So Good

Tonight I had the opportunity to go out to an appointment with the Sister Missionaries.  They are so awesome!  It's been so long since I went out with any missionaries, and I forgot how good it feels.  Tonight we taught this awesome guy.  He totally understands the Gospel, and he doesn't think he does.  I actually learned something from him tonight, because of his amazing faith.  To everything we taught him he said "It makes so much sense!".  He also really knows how to study the scriptures.  He found 1 Nephi 1:20 in his first reading and told us how amazing it is!  I didn't even really notice that verse until Elder Bednar's talk in April 2005 General Conference.  This investigator totally gets it just from reading the scriptures!  I had to have Elder Bednar speak to me through this talk in order to even notice this verse.  It got me thinking about when I first heard it.

I remember this talk in particular because it really struck me at that time in my life.  I remember exactly where I was and when it was that I heard it.  I was at my mom's office while she did some work (I didn't have my license at this point) and we couldn't get back to the chapel in time for the second Sunday session.  So I locked myself in an empty office, booted up the computer and started listening to the conference.  I remember lying on the floor, almost asleep, when this talk came on.  Suddenly I was wide awake and every word he spoke just stuck in my mind.  It was amazing.  Though I didn't remember anything specific about the talk, since then, the phrase "the tender mercies of the Lord" has stuck in my mind and I think about it often. 

In re-reading this talk tonight, this particular part stood out to me, because I have seen it in my own life:

"As I indicated earlier, the Lord’s tender mercies do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Faithfulness, obedience, and humility invite tender mercies into our lives, and it is often the Lord’s timing that enables us to recognize and treasure these important blessings...I repeat again, the Lord’s tender mercies do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Faithfulness and obedience enable us to receive these important gifts and, frequently, the Lord’s timing helps us to recognize them."

Since hearing this talk, I have recognized the Lord's tender mercies in my life.  Whether it was as huge as having the Spirit directly tell me, in words, what to do, or having a hymn or scripture come to mind when pondering on a specific thing I was having trouble with, the mercies do come.  I have cherished them.  I love them.  They help bring me closer to my Heavenly Father because they show that He loves me and I know He wants me to know it.

I want to thank that investigator for giving me the opportunity to re-live my discovery of this verse.  I want to thank him for being so in-tune with the Spirit that we had an amazing discussion tonight.  I really hope that he knows how special he is.

Until next time,
-J