A CHANGE OF HEART

 An older boy and his young friend were walking along a road which led through a field. They saw an old coat and a badly worn pair of men’s shoes by the roadside, and in the distance they saw the owner working in the field.

The younger boy suggested that they hide the shoes, conceal themselves, and watch the perplexity on the owner’s face when he returned.

The older boy thought that would not be so good. He said the owner must be a very poor man. So, after talking the matter over, at his suggestion, they concluded to try another experiment. Instead of hiding the shoes, they would put a silver dollar in each one and see what the owner did when he discovered the money. So that is what the young boy did.

Soon the man returned from the field, put on his coat, took off his work boots and slipped one foot into a shoe.  He felt something hard, took it out and found a silver dollar. Wonder and surprise shone upon his face. He looked at the dollar again and again, turned around and could see nobody, then proceeded to put on the other shoe; when to his great surprise he found another silver dollar. His feelings overcame him and he began to weep.  He knelt down and offered aloud a prayer of thanksgiving, in which he spoke of his wife being sick and helpless and his children - who were without bread.  He fervently thanked the Lord for this bounty from unknown hands and evoked the blessing of heaven upon those who gave him this needed help.

The boys remained hidden until he had gone. They had been touched by his prayer and felt something warm within their hearts. As they left to walk down the road, the older boy said to the other, “Don’t you have a good feeling?”  

(This story was told to Gordon B. Hinckley when he was a young boy by his father. I can feel the gratitude swell in the hearts of the "givers and the receiver" and a spirit of love that changed their lives.) Shared by Linda Sumner Urza for: onefineday11.blogspot.com