3-25-18 ASK

Today's Sabbath share comes from my file of stories for Primary talks. Each of our kids, when they were small, shared this story in church talks which, in our house, their mom usually wrote. This was one of my favorites, and I had them tell it mostly because we wanted them to learn that part of their strength is found in asking for help. 

A small boy was given the task of removing a large stone from his front yard.  He set to work, struggling to get under the great weight of it.  Soon his energy was spent, and he came into the house distraught.  “I can’t do it,” he whimpered.  His father responded; “Did you use all your strength?”  The boy returned to the stone and with his eyebrows curled he pushed with all his might.  Still, the stone would not move.  His father stood in the doorway, watching his son struggle.  “I can’t do it, Dad.  I just can’t do it.”  “Did you use ALL your strength, son?” he asked again.  Trying one last time, the boy fell in a heap at the side of the stone.  His father walked over and knelt beside his boy.  “Son.  Did you use ALL your strength?”  Frustrated, the child cried, “I did!  You know I did.  It’s just too big for me. I did use all my strength and there is no more!”  The wise father took his boy’s tear stained face in his big calloused hands and whispered, “No son.  You did not use all your strength.  You have not asked me to help you.”