I can help others be happy by sharing!

Today my lesson for primary (I teach the 7-8 yr olds) was about sharing. When I first looked at the lesson I was a little nervous because I know that my 7-8 years know what sharing is and how to share. How was I to talk for 45 minutes about sharing? Surprisingly this really great story came to my mind from President Uchtdorf during General Conference (find it here). I hardly ever remember conference stories or stories that I read about in the Ensign, so just remembering this story and being able to actually use it was really neat for me.

You may have already heard this story, but here is the longer version I found online:

"Abram and Zimri owned a field together – a level field hid in a happy valley.  They plowed it with one plow and in the spring they sowed.

In harvest, when the glad earth smiled with grain, each carried to his home on-half the sheaves.  And store them with much labor in his barns.  Now Abram had a wife and seven sons.  But Zimri dwelt alone within his house.

One night before the sheaves were gathered in, Zimri lay upon his lonely bed.  He counted in his mind his little gains.  He thought upon his brother Abram’s lot and said to himself, “I dwell alone within my house, but Abram hath a wife and seven sons.  And yet we share the harvest sheaves alike: he surely needeth more for life than I.  I will arise, and gird myself, and go down to the field, and add to his from mine.”

So he arose, and girded up his loins, and went out softly to the level field.  The moon shone out from dusky bars of clouds.  The trees stood black against the cold blue sky.  The branches waved, and whispered to the wind.  So, Zimri guided by the shifting light, went down the mountain path and found the field.  He took from his store of sheaves a generous third and bore them gladly to his brother’s heap.  He then went back to his sleep and happy dreams.

Now the same night as Abram lay in bed, thinking upon his blissful state of life, he thought about his brother Zimri’s lot.  He said to himself, “He dwells within his house alone.  He goeth forth to toil with few to help.  He goeth home at night to a cold house and hath few other friends but me and mine.  Heaven hath blessed me greatly with my wife and seven sons who aid me in my toil and might it light.  And yet we share the harvest sheaves alike.  This surely is not pleasing to God.  I will arise, and gird myself, and go out to the field, and borrow from my store, and add unto my brother Zimri’s pile.”

So he arose, and girded up his loins, and went softly down to the level field.  The moon shone out from silver bars of clouds and the trees stood black against the starry sky.  The dark leaves waved and whispered in the breeze.  So Abram, guided by the doubtful light, passed down the mountain path and found the field.  He took from his sheaves a generous third and added it unto his brother’s heap.  Then he went back to his sleep and happy dreams.

So the next morning with the early sun, the brothers arose and went out to their toil.  When they came to see the heavy sheaves, each wondered in his heart to find his heap.  Though he had given a third, it was still the same.

Now the next night went Zimri into the field.  He took from his store of sheaves a generous share and placed them on his brother Abram’s share and then lay down quietly behind his pile to watch.  The moon looked out from bars of silvery clouds.  The cedars stood up black against the sky.  The olive branches whispered in the wind.

Then Abram came down softly from his home.  Looking to the left and to the right, went on.  He took from his ample store a generous third and laid it on his brother Zimri’s pile.

Then Zimri rose and discovered Abram and took him in his arms, and wept upon his neck, and kissed his cheek.  And Abram saw the whole, and could not speak: Neither could Zimri, for their hearts were full of love and gratitude."

I also shared :) this great story, about what happens when we're not willing to share.

While sharing is such a basic concept, it really is something to think about. I know I could do better about being more compassionate towards others, even to my own husband.