The Right Place

We were sitting in the hall, near the doors, when she came up to me.

Although I was sitting there with my friend (who was also a counselor), I think the young woman came up to me specifically.

That’s how I remember it anyway.

She had a look of desperation, and there was a sadness in her eyes that is hard to explain.

Immediately, I knew something was terribly wrong and this girl needed help.

She asked me if I could call her counselor.

I said yes, asked the girl what her counselor’s name was, and pulled up the information through the FSY Site App.

After calling twice and not getting a response, I decided to walk her down to the building where we have lunch (that was what was next) to talk to the coordinators about calling her parents.

She agreed to walk with.

Keeping the rule of three, my counselor friend came with us.

Without trying to make this young woman uncomfortable, I began asking her questions, trying to get a sense of what was wrong. I also asked her questions about herself so I could get to know her better.

When we got to the Wilk Center (where we had lunch), I brought her to the assistant coordinators and coordinators.

She didn’t want to be left alone and asked if I’d stay with her, at least until they got ahold of her counselor.

We walked over to some couches and sat down.

I felt it was very important that I talk to her, but I also knew that I needed to be careful to stay within my bounds.

You see, at training at the beginning of the summer, they explain that counselors are not supposed to give the youth mental health counseling in any way. We are not trained in counseling and therefore do not have legal authority to do so.

This being said, we are allowed to share scriptures or quotes from prophets.

To be honest, it’s kind of a thin line for what you can and can’t say.

So, keeping this in mind, I decided to talk to her a little bit.

But rather than give her counsel, I simply asked questions and listened. We didn’t talk long before I felt prompted to show her some videos.

That morning, I had made sure my earbuds were in my backpack. I never used them—like ever—but I had them nevertheless.

I used them that day as I pulled them from the front pocket of my backpack and plugged them into my phone.

We sat on two different chairs, side by side. I gave her the right ear bud and then put the left one in my ear.

I don’t remember the order, but we watched each of these videos:
You will be Found
Patrick Kearon’s talk, He is Risen With Healing in His Wings
Inspirational story about Derek Redmond
Elder Holland’s, “Where Justice, Love, and Mercy Meet” short video

Every time a video ended, I felt prompted to pull up another.

So that’s what we did.

From the time she came up to me to the time I said goodbye, I think it was an hour, but I could be wrong.

I felt prompted to tell her that everything would be okay and that things would get better.

I’m normally pretty careful and specific with my words and I don’t say something unless I mean it and/or feel prompted to.

I’m careful to say, “It will get better,” to youth because I don’t want them to feel pain in doubting that it might not. (As a youth, I didn’t like hearing that it would get better because it felt like a lie.)

Parting with her was bittersweet, and I’m grateful I was able to be in the right place at the right time.

I believe that one way that Heavenly Father shows His love for (and awareness of) us is through timing…and by placing.

I’m sure that “timing” makes sense to you, but saying “placing” is a little weird and out of the norm.

What I mean is that Heavenly Father helps us be in the right place at the right time!

Like I got to be in the case of that young woman.

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Another time I was in the right place at the right time was when I was on class duty.

I was placed near the creamery, where the metal stairs connect the upper sidewalk to down below, to make sure the youth were not wandering around and were actually in a class.

I was sitting there, enjoying the weather, when I saw two of my boys heading down the stairs.

I went over to greet them and express that they needed to be in class.

But they had just been dropped back off to FSY and had not been able to get their stuff all day. (They left their stuff when they were checked out for the 4th of July.)

I sighed and decided to take them to their dorms quickly.

They were very appreciative.

After getting their stuff, we ended up running into some assistant coordinators, and the ACs ended up driving the boys back to where everyone else was.

I walked dutifully back to my post.

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The story above is not necessarily a miraculous story for me, but I’m grateful I was able to help by being in the right place at the right time.

My next story is when someone else was at the right place during the right time, leading to a tender mercy for me.

After dropping my youth off to the meeting spot, I was headed back to my room for my break when I realized I had left my key in my dorm.

I didn’t have time to panic because I immediately ran into a health coordinator (and my friend).

She was on her way to help one of my roommates (another counselor) who was sick.

And because health coordinators have master keys, she was able to easily let me back into my room!

I’m grateful she was at the right place at the right time.

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The last story for this post is about the prayer I said for my girls one morning.

I prayed for them individually, one by one, and it was a sweet experience.

In a note given to me at the end of the week, one of my girls said that during the prayer, “The spirit of Christ was in the room.”

While reading the note, I felt the spirit confirm that statement was true.

I’m glad that we were at the right place at the right time in order for angels and for Jesus Christ’s love to come visit us that day.

At FSY, in a BYU dorm room, circled up together in prayer.

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I have a testimony of God’s love for us shown through specific placing and timing.

It’s such a gift to be where you need to be right when you need to be there.

I know that as we follow Jesus Christ, He will continue to bless us with opportunities to be in the right place at the right time.

Just like you are!

Reading my post today…

At the right place (my blog haha)

And the right time (no time like the present!)

In all seriousness, I encourage you to look outward and seek guidance in prayer. Ask for the ability to receive promptings as well as the courage to act upon them.

And then, with His help, you will find yourself right where you need to be when you need to be there!