A Nun on the Run

When my mother was a young woman, she dreamed of becoming a nun. She felt a strong pull towards spiritual things and yearned to be close to God. Although she hadn’t yet taken her vows, she bought all her books and equipment and began living at the convent. She thought she would be happy and content once she made this decision, since it was what she had always wanted, but she began to feel that something was wrong. She got the impression that God had another plan for her—that He didn’t want her to be a nun, but instead wanted her to have a family.

My mother spoke to the Mother Superior about her feelings. The Mother Superior, no doubt well-intentioned, told my mother that those feelings were the devil trying to tempt her from entering into her vows. My mother didn’t dare stand up against the Mother Superior, but she did have the courage to do what she felt prompted to do. In the middle of the night, my mother packed her bags and left the convent. She became a nun on the run.

My mother gave up her dream of becoming a nun so she could act on her spiritual promptings, and her life was richly blessed as a result. She became a mother and wife and raised four children. Many people were blessed by her spirituality, and I’m profoundly grateful for the values she instilled in me.

Sometimes we don’t see Heavenly Father’s hand in our lives, but He is always interested and involved. The world would tell us that we are all left to our own devices and simply need to do the best we can. But God is real, and because He loves us, He won’t leave us.

I've shared this and other stories in my latest book Last Days: How You Can Prepare for the Lord's Second Coming - Deseret Book. This book will help you to be ready for the Second Coming of the Savior and to know your role in hastening God's work. You will be empowered with courage to pursue your goals and to influence the world for good as you witness prophecy being fulfilled. Instead of feeling fearful about the future, you can feel excited about the opportunity of living in the last days. You can buy a copy of my book here: Last Days: How You Can Prepare for the Lord's Second Coming - Deseret Book/