Raising children has deepened my understanding of the love of our Heavenly Parents. Through my teenage son—who would grumble and rebel, only to seek out his parents in times of trial—I often found myself reflecting on my own attitude toward Heavenly Father and Mother.
As my son grew taller and more mature, the day came for him to enlist in the military. My heart was anxious—could he keep his faith on his own in that environment? I prayed earnestly to God, hoping at the very least that he would hold fast to worship, even if he didn’t yet shine with the fragrance of Zion like the graceful soldiers I had read about in 《Elohist》.
After completing basic training, he was assigned to a unit on the far northern front, deep in the snow-covered mountains of Gangwon Province. One day, during a phone call, his voice came through tired and worn. He had spent forty minutes chipping away at ice with a pickaxe, his arms and back aching, his body drenched in sweat despite the biting cold. Trying to console him, though I couldn’t fully grasp how grueling it had been, I gently offered, “That must’ve been tough.”
Then, unexpectedly, he said, “Mom . . . I think I realized something.”
“Oh? What is it?”
There was a pause before he spoke again, his voice quieter now. “Father . . .”
At the mention of “Father,” my heart skipped a beat, though I kept my tone calm.
“What about Father?”
“When He worked as a stonemason . . . it must have been so difficult for Him.”
His words caught me off guard. The same son whose fragile faith had long stirred quiet concern in me was now beginning to grasp the sacrifice of our Heavenly Father. Tears welled up in my eyes. I had once joked that military life might help him grow up a little—but it seemed he truly was. Though there is still a long road ahead before he becomes a strong, dew-like youth in faith, that one halting confession of newfound understanding filled me with pride and gratitude beyond words.
Perhaps this is how our Heavenly Parents feel when we, though imperfect, begin to awaken to Their love and sacrifice. How pleased They must be when Their children, however clumsily, seek to return grace with gratitude. In truth, any good we do is small compared to the weight of our sin—yet They praise our efforts, encouraging us as if we had done much. I am thankful for such patient, unfailing love. And I, too, will treasure each realization that dawns upon me and turn it into action—so that our Heavenly Father and Mother may smile in joy because of me.