Does God really need our help?

 I love the Sabbath day! I love taking the Sacrament to repent and try harder to change towards becoming better. I love having the whole day to spend with my family. I am especially grateful for the lessons I learn from the Spirit. 

Today in our zoom church devotional, we heard from a new sister in the ward, Sis. Pugmire who is a Global Service missionary. Basically her role is to answer questions directed from the Church websites and troubleshoots problems. She shared some of her wonderful experiences and said how grateful she is to "help Heavenly Father..." That got me thinking:

Do we help Him? God who has seen all, knows all, and can do all. Do we actually help Him?

I thought about that and concluded that... Yes we do help Him. But does He need our help? 

Upon asking myself that, I had the following impressions: Our Father in Heaven doesn't actually need our help. But, He wants our help. He allows us to help. 

But why? We know He could do it perfectly without us. So why does He ask us to help?

When Kaden and Perry were toddlers they often wanted to help with dishes, laundry, sweeping, etc. But it would be faster, more efficient, and done properly if I just did it myself. I was cleaning the kitchen one day while on the phone talking to my mom, your Grandma Marsha. Kaden came over and tried to load his cup and plate in the dishwasher. My mom heard me tell Kaden something like, "No thank you Kaden, I'll load your dishes." To which my mom told me probably the wisest parenting advice she ever gave. She said, "If he wants to help, let him help! Teach him how to do it. Because by the time you want their help when they're older, they won't want to help anymore."

Ok. I let Kaden load his dishes. Then I began taking time to teach him & Perry how to load the dishes, how to hand wash big bowls, how to fold their laundry and how to make a racing game out of putting it away the fastest. I have many times since seen the value and wisdom of my mother's advice and I'm so grateful for it. 

I have now let all of our kids help as soon as they began to ask. Once an official chore chart was put in effect, we'd get some grumbles, so i had to get creative: along with the laundry race game, I taught them to shoot "hoops" with dirty clothes into the washing machine. We allow them the privilege to pick the music while doing their turn with dishes. I don't always have to give them a fun incentive. Like with Charlie I let him "scrub pots" when he was 3 because he just liked playing in water. 

Parents want their kids to help with chores, help their siblings and others around them. Of course parents could do all these things themselves... and probably do it more efficiently and correctly. But it is an opportunity to teach children to work, to serve, to help, and to love one another. Thus, helping them grow up to be good adults.

Likewise, Heavenly Father is teaching us to grow up to be like Him.  When you kids help and serve each other and our family, my love for you grows, your love for the family grows, and we all feel a closeness to one another. Just like when we serve others, our fellow beings, we are serving God. We not only feel more love towards those we serve but we feel more love for God and we feel closer to Him.

So, no. I don't think God needs our help. He can move mountains, part seas, design galaxies, and create life from dust! He does not need our help. But we need the growth that comes from helping. We need the building of a stronger relationship with Him that comes from serving. We need the experience to learn to be more like the Savior and become as our Father is. So He let's us help. He wants our help. And it all benefits our own lives and progression.

Our God is amazing! He loves us and His love is perfect! His plan for our lives is perfect. He loves each of you so much. He loves your efforts; when all you can do is try, even if you don't succeed. He loves you. You are each very special to Him. And I know He is happy for us when we do our part to help and to teach and to love.

I love you!