“Mommy?” My five-year-old positions his smiling head between my face and laptop screen. “Would you like to play a game with me?”
“I would, buddy. But I can’t right now. Sorry.”
“Oh. Okay.” He moves on, getting over his disappointment faster than I get over my guilt. I wish I could stop and play with him, but I have a teacher I need to email about an assignment for my high schooler and sheet music I need to find for my middle schooler’s upcoming audition. I have five ministering interview appointments I need to schedule, and I haven’t even started on dinner. Unfortunately, playing games is a want while everything else is a need.
It’s a need for him, the Spirit whispers to me, and before I can explain all my Really Good Reasons™, the Spirit adds this admonition:
Remember the 2,500.
One by One
One of my favorite parts of the Resurrected Lord’s ministry to the survivors at the temple in Bountiful is when He invited them to “come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I … have been slain for the sins of the world” (3 Nephi 11:14). And then He waited while they came “one by one” (3 Nephi 11:15).
I imagine He called each person by name and that during their one-on-one time with Him, they felt loved beyond all measure. Surely, it was an interaction their souls would never forget, the foundation of their testimony that kept them righteous and happy beyond measure for the rest of their lives (see 4 Nephi 1:14–18).
It was also an interaction that couldn’t have lasted more than 10 seconds.
One by One (By 2,500)
In 3 Nephi 17:25, we learn that the multitude consisted of 2,500 people. If each person only spent 10 seconds with the Savior, He would have stood there for nearly seven hours while everyone felt His wounds. Given all the events that followed “before it was yet dark” (3 Nephi 19:2), it’s likely those first one-on-one encounters lasted only about five seconds each. Other interactions that day were also done one by one, but none could have lasted even a minute (see 3 Nephi 17:21; 18:36).
The Great Time Distortion in Our Lives
Alma taught that “time only is measured unto men” (Alma 40:8), but that doesn’t mean we’re good at measuring it accurately. Satan is constantly distorting our perception of time, leading us to believe lies such as:
- I’m too busy to do my ministering.
- There’s not enough time before I leave for work to have a meaningful scripture study.
- Playing a game with my child means I’ll have to stop what I’m doing for at least half an hour.
A quick time audit with my stopwatch revealed the truth, however.
- It took less than 60 seconds to text my ministering sister that I was thinking about her.
- The Spirit taught me profound truths during a single minute of meditation on why Jesus said “thrust your hand into my side” (3 Nephi 11:14) instead of “touch my side.”
- A game of Connect Four takes three minutes to play.
Making Moments Matter
I’m still not perfect at making the most of every moment, but as I continue to challenge the idea that I don’t have time for certain things, I’m fitting more meaningful actions into each day. Ministering to the one becomes easier when I let myself minister one brief interaction at a time.
It only takes a couple of seconds of sincere attention to make someone feel loved.
And I definitely have time for that.
Find more inspiring content in the links below.
▶ Elder Cook’s 3-step advice for raising families in a difficult world
▶ Watch: Adorable 11-year-old plays the organ for his ward
▶ Elder Bednar’s insight on repetition will breathe new life into your routine
▶ The simple thing my mom did that showed me the power of temple garments
