Bring Light and Joy

So what do you do when a girl you know finds out her baby girl (who is the same age as your baby girl), has cancer? The first thing I did was wish that I knew this mother better so I could be a better friend. The second thing I did was look for opportunities to help her family out (because she has two older children, both boys). Our ward has made this really easy - they've set up a calendar filled with different needs and you can just sign up to help whenever you can. The third thing I did was pray for inspiration - although I've had a prayer in my mind for this sweet baby ever since I found out she was sick. And thankfully inspiration did come - the answer might not have been exactly what this mother or baby or family needed, but it was something to do, which was what I needed.
Our stake just had stake conference last weekend, and in the adult session the themes for the talks were temples and missionary work. One young mother-to-be talked about missionary work and service. She said that what the world needs from us LDS are just two things - light and love. She talked about how her father is the director for the Young Ambassadors at BYU and how they are in Africa right now on tour. Her dad sent her several text-pictures of some of the young ambassadors with children that are in the hospital with severe burns, and she noticed that one young woman in the group was crying in all the pictures. Then the speaker said this: "I told my dad that he needed to have a talk with that young lady because these children and people already know that it is sad. Everyone knows that. Her job is to bring them joy."
Well that thought really struck a chord with me, especially with this family on my mind who in a matter of days entered the fight with cancer with their baby girl. Her situation is undoubtedly sad. Everyone knows it is sad. So maybe something I can do is bring a little light, a little joy. Presumptuous, right? But better than nothing.
So I made these mobiles for the baby's hospital room and thought of her all morning while I was working on them. I held Marianne a little longer than I had been, any moment I could, and I thought a lot about the trials we all face in this world.