There are certain things that I do that make me feel close to the Lord.

George Washington Carver said, “I like to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us, if only we will tune in.”

I’m inclined to agree with Mr. Carver, for I see evidence of God’s love as I wander in the mountains,

watch the sun rise or admire flowers growing around me.

Martin Luther said, “God writes the gospel not in the bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars.”

I feel a confirmation from the Spirit that our Savior, Jesus Christ, created the earth for us. These same feelings are the ones that help me know that He lives.

I feel peace in my soul when I am in the quiet of nature, away from the sounds of town. Out here is where I know, God loves me.

He loves you, too.

Please share a time when you felt close to God while enjoying the beauties of nature.

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I am a deep sleeper. I know as a mother, that is usually an oxymoron. Mothers are typically not the deep sleepers. Mothers will wake at the sound of a slight cough, while fathers will sleep through the earthquakes and thunderstorms.

It hasn’t always been this way for me. When my babies were small, all it took was a little stirring in the newborn crib, and I was up, rushing to their side. If someone so much as sighed in their sleep, it woke me up.

Not so much anymore.

I find that when my head hits the pillow, I am OUT. I often barely wake as the Husband is heading out the door for early morning flights or going into the office (a fact which does annoy him to no end). I love my sleep. I NEED my sleep.

Me and the sunrise? Not good friends. We’ve never actually met.

And it is that fact which makes this experience all the more amazing to me.

Last night, probably around two or three in the morning, I sat bolt upright in bed. I was awake and conscious, but was not sure what had woken me up. I then felt the strong need to go into my boys’ bedroom.

There, in the middle of my two sleeping sons, I saw that their lamp was on, and the shade was tilted, resting on the hot light bulb. There was smoke rising from the lamp, as the heat from the light was burning a hole in the side of the lampshade. I immediately went over and pulled the smoldering shade off, and unplugged the lamp. Not even recognizing the significance then, I went back to bed. Even as I crawled back under the covers, the what-ifs still had not hit me. Like a lug, I was back to sleep in an instant.

It was only when my eyes first opened this morning that I realized and thought about what might have been. What could have happened, had I not been pulled from a deep sleep, and directed into their room. Today, in the light of day, I have a pit in my stomach as my imagination has run wild with the horrible what-ifs.

I know that lamp was off when we went to bed. We always tuck the kids in, turn off their lights, and pry books out from under their heavy arms. Always. The only thing I can think of is that one of the boys must have gotten up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, and turned on the bedside lamp in the process.

So, why did I wake up? There were no smoke alarms going off, no bright lights in my eyes. No noise from stumbling kids. Why?

Well, I’m a dummy if I don’t know why.

I do know why.

My Heavenly Father woke me up, directed me to their bedroom, and helped prevent anything bad from happening to my sweet boys.

Simple as that.

What isn’t so simple is why sometimes bad things happen without such intervention. I can’t answer all those whys. But still, I cannot deny the overwhelming feeling of love and protection that I had in my heart after this experience. In this great big world of ours, Someone is aware of me. Someone is aware of my family. Someone is watching over us. He really is. Even in the middle of the night, when a simple lamp shade is turned too far the wrong way.

This experience awakened much in me, things I sometimes forget. I am grateful. I am grateful to remember that God loves me. That He is aware of me. He is watching over me, and my sleeping angels. Even though I swear sometimes. Even though sometimes I complain about having to go to church on really pretty Sunday afternoons. Even though I get annoyed with my kids. Even though sometimes I tuck my spirituality away, and pretend it’s not there. He still loves me. He still loves us.

I just wanted to share that with you, in case, like me, you had forgotten, too.

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Our First Article of Faith reads: We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

I don’t remember the first time I felt God’s reality. I remember coming home from Primary (the organization for children up to age 11), and telling my parents what I learned at church that day: “God loves me.”

My father asked me how I knew that. The answer to my five-year-old mind was clear, “Because my teacher told me so.” My dad, always pushing his children to develop their faith further, even when we were so young, said something to the effect of “That’s good that you listened to your teacher, but how do you know?” He then told me I should pray to feel it myself. This I did and learned for myself that God is there and loves me, personally.

