A humbling caroling experience — December 1994
On December 21, 1994, our ward youth went caroling to the homes in our ward. The evening had been lighthearted and jovial until we came to the home of a recently-widowed sister in our ward. The funeral and burial of her husband had occurred just 5 days previously, with her husband having died at the age of 52 of lymphoma. Our carols were sung as meaningfully but less boisterously, and as this sweet sister came to her door, our Young Women’s president, spontaneously ran to the door and embraced this grieving sister in a prolonged hug. It was a hug that conveyed the feeling of our entire group, a hug that said, “We love you, we care, we empathize, the Savior lives!” Few of us were able to continue on with the carols as tears came to our eyes and our voices choked with emotion. We went caroling hoping to spread the love of our Savior, and ended up receiving it in abundance ourselves. Mormon 5:11 mentions being “clasped in the arms of Jesus”. I had a small taste of how wonderful that might feel as I witnessed this memorable occurrence that night.
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