each class, but let me just start with an answer I received about this great concern of how to understand better those who I love dearly who are experiencing challenges different than my own. 
The closing addresses were given by Elder Neil L. Andersen and his sweet wife, Kathy.  I never realized how tiny she was until a friend in my neighborhood told me what happened after the address. This friend is a polio survivor and has a hard time walking.  She rides a scooter that carries her oxygen tank and she said that afterwards Elder Andersen came over and gave her a big hug and thanked her for coming because he knew it took more effort for her to be there.  She said after that big, welcomed hug, Kathy Andersen was able to speak to her eye to eye and share her love and appreciation as well.  Apparently she is even tinier than I had thought from the top of the Marriott Center.  But, the stories Kathy Andersen told and the spirit that was there as she talked were not tiny at all.  She told a sweet story about her grandson who is just 3 years old and how he had some big concerns one night as he kneeled to pray with his mother.  His prayer was very lengthy for a little 3 year old who had much to share with his Father in Heaven.  Afterwards, he looked up at his mother and said, "Mommy, He heeerd me!"  How could He not hear the honest, tender feelings of this little boy.  I also know that He hears each of us, no matter what our concerns are, no matter how silly others may think our needs and desires are.  He knows our hearts and He wants so desperately to heal our hurts and bless our lives with peace, joy, and the power to overcome whatever we are going through.

That was not the story I meant to share, but I hope it touches you as much as it did me.  The story I really wanted to share, however, was a story that Elder Andersen had shared a few years ago, of which his wife repeated and I was amazed that I had somehow forgotten:

Hadley Peay is now seven years old. Hadley was born with a very serious hearing impairment requiring extensive surgery to bring even limited hearing. Her parents followed with tireless training to help her learn to speak. Hadley and her family have cheerfully adapted to the challenge of her deafness.

Once, when Hadley was four, she was standing in the checkout line at the grocery store with her mother. She looked behind her and saw a little boy sitting in a wheelchair. She noticed that the boy did not have legs.

Although Hadley had learned to speak, she had difficulty controlling the volume of her voice. In her louder voice, she asked her mother why the little boy did not have legs.

Her mother quietly and simply explained to Hadley that “Heavenly Father makes all of His children different.” “OK,” Hadley replied.

Then, unexpectedly, Hadley turned to the little boy and said, “Did you know that when Heavenly Father made me, my ears did not work? That makes me special. He made you with no legs, and that makes you special. When Jesus comes, I will be able to hear and you will get your legs. Jesus will make everything all right.”

This story touched me and made me think back to Elder Andersen's words spoken just a few moments before.  He said (according to my very imperfect note taking) basically that we like to divide ourselves into groups (single, married, male, female, rich, poor, etc.)  Then he reminded us that this is not what we want.  He went on to say that:  The importance of this noble cause allows more thinking about what lies ahead and what we can contribute rather than dividing us by looking at our differences.

The feeling in my heart was almost overwhelming.  I have struggled to know how to love some of the people I love most.  The answer was that all we need to do is look ahead - which is possible through our Savior, Jesus Christ and the blessings that come to each of us because of His great gift to each of us.  The gospel of Jesus Christ helps us to not focus on our differences, but to focus on that sure knowledge that we can each have that we are sons and daughter of God and that He wants us to help each other in whatever challenges we may have, by loving each other as He loves us and encouraging each other along the way back to Him.  He placed each of us here to succeed, not to fail.  If we focus on the glorious future that He desires for each of us, we can more easily understand each other's hearts and be unified in our efforts to return to Him with those we love. 

I hope that I can follow the example of Hadley and have the faith of a child as I remember that our differences are what make us special (and allow us to contribute in very different, needed ways), and that in the end, "Jesus will make everything all right!"