Many years and experiences later, I had to learn that lesson again. I sat across from my mission president while he asked me the question: “Sister, do you know that God loves you? Really know it?” Even now, a lump comes to my throat thinking of that moment. At the time, I had forgotten the lesson my father had me learn when I was five. I no longer knew in my heart that God loved me, though I still knew He was there. I was fighting my way through my mission, thinking I had something to prove, that somehow I had to earn His love and approbation. It was several days before I could bring myself again to kneel and ask Him to show me how He felt about me. He did. I have never been the same since.

These experiences taught me that I had Father in Heaven, the Father of my spirit.

As I ponder what it means to come to know Jesus Christ, the literal Son of God, I think that can be both easier and more difficult. Christ follows our Heavenly Father in all things. He, Himself, has been delegated the role by God to be the Father of this earth, and the Father of salvation. He, in essence, is the Father of our third life, that life where spirit and body become inseparably connected. He has become so by obeying and following our Heavenly Father in all things.

After my experiences with God the Father, knowing I could ask Him all things, I could pray about them and ask for a confirmation of their veracity in my heart.

These facts about Christ, and even a conviction of them, have not been enough to fully come to Him. For that, I have had to pore over accounts of His dealings with past people in the Bible and other scripture. I have read accounts of His life and teachings. I have had to listen to others’ accounts of His dealings. In the end, I have had to live. It is only through life—through experiencing the pain and evil of this life that Eve and Adam’s choice set into motion — that I am coming to know and understand my Savior.

In raising a child, I have learned what it means to love someone enough to do anything for them, even give life. In learning compassion for others — even as they may inflict pain on me — I have learned what the Savior feels that has led Him to forgive all the pain I have inflicted on Him by my imperfection. And, in learning to forgive myself, I have learned to forgive others in humility, gratitude and deep caring for them, rather than just out of indifference.

The Holy Ghost is an even more intimate relationship for me in many ways. I feel He knows what’s in my heart, both the ugly and the beautiful. He is the one who ties me together with my spiritual siblings. All my convictions rest in his incorporeal hands. I been trained as a horse is trained, with love and firmness, to rely increasingly on His guidance. His presence is like a cozy down comforter on a cold winter day. I am deeply grateful for His guidance.

The Holy Ghost has also given me a witness of Joseph Smith, who saw God the Father and Jesus Christ standing side by side. I am convinced in heart and mind that his account is honest and true. I’m glad for the surety and solidity of our doctrine on this matter. One in purpose, though separate in being, my LDS view of the Godhead to me is a model for how I should strive to unite with my fellow man, my spiritual brothers and sisters. Like a family, we each fill a purpose to contribute to one great whole. May we, mortal children of God, and potential heirs to His glory, also achieve such unity. Together in God, our power is limitless.

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My name is Richa, and I was born in Calcutta, India.

When I was 9 months old, I was adopted and moved to the United States. The rest of my siblings were all adopted, too [two are from Korea, two from the Phillipines, and two from Pennsylvania (USA)]. I think that it is the coolest thing!

I have been a member of the Mormon Church my entire life. Currently, I am in school majoring in Elementary Education and Music. My goal is to become a teacher and be an influence to children. At church, I have two callings right now: the Young Single Adult Representative [helping with spiritual and social gatherings for young single adults ages 18-20] and a Relief Society Enrichment board member.

I love to read and watch movies; if I am not doing one, I am doing the other. My talents include violin, piano, writing, and cooking.

I love being a Mormon Woman because even though the world can be a bad place sometimes and bad things happen, I am comforted by the thought that God is up there watching over me and that He is on my side.

For example, there was a time, about two-and-a-half years ago, when a special someone in my life decided to call it quits with our relationship. I was devastated, but with the support of my family and the love of God, I realized that just because bad things happen –even though I may be doing everything in my life right– it doesn’t mean that God hates me. He loves me and wants me to learn from the experiences I have. I knew that everything would be okay and that God did really love me and wanted to protect me from something that may have been ten times worse in the future.

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For more Portraits of Mormon Women, please click here.

Related topics: adversity/trials, church callings, Relief Society, Enrichment,

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