He Sees Me: A Story of Trusting an Answer to Prayer

In this weeks mini episode, Candice shares a deeply personal story about receiving a clear answer to prayer—and having the courage to follow it, even when it didn’t seem to make sense. At a time when she was feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and unsure how things would work out, one unexpected opportunity changed everything.

From reading a school principal’s email (a miracle in itself!) to applying for a part-time art teaching job she felt completely unqualified for, Candice opens up about how trusting in God’s timing and guidance led to friendships, healing, and blessings she never anticipated.

Clare and Candice also reflect on the reality of seeking revelation, the courage it takes to follow through, and the beauty in recognizing God’s hand in the details of our lives.

Whether you're in the middle of your own decision-making process or just need a reminder that you're not alone, this episode will uplift and encourage you to keep trusting.

Shownotes (clickable links)

Elder Richard G. Scott: Trust in the Lord

Transcript

Sisters: latter-day voices website

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The views and opinions expressed in this episode are our own and those of our guests. They do not necessarily reflect the official doctrine, beliefs, or positions of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Transcript

Clare Craner
Welcome to Sisters: Latter-day Voices Podcast. I'm Clare.

Candice Buchanan
And I'm Candice. Today we're doing a mini episode. I’ll be sharing a personal experience about prayer—and a time when I really had to trust that everything would be okay, even though the answer I received didn’t make sense to me at the time.

A few years ago, I made a decision, and it was one of the rare times in my life when I prayed and received a very clear answer. That usually doesn’t happen. It was a scary answer because I didn’t know how things would work out, but I followed through—and of course, things did work out, because that’s what happens when we trust God.

So to give some context: I had three young kids at the time. Two were in school, and my youngest—who was two—was at home with me. We live in Utah, but unlike many people here, we don’t have any family nearby. I was going through a pretty big trial and felt very weighed down, isolated, and alone. My husband had been gone for work for months, which is common for us, but paired with everything else, it was a really hard time.

I was reading the weekly email from the school principal—which, honestly, is a miracle in itself because I never read those fully. Especially if you have multiple kids, the emails just pile up. But for some reason, I read that whole thing.

Clare Craner
Quick sidetrack—about ninth-grade emails: here, ninth grade is still in junior high. So at the beginning of this school year, I got one of those emails and thought it was just a reminder to order a yearbook. I figured, “Eh, I’ve got months to do that.” But two months later I was cleaning out my inbox and realized… I missed the deadline to write a little shout-out to my son. So—he didn’t get one. And now I feel like a loser.

Candice Buchanan
So, moral of the story: read the emails.

Clare Craner
Or at least skim them!

Candice Buchanan
Yes, a quick skim can go a long way. Honestly, I sometimes think everyone else has it all together, but I do stuff like that all the time. So it’s good to share.

Clare Craner
So what did you find in the email?

Candice Buchanan
At the bottom, it said they were looking for a part-time art teacher. I’ve always liked art, but it didn’t make sense for me to apply—I had a toddler at home. Still, I felt drawn to it.

Clare Craner
Drawn—

Candice Buchanan
Haha, pun intended. I know, it’s bad. Anyway, I applied—not really expecting to go through with it—but figured, why not see what it’s all about? It ended up being a 20-hour-a-week job, three days a week. So I sent in my application and prepped for an interview.

It still didn’t make sense. Part-time school jobs don’t pay well, and I had no idea what I’d do for childcare. I’m not a natural teacher—besides teaching Primary at church. I was a chorister, which is hilarious because I’m not musical at all. That’s the only experience I had with kids in a teaching setting.

I can’t remember if it was before or after the interview, but I went to the temple. I had already made the decision in my heart that if I got the job, I would take it. I prayed, “If this is the right thing, please help me feel that. And if it’s totally crazy and wrong, let me feel that, too.”

And while I was there, I got a very clear answer—it would be okay. So I moved forward, still scared, still unsure how things would work with my daughter.

The very next day—literally the next day—a woman in my ward who I already knew told me she was moving just a couple doors down. I remembered that she used to babysit, so I reached out and asked if she’d be willing to watch my daughter. She said yes immediately. She’d actually been looking for someone—watching kids was how she made some side money.

Clare Craner
Wow.

Candice Buchanan
It worked out so perfectly. I had followed the answer I got, even though it didn’t make sense—and then the very next day, the childcare solution came.

Now, I was still scared to start the job—teaching kids really intimidated me.

Clare Craner
Yeah.

Candice Buchanan
Side note: I was so nervous the first day. I’d prepped lessons all summer, but the school didn’t even have an art room. I had to put all the supplies on a cart and go room to room. I taught first through fifth grade in two-week cycles and had to adjust the lessons by age group. I was terrified—kids are so honest and can be brutally judgmental!

But I pushed through and it ended up being a wonderful experience.

Some of the blessings: I got to see my two older daughters at school. I saw their friends and their environment, and it was just special to be there.

The woman who watched my daughter became one of my best friends. Her daughter was a year younger than mine, and they became best friends too—and they still are. Her daughter’s now eight and they’re inseparable.

I made friends at school. And I think that job helped pull me out of the hard place I’d been in. I'm getting emotional now—ugh, I hate that!

Clare Craner
It’s okay.

Candice Buchanan
It’s not! Every time I talk at church and get emotional, I get so mad at myself.

Clare Craner
It’s not embarrassing.

Candice Buchanan
It embarrasses me. But anyway…

I learned new skills. I got job experience. I deepened my love for art and even got paid to do it. I met someone going through similar struggles, and we found comfort in each other.

I worked there for two years—then I got pregnant with my youngest and didn’t continue. But those two years were such a blessing, and I’m so glad I followed through on that prompting.

Clare Craner
I love that. Some answers come clearly, like yours. Other times, they come gradually—more like a marathon. You might not even get the full answer in this life, but you still feel peace.

But in your case, you got a very clear answer. And even though it didn’t make logical sense—part-time pay, no childcare—you followed it. And from it, you made friends, saw your kids more, created a support system. Your daughter made a lifelong friend. And all of that showed just how aware Heavenly Father is of you—personally.

Candice Buchanan
Exactly. And I think it’s important to follow through on the answers we get, even if others don’t understand.

Some people did judge me. They’d say things like, “Why would you work for so little when you have a toddler at home?” But I felt good about it. I knew it was right for me, and it ended up being really good for me.

Experiences like that build our trust in God. Like, okay—He’s got my back. I just have to keep moving forward.

Clare Craner
And I like how you made your decision first—you weighed the pros and cons, then asked for confirmation. Some people skip that step. They want an answer without making any effort.

Candice Buchanan
I’ve done that too. I’ll be like, “I don’t know what to do—what should I do?” And it’s really hard to get an answer to that kind of open-ended question. But if I make a choice and then ask, “Is this right?” I usually get a clearer feeling.

Sometimes it’s “Yes,” sometimes “No,” and sometimes just a peaceful “You’re doing your best—keep going.”

Clare Craner
Do you want to read the ending quote?

Candice Buchanan
Sure. This is from Elder Richard G. Scott’s General Conference talk Trust in the Lord. He said:

"To exercise faith is to trust that the Lord knows what He is doing with you and that He can accomplish it for your eternal good, even though you cannot understand how He can possibly do it."

Clare Craner
We hope you’re doing well, and that you know God loves you.

Candice Buchanan
Until next time.