Living Water

There are other posts on their way, but I wanted to write this down while it is still fresh in my mind. I am always amazed at the innocent, thoughtful questions my children pose to me. Often, they are the ones that open my eyes and increase my understanding of things temporal and spiritual.

Yesterday, Mark and I were getting our children ready for bed. They had brushed their teeth and undressed for a quick shower before bed. Just as we piled Ira and Emma in the shower, the water came to a halt. Mark and I looked at each other and began to survey what could have caused the water to go out. We tried the bathtub, bathroom faucets, the kitchen faucet--no water. Mark went across the street to a neighbor--no water. He went to the neighbor next door--no water there either. He made a phone call to his parents and they had water, so we knew the water break was not extremely widespread.

As this was going on, I began to get Ira and Emma dressed for bed. Ira was a bit bewildered by all the activity and the loss of water. He said to me, in a bit of a panic, "We have to have water! When will we have water again?" I soothed him and explained that even if it took a few days to fix whatever break there was in the pipes, we would be okay. We would be okay because we have three large barrels of water in our shed outside. I told him that Heavenly Father taught us to be prepared and to store some things like water in case there is an emergency. Ira rested a little easier, but then another thought came: "What about our neighbors? They need water too!"

This question made me pause for a moment. What about our neighbors? I assured him that they will probably be able to get water, but if they are in need, we have enough to help them too. After I said this, Ira smiled and said, "Thank you mommy, I love you."

What about our neighbors? I can help them temporally if there is an emergency because I have supplies. I would willingly share my water with them. But what about the living water that I get to enjoy but many of my neighbors are lacking? Do I share that with them?

I think about what Ira said a few months ago when one of Ira's pals at church was gone for a few weeks due to sickness. When we told him she may not be back at church yet he exclaimed, "But how will she know about Jesus if she doesn't go to church?" His sweet, tender testimony touched my heart. Now it resonates even stronger after this new experience.

I would not say that I am a great missionary. I don't go over to my neighbors homes and invite them to worship with my family or attend church functions. Our neighbors know about our faith, we are very open about our faith and I am always willing to answer questions others pose about our faith. But sometimes I feel that I do not do enough to share the living water I enjoy on a daily basis. I hope that this experience with my son will help me realize how important it is to share the gospel as there are many thirsting for answers and I would be ashamed to withhold water from someone in need of a drink.