Just Listen

Last week was difficult. Aidan wouldn't listen to me, which meant I had about a bazillion opportunities to practice patience, take deep breaths, and get down on his level to ask him what the real issues were and work them out with him. It also meant that I raised my voice a few notches higher than I would prefer and put him in time out more times than I could count.

By the time 5:00 rolled around, my frustration levels with Aidan (and his with me) were sky high. He finally ventured to the living room to find solace in his toy cars while I ventured to the kitchen to make dinner.

As I whisked about the kitchen in muted exasperation, I muttered under my breath, "Well, if he would just listen, we would both be a LOT happier. I mean, seriously, how hard is it to just listen??"

I picked up a pot full of water and moved towards the stove when it hit me - the Spirit quietly whispered to my heart, "How many times have I told you to listen, and you haven't?"

I stopped short and thought about it. That small and powerful inspiration led me to think back to the Doctrine and Covenants and how so many verses begin with listen or hearken. I also thought about the stories in the Book of Mormon and how some of them would have a very different (and happier) outcome if the people in it had just listened. Then I thought about the scriptures I had read that morning about keeping the commandments and listening and obeying the words of Jesus Christ.

Holy cow.

The frustration ebbed away and I felt very humbled.

I slowly set the pot on the stove and pondered how kind and how patient Heavenly Father is with me. I thought about how very timely that loving rebuke was and how it answered my many frustrated pleas for patience that day. How if I will just listen and obey the first time, it would save me a lot of heartache, frustration, anger, and sadness.

It's interesting how the Spirit can teach at such ordinary moments. I had expected a different answer to my pleas - a miraculous change in Aidan's mood or in his willingness to listen - but the Spirit taught me in that moment that it wasn't just Aidan who needed to listen...I needed to as well.

I'm grateful for my Heavenly Father who gives me second chances so.many.times to listen to Him and reminds me to give just as many, if not more, chances to my toddler.

"Obedience allows God's blessings to flow without constraint. He will bless His obedient children with freedom from bondage and misery. And He will bless them with more light...Teach of faith to know that obedience to the commandments of God will provide physical and spiritual protection...When we are faithful, He and His angels will help us."

- Russell M. Nelson -