All I Asked For

During a difficult time in my life, an answer from heaven was just what I needed.

A few years ago I was having a rough time in my life. One of my brothers was on a mission, another was at college, and, among other things, we found out my dad had terminal cancer and wasn’t going to live very long.

That summer I went to Especially for Youth at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. While I was there I had a really bad attitude. I didn’t care about the gospel or the Church anymore. And I didn’t care about Heavenly Father, because in my eyes He had abandoned my family and me. During one of the talks at EFY, the speaker mentioned that Heavenly Father loved and cared for us very much.

I was laughing inside, thinking, “Yeah, right, that’s what you think.” Yet something inside me really wanted to know if Heavenly Father did love me and did care for me. The speaker challenged us to ask Heavenly Father to see if the Church was true.

That night I decided to give prayer a try. I knelt, and I just asked. I was on my knees for a few minutes and nothing happened. I wanted to know so much that it seemed like something deep inside me was just begging for some love from Heavenly Father. At that moment I felt like someone was cradling me. My heart felt so warm and so peaceful. I felt this huge weight being lifted from my shoulders, and then I heard a quiet whisper: “I love you so much.”

I started to bawl. I knew my Father in Heaven cared for me. I knew He loved me!

I didn’t ask Him if the Church was true. I didn’t ask Him if the Book of Mormon was true. All I asked for was love, and He gave it to me. As soon as He did, everything seemed to fall into place. I knew who I was. I knew the Book of Mormon was true. I knew the gospel was true.

Today I am so happy! My Father in Heaven loves me! He loves me so much that He gave His Son to save me and everybody else. He loves all of us. Christ loves us too, or He wouldn’t have suffered and died for us. I’m grateful for Their love for all of us.

Illustrated by Dilleen Marsh