Motorcycles and Prayers

Yesterday in Young Women, I had one of those experiences where you hear something and in that very moment that you take the information in, the Spirit expounds upon it and teaches and testifies to you in the most remarkable way. I really don't even remember exactly what was said, but we were talking about how the Lord will always hear and answer our prayers; even when the answer is not exactly what we were hoping for. I was reminded of how Cloey would tell people that all she wanted for Christmas was a dress and a motorcycle (wierd, I know). Obviously as parents we were not going to get our three year old daughter a motorcycle, but a dress...that made more sense. She had a wonderful Christmas and got many things that as parents we knew she needed and even wanted, but she did not get a motorcycle.

I think that many times in our prayers we ask for things that are like motorcycles (at least I know I have), things that may be harmful to us or maybe that we are just not ready for. As parents we try to do what is best for our children (at least that is the goal), but our perfect Father in heaven knows exactly what is best for us. He knows exactly what we need and when we need it. His will and His timing are sometimes hard to understand, but really we don't need to fully understand. All we need to know is that He is a perfect Father whose ways are not our ways, and whose answers will always be exactly what we need. As a mother who desperately pleaded for her baby to survive, I know that Heavenly Father heard my prayers but he knew that what would happen would be a refining experience in my life. An experience that has changed me in so many ways...and one that continues to bring me closer to my Savior.