Tender Mercies

This week I've seen the hand of the Lord much more evident in my life and my family. For one, I was so blessed with an amazing experience with my visiting teacher. I've never been consistent with my own visiting teaching, however in August I did make a resolve that I was going to change that. Which I have, I've got it done every month since then and I plan to continue doing it. Her wisdom and willingness strengthened my testimony of visiting teaching. When she came to my house later on that day to drop off my jars of tomatoes, I got teary eyed because it meant so much to me that a woman who's probably 30 years older than me would be willing to teach a young mother how to can. She's only visited me twice so it's not like we're best buds and yet we had such a great time together. It really meant so much and words aren't adequate to describe my gratitude for her and her service.

Later on that day an angel gave us food. Bags and bags and bags full of groceries of all kinds and not just the necessities like bread and eggs. She even gave us a few of my favorite candy bars, chocolate chips for "fun" baking, even baggies and saran wrap. Our freeze was packed full to capacity and I was so humbled and overcome by the generosity of these two individuals. I gave thanks and praise to God and bawled all night long. Oh the tender mercies of the Lord! We have been so blessed and I feel I don't deserve it.

I hope later on in my life I will be at a point where I can be like that. Where I can be an instrument in the hand of the Lord to help young families, to teach my fellow sisters how to can, to buy lots of groceries at random for families in need, to give away some of my own food storage or produce. A few years ago I remember President Monson posed the question, "What have I done for someone today?" Aside from the regular wife and mother duties, not much and it's pathetic. I loved listening to the relief society broadcast last night and the things that I learned and could recap is that we all have a purpose and can all do something good for someone. If everyone were to put all their trials in a big, gigantic pile, I'd probably want mine back. We are so blessed and fortunate and I could do more to help others around me. I'm just so, so thankful for all that I have! Compared to some like the Burmese refugees in our ward, we live like kings. And yet compared to others, we live like we're in poverty. But we have a house and (now) a fridge full of food and clothes and the gospel. We have each other and we've been blessed to have Kimball. What else is there? I deeply thank the Lord for answering my prayers, oh His tender mercies!

President Hinckley said, "There is no end to the good we can do, to the influence we can have with others. Let us not dwell on the critical or the negative. Let us pray for strength; let us pray for capacity and desire to assist others. Let us radiate the light of the gospel at all times and all places, that the Spirit of the Redeemer may radiate from us."