“Homework Meltdown,” New Era, May 2015, 31
Homework Meltdown
Adam Cox lives in Utah, USA.
I didn’t have time for three hours of homework, much less piano practice.
Photo illustration by Craig Dimond
It was going to be a rough night. I figured I had about three hours of homework to do, including chemistry and Spanish homework, which I dreaded. I had just enough time to study, eat, and still get to bed at a (somewhat) decent time.
As I sat down to start my chemistry homework, my mom reminded me that I hadn’t practiced the piano for an entire week and that I needed to get some done tonight. Grudgingly, I sat down at the piano, frustrated because practicing now meant I was going to get to bed a half hour later. I played through some hymns, but I was just going through the motions without really paying attention to what I was playing.
After I’d practiced for a bit, I started to play “Where Can I Turn For Peace” (Hymns, no. 129). It hit me that I was definitely not feeling much peace; in fact, I rather felt like I was going to explode. I realized that if I wanted to feel peace, then I needed to turn to my Heavenly Father and ask Him for help. So I did. After my prayer, the Holy Ghost testified to me so strongly that it brought tears to my eyes.
I continued to play the hymn, but I was now feeling grateful that I could play the hymns and that I could experience the Spirit that comes with them. Afterward, I was able to sit down and finish my homework, eat, and somehow still get to bed around the time that I’d originally estimated.
I know that Heavenly Father was watching out for me, just as He is watching out for all of us. He wants to help us; all we need to do is ask. I am very grateful for my mom and for her reminder to practice that night; otherwise, I may not have experienced my Heavenly Father’s love like I did at that moment. I’m especially grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who knows each of us personally and wants the best for us.