Happy In the Hall-Walking
Stage
By Mary Babcock
Our youngest of five children recently turned two years old and is finally beginning to enjoy the Nursery. Needless to say, my husband and I have spent lots of time during church, wandering up and down the halls, with a little one leading the way. Especially with our last child, I have become keenly aware of others in this same position and wondering what the “hall-walkers” can do keep a sense of reverence and benefit spiritually during worship time when they are not actively participating in — or even hearing — the proceedings.
It can be frustrating when one keenly feels the need to be strengthened and uplifted in order to face trials at home with small children, and then gets little chance on Sunday for spiritually feeding. Hearing the comment, “I don’t even know why I bother to come at all,” has often tugged at my heart because I too have felt this ache and great desire for the extra peace that so often comes from attending church. I would like to share some of the ideas and inspiration that have come to help me as I have wandered the halls.
Where Would the Savior Be?
One day during a lesson that included a discussion of wayward children, the story was related of the Savior leaving the ninety and nine to seek after the one (Luke 15:4). For some reason, I began to think of the hall-straying children — those who are not yet old enough to maintain self-control for a full set of meetings. If the Savior were in a meeting with them, what would he do if they needed to go out? Of course, I thought, he would be out in the hall with them, and not grudgingly.
Try To Smile
It is easy to take the spiritual temperature of hall-walkers. One look at their face usually gives away how they feel about being in the hall. With my last child, I have made extra efforts to smile as I walked. While this didn’t always alleviate my frustration, it lightened my heart and readied my mind to seek the other ways that I could be spiritually fed. I hoped that it relayed to others that it was possible to be happy in the hallway. I also came to appreciate the beautiful paintings that hang in many of our meetinghouses. Each contains a sermon that can uplift the heart if we take a moment to really look at them and use them as food for walking thought.
Gratitude
During a ward conference in the Redmond, Washington stake, the stake president relayed a tender story. This particular meeting seemed to contain an extra number of little ones who held no qualms about loudly expressing their needs. The aisles seemed full of comings and goings. Sensing the anxiety of some of the parents, he told of sitting with his large family during the meeting where he would be sustained as stake president. Knowing that it would be years before he would sit with his family again, he tried to savor every moment on the bench with them before he was called to the stand. This story showed his great love for the children in the meeting and made those heading into the hall feel as though it were a privilege to be there. When I have the presence of mind to feel truly grateful to have children to be in the hall with, it can dramatically change my outlook.
Reverent Memories
I love the words to this simple Primary song:
“Reverently, Quietly, lovingly we think of thee;
Reverently, quietly, softly sing our melody.
Reverently, quietly, humbly now we pray,
Let thy Holy Spirit dwell in our hearts today.”
(Clara W. McMaster, Children’s Songbook, pg 26.)
Whenever I think of these words, it takes me back to the special reverent feelings I had as a Primary child when I came into the meetinghouse. My father was the custodian at a stake center for a few years. I was surprised that those special reverent feelings would come even as we entered the building on weekdays for cleaning. I loved the quietness when the building wasn’t busy with lots of people. When I am having trouble feeling reverent in the hallway, it can help me to remember these special times of reverence specifically related to the Lord’s houses of worship.
Keep Attending Meetings
Once I heard the saying that parents in this stage should keep going to church just so they don’t get out of the practice of coming. While I hope that none of us have gotten to this point, there is a bit of truth in the statement. My husband has often talked about the minimal results that were received when he went tracting on his mission. However, he felt strongly that continuing to tract was important because it showed the Lord that he and his companion were willing to do whatever they could to find investigators.
In like manner, being in the meetinghouse on Sunday shows one’s willingness to be where the Lord has asked his saints to be on his holy day. This simple obedience enables the Lord to extend certain blessings for, “when we obtain any ablessing• from God, it is by bobedience to that law upon which it is predicated” (D&C 130:21). He has also said, “For all who will have a ablessing• at my hands shall abide the blaw which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof, as were instituted from before the foundation of the world.” (D&C 132:5).
Isaiah 58 contains one example of the blessings that can come:
13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the asabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the ahigh• places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
I particularly like the promise that he will “feed” us, as so many come to church seeking the spiritual food the Sabbath has to offer. What a blessing it is that the deacons are able check the entryways to make sure that all receive the sacred food of the sacrament. The Lord is desirous that even the latecomers and hall-walkers of any given Sunday (or of life itself), feast from his table.
Hungering and Thirsting
Related to attending meetings is seeking our spiritual food every day of the week. With small children, routines are often interrupted and it can be difficult to maintain habits of scripture study, prayer, and personal devotion, but we must make true efforts to get spiritual nourishment each day. If a child’s new sleep schedule (or other behavior) has invaded our regular time for these spiritual necessities, we can come to the Sabbath day with higher than usual expectations. If we are then unable to sup and gain strength at our meetings, we may begin to despair.
My husband likes to refer to our spiritual strength as a sieve. It needs a constant inflow of living water — especially when we are trying to give out strength to others and teach little ones.
Once again, the Lord’s promises bring hope, for he has said, “Blessed are they which do ahunger• and thirst after brighteousness: for they shall be filled” (Matt. 5:6). Also, “And because of your adiligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the bfruit• thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst” (Alma 32:42). If we are diligent in our efforts and it is our sincere desire to be spiritually fed, the Lord will fulfill this promise.
The Power of a Single Statement
The Lord can speak volumes in a short sentence. I am astounded that I could be passing under the hallway speaker or in the mother’s lounge changing a diaper when I hear exactly what I need to hear that day. Or perhaps, someone I converse with in the hallway for a quick minute passes along to me the sermon I am in need of. When I am in a humble attitude seeking help, the Lord finds a way to give me the information I need to move forward. If it is only a single sentence, then I am grateful. There is usually much more, but perhaps it is difficult to work on improving more than one area each week.
I hope that hall-walkers everywhere will take heart and lovingly attend to their dear ones during meetings. Everyone says that this stage doesn’t last forever, and this is true — even if it seems to never end. In the meantime, remember that you are a walking testimony of the Lord’s true church. He has not forgotten you and will delight to find ways to bless you. His promises are sure if you remain faithful and persist in being where he wants you to be. As D&C 76 states:
5 For thus saith the Lord—I, the Lord, am amerciful• and gracious unto those who bfear• me, and delight to honor those who cserve• me in righteousness and in truth unto the end.
6 Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their aglory.
7 And to them will I areveal• all bmysteries•, yea, all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom from days of old, and for ages to come, will I make known unto them the good pleasure of my will concerning all things pertaining to my kingdom.
8 Yea, even the wonders of aeternity shall they know, and things to come will I show them, even the things of many generations.
9 And their awisdom shall be great, and their bunderstanding reach to heaven; and before them the wisdom of the wise shall cperish•, and the understanding of the dprudent shall come to naught.
10 For by my aSpirit will I benlighten them, and by my cpower will I make known unto them the dsecrets• of my ewill—yea, even those things which feye• has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet entered into the heart of man.