You are enough

“I felt embarrassed showing up at the food bank with a snack baggie of cherry tomatoes, one spring tomato, and a tiny bag of greens. It wasn’t enough!”

Last spring, I received a free batch of tomato starters along with some other seeds from my kid’s school, with a commitment to donate 20% of my produce to a local food bank. I got to work planting with my kids, excited for a good harvest and a great donation.

Summer came around, and it became apparent that my garden had several issues. I knew I needed to make a donation, but my produce looked pitiful. I felt pretty embarrassed showing up at the food bank with a snack baggie of cherry tomatoes, one spring tomato, and a tiny bag of greens. It wasn’t enough! Why even donate at all? The food bank will laugh at me! But I pushed these ideas out of my head, and walked through the doors to donate anyway.

The staff kindly weighed my produce on their enormous scale, and my little baggies didn’t even register. But as they printed my receipt, the lady helping me asked the other volunteer to rush my produce bags up to the front — there was a family asking for tomatoes and fresh vegetables and my donation was needed. I tried not to linger, but as I walked out, I glimpsed a cute little family, excited, and smiling, accepting my tiny offering with enthusiasm and gratitude. I was immediately filled with relief that embarrassment hadn’t stopped me from bringing the best I had to offer at the time.

We don’t always, or often, get to see how our services and offerings are received, nor do we need to. But this experience was a tender mercy. It reminded me that even our smallest contribution, when given sincerely, is enough!

During our last Stake Conference, Elder Peter Johnson reminded us to bring whatever we have, along with faith in Christ, and give it to the Lord. He promised that Heavenly Father would accept it and magnify it. Like the widow whose oil was multiplied by following the direction of a prophet, we can bring whatever we have to offer, and our loving Heavenly Father and our advocate Jesus Christ will make it enough. Friends, you are enough! The Lord loves you and even your smallest offerings.

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Sister Cheri Kay Doty serves as the second counselor in the Graham Oaks Primary Presidency.