Our Little Nicole: "Trust Jesus"

Nicole had some small rashes on her neck and lower leg that looked like petechiae. (Petechiae is a sign of her platelets being too low). Her platelet level been going down with each visit and when the level gets below 15 they will give her a platelet transfusion. After I called about my concern the nurse practitioner called back letting me know that Nicole IVIG was low. (IVIG transfusin is antibodies extracted from the plasma of the blood donor. It usually takes about 1000 blood donor for one dose of IVIG). Friday, August 9, we went for an unplanned clinic visit. Nicole received IVIG. (It is given the same as any other blood transfusion. Nicole is always pre-medicated. Nicole had reaction to this in the past.) It takes about 3 hours for the transfusion. She also had a CBC and her platelets are down to 17. They want her to come back on Monday for another CBC and she will probably need a platelet transfusion. Unless her platelets decide to go up on their own this weekend. (unlikely)

Each time I did a little studying this week it seems the same theme keeps coming up "Trust in the Lord". I have loved this story by Elder Holland since I first heard it. I love how it illustrates the faith of child! This week as I read it. I thought of the tired worn out mother. How she " lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better." (D&C 25:10) When the mom returned home from the temple, just as the people of Nephi when the savior visited the earth, she was taught by a child "even babes did open their mouths and utter marvelous things" (3 Nephi 26:16)

"Katie Lewis is my neighbor. Her father, Randy, is my bishop; her mother, Melanie, is a saint. And her older brother, Jimmie, is battling leukemia.

Sister Lewis recently recounted for me the unspeakable fear and grief that came to their family when Jimmie’s illness was diagnosed. She spoke of the tears and the waves of sorrow that any mother would experience with a prognosis as grim as Jimmie’s was. But like the faithful Latter-day Saints they are, the Lewises turned to God with urgency and with faith and with hope. They fasted and prayed, prayed and fasted. And they went again and again to the temple.

One day Sister Lewis came home from a temple session weary and worried, feeling the impact of so many days—and nights—of fear being held at bay only by monumental faith.

As she entered her home, four-year-old Katie ran up to her with love in her eyes and a crumpled sheaf of papers in her hand. Holding the papers out to her mother, she said enthusiastically, “Mommy, do you know what these are?”

Sister Lewis said frankly her first impulse was to deflect Katie’s zeal and say she didn’t feel like playing just then. But she thought of her children—all her children—and the possible regret of missed opportunities and little lives that pass too swiftly. So she smiled through her sorrow and said, “No, Katie. I don’t know what they are. Please tell me.”

“They are the scriptures,” Katie beamed back, “and do you know what they say?”

Sister Lewis stopped smiling, gazed deeply at this little child, knelt down to her level, and said, “Tell me, Katie. What do the scriptures say?”

“They say, ‘Trust Jesus.’” And then she was gone.

Sister Lewis said that as she stood back up, holding a fistful of her four-year-old’s scribbling, she felt near-tangible arms of peace encircle her weary soul and a divine stillness calm her troubled heart."(https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1993/10/look-to-god-and-live?)

I am grateful for the strength of the Temple. I am grateful for the scriptures, words of the prophet, also for the internet where I can find and study both of them. I am grateful for the power of prayer and the direction of the Holy Spirit to guide me.