Never Suppress a Kind Thought

Some of my favorite attributes in women are their ability to be thoughtful and foresee a need. I can't tell the women who turn these thoughts into action thank you enough. I have always loved receiving impromptu visits from friends and family. I love that their kindness is on an impulse rather than a scheduled visit or reason. I read a story a while back about Camilla Kimball, the wife of one of my favorite prophets. I am sure that she played an important part in much of the source of President Kimball's inspiration and compassion:

Susan was a wonderful seamstress. President Kimball lived in their ward. One Sunday, Susan noticed that he had a new suit. Her father had recently returned from a trip to New York and had brought her some exquisite silk fabric. Susan thought that fabric would make a handsome tie to go with President Kimball’s new suit. So on Monday she made the tie. She wrapped it in tissue paper and walked up the block to President Kimball’s home.

On her way to the front door, she suddenly stopped and thought, “Who am I to make a tie for the prophet? He probably has plenty of them.” Deciding she had made a mistake, she turned to leave.

Just then Sister Kimball opened the front door and said, “Oh, Susan!”

Stumbling all over herself, Susan said, “I saw President Kimball in his new suit on Sunday. Dad just brought me some silk from New York . . . and so I made him a tie.”
Before Susan could continue, Sister Kimball stopped her, took hold of her shoulders, and said: “Susan, never suppress a generous thought.”

Susan didn’t have an assignment to make that tie. She wasn’t hired to do so. Despite feeling a bit hesitant, she did it because it felt right. Susan had a quiet sense of mission to serve others. Her service went beyond any calling because it lasted throughout her life. Never suppressing a generous thought became a part of her personal ministry. (Bonnie D. Parkin, 2007. Personal Ministry: Sacred and Precious)

I can think of many times where I was prompted to do something for someone simply out of kindness. That feeling was often followed by inadequacy and a fear of rejection. The more I have come to trust that all good things come from God, I have been less reluctant to answer the call.

Maybe we tend to suppress such thoughts and keep them from turning into action because we feel it may inconvenience someone or we wait for someone else to answer the call for help. I'm ashamed to admit that I'm guilty of such circumstances. One instance I recall a lady in our church kept coming to mind. I didn't know her well and I kept putting off calling her. Later during a Sunday meeting she confessed that she had recently experienced some hard times emotionally and physically. She revealed in her story that at the time she prayed for assistance, several sisters in our church called or stopped by. I felt myself shrink realizing that this was the reason this sister kept coming to mind. Fortunately there were others who did not hesitate to reach out. Since then I have vowed to work hard at just acting upon those promptings whether they make sense or not, and whether they make me uncomfortable or not. We just really never know how we can be helping by making those efforts, big or small.

In the 2016 April Women's Conference, President Eyring shared a wonderful message about responding to such promptings to do good. He said:

“And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit” (D&C 11:12).

You may have received that blessing tonight. For instance, a name or a face of someone in need may have come to your mind during this meeting. It could have been only a fleeting thought...

He counseled to pray about such thoughts, trusting God will lead us in what we are to do for that person. He continued:

As such prayers become a pattern in your life, you and others will be changed for the better...[W]ith those feelings, the first thing you must commit to do is to go and serve, knowing that you do not go alone. When you go to comfort and serve anyone for the Savior, He prepares the way before you.
(Henry B. Eyring, 2016. Trust in That Spirit Which Leadeth to Do Good)

President Eyring further counseled that we should also go with the understanding that not every person we seek to serve is prepared to welcome us or will be thankful for such service.

“And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up” (D&C 84:88).  

What a beautiful and encouraging message. We do not go alone, therefore, we should not suppress kind and generous thoughts out of feelings of fear or inadequacy. We also should not put off those thoughts in a kind of mental Pinterest board filled with good intentions but rarely put into action. Charity is a word of action. We cannot hope to help or change the world with a mere good thought. We must go and do.