"Behold Your Little Ones"

It is with great love that I write a few words this day. I recently read an article in the December 2010 issue of the Ensign which brought this love into my heart. The article, entitled "How Some Members with Disabilities Serve," gave several vignettes of individuals with developmental disabilities, and how ward families have taken them in, and given them the opportunity to grow, where growth might not be originally anticipated. The Spirit spoke so strongly to me as I read, reminding me that it was the potential for seeing this type of growth that really was the impetus for me to become a psychologist which now seems a lifetime ago.

In that lifetime I have been given experiences that place me in a unique, even authoritative position to declare that individuals with mental handicaps are known by our Heavenly Father, and are nurtured about by him and ministered unto by his angels on a daily basis. However, it takes a heart equally as pure to see it. The Savior taught that "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Matt. 5: 8; 3 Ne. 12: 8)" I ask, are you sufficiently pure to see the hand of God in even the least among you? For surely it is the pure in heart who can see God's daily workings.

When the Resurrected Savior visited the Americas, he went about blessing those who were the poorest among them:

"And he said unto them: Behold my bowels are filled with compassion towards you. Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them. (3 Ne. 17: 6-7)"

Note that the Savior asked for those who were afflicted. Just like how the "whole have no need of a physician, (Moroni 8: 8)" He requested the poor in spirit, knowing that the kingdom of heaven belonged to them (see Matt 5: 3; 3 Ne. 12: 3).

How often do we mistake "pure in heart" and "poor in spirit" for awkward, weird, unattractive, and uncomfortable? Do we not realize that individuals with developmental disabilities teach us ever day what it means to be "as a child, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [them]? (Mos. 3:19)"

The Savior made it a point to bless the poor, and to bless those who were willing to submit themselves unto Him.

"And he spake unto the, and said unto them: Behold your little ones."

"And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them." (3 Ne. 17: 23-24)

I know that as we show love to those who need it the most, we will be blessed. I know this to be true because I have been blessed as I have ministered unto those with special needs, and have seen my spirit enlarged as they taught me what it means to be pure in heart.

Have a great week!