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The following story was shared by Paula Piccioni.

How Many Of You Had Enough Food?

In September of 2012 I was a member of a team of neonatal & maternal physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists volunteering for Latter-day Saint Charities.  We were in Harare, Zimbabwe to teach neonatal resuscitation (immediate care of newborns) to medical personnel (doctors, midwives, nurses) from all over Zimbabwe.  Zimbabwe is an extremely poor country.  Their infant and maternal mortality rates are very high.

 On Sunday, September 5th, we were able to go to Church with the Senior Missionary couple working with us in country.  Sacrament Meeting was uplifting and the singing magical.  The members put their heart and soul into singing the hymns of Zion.  As in other countries in Africa, their harmony was flawless and the spirit so strong; these humble Saints truly understood that a song of the heart is a prayer to our Father in Heaven. 

 I had been spiritually fed and was eager for Sunday School.  After the prayer, the teacher, who happened to be the bishop, came to the front of the class and asked this question (the same question that other gospel doctrine teachers throughout the Church were asking in their classes), “How many of you read the lesson for today?”  A couple of hands came up.  He then asked another question, “How many of you had enough food to feed your families this last week?”  Only about a third of the class members raised their hands.  He then followed up with, “How can we expect our Heavenly Father to bless us with what we need to care for our families if we cannot even do a small thing like reading the lesson so we can participate in Sunday School?” 

This inspired and very humble man paused for a moment and then began his lesson.  The spirit testifying of the truthfulness of his words spoke to all of us in that room.  There were a lot of tears.  Alma’s words to his son, Helaman, came to me then – “behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things (like reading the lesson for Sunday) are great things brought to pass” (which could include being able to provide in all things for your family).  It was a lesson I will never forget.

 I am blessed to live in one of the most prosperous countries in the world where religious freedom is a right.  I’m blessed with a noble heritage and a strong testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I got an excellent education and have always been able to provide for myself and my family.  And since that Sunday in Zimbabwe, and the truths taught by a wise and spiritually inspired bishop, I have never let a week go by without reading and preparing for Sunday School which has helped me understand what the Savior would have me do.  Hopefully, when I need a blessing, I will be in better standing to receive help from my Father.