A Moment For Another

I recently was made aware of a touching example of loving kindness--one that had unforeseen results.
The year was 1933, when because of the Great Depression, employment opportunities were scarce.
The location was the eastern part of the United States.
Arlene Biesecker had just graduated from high school.
After a lengthy search for employment, she was finally able to obtain work at a clothing mill as a seamstress.
The mill workers were paid only for each of the correctly completed pieces they sewed together daily.
The more pieces they produced, the more they were paid.

One day shortly after starting at the mill, Arlene was faced with a procedure that had her confused and frustrated.
She sat at her sewing machine trying to unpick her unsuccessful attempt to complete the piece on which she was working.
There seemed to be no one to help her, for all of the other seamstresses were hurrying to complete as many pieces as they could.
Arlene felt helpless and hopeless.
Quietly, she began to cry.

Across from Arlene sat Bernice Rock.
She was older and more experience as a seamstress.
Observing Arlene's distress, Bernice left her own work and went to Arlene's side, kindly giving her instruction and help.
She stayed until Arlene gained confidence and was able to successfully complete the piece.
Bernice then went back to her own machine, having missed the opportunity to complete as many pieces as she could have, had she not helped.

With this one act of loving kindness, Bernice and Arlene became life-long friends.
Each eventually married and had children.
Sometime in the 1950s, Bernice, who was a member of the Church, gave Arlene and her family a copy of the Book of Mormon.
In 1960, Arlene and her husband and children were baptized members of the Church.
Later they were sealed in a holy temple of God.
As a result of the compassion shown by Bernice as she went out of her way to help one whom she didn't know but who was in distress and needed assistance, countless individuals both living and dead, now enjoy the saving ordinances of the gospel.

-Thomas S. Monson -Love--the Essence of the Gospel -April 2014 General Conference

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